Episiotomy is a surgical manipulation, which is carried out in the postpartum period of labor. Its essence consists in cutting the perineum and facilitating the child's progress along the generic pathways. Unfortunately, doctors do not always carry out this procedure reasonably, and often apply in order to speed up the process of delivery . Episiotomy is not a harmless procedure at all and can have negative consequences, if you do not follow certain rules of grooming.
How to care for the wound after an episiotomy?
- One of the most important conditions for successful healing of an episiotomy wound is compliance with asepsis rules. First, the incision itself should be carried out under sterile conditions. Secondly, proper care of the sutures in the postpartum period is important. It is necessary to conduct hygienic processing of the joints after each visit to the toilet (for this, you can use a decoction of marigold and chamomile), often change the gaskets, and treat the joints with an antiseptic (alcohol solution of iodine or diamond green) twice a day.
- The second condition is the observance of a certain diet, which excludes flour, pasta and other products that can cause constipation. A young mother should regularly empty the intestines, without straining the perineum to prevent seam divergence.
- The third condition for good healing is the absence of mechanical stimulation of the joints. Such a woman is advised not to sit on the pope for three weeks, do not lift the weight, and feed the baby will have to either standing or lying on its side. It will not be superfluous to perform Kegel exercises for the perineum, one of those that were used in gymnastics for pregnant women.
Episiotomy - complications
The most common cause of complications after episiotomy is the neglect of aseptic rules. Inflammation of the suture after an episiotomy is manifested by pain, edema in the wound area and sucritic discharge.
If it hurts and cuts the suture after an episiotomy, then you should check with the doctor for a hematoma. Sometimes between the walls of the wound a hematoma forms, which can increase, causing pain in the seam area. The formed hematoma can be inflated and lead to divergence of the sutures, then such a wound will heal by secondary tension (longer with the formation of a scar). Fistula after an episiotomy can be formed if there has been inflammation of the suture or silk ligature has not been completely removed (some of it remained in the wound). The presence of a fistula can be accompanied by sucritic discharge from the wound.
How to deal with complications after episiotomy?
If a young mother feels pain a few days after an episiotomy, she should immediately go to the doctor to find the cause and get qualified help on time. In case of suppuration or formation of a hematoma, seams are removed from the episiotomy wound, antibacterial therapy is performed, topically anti-inflammatory ointments are used. When the inflammatory process is over and the wound is clean and dry, the woman is offered to apply secondary seams.
Thus, episiotomy is not always justified intervention, which can bring a lot of troubles to the young mother, which she already has enough. The best way to avoid episiotomy in childbirth is proper preparation for childbirth. Throughout pregnancy, a woman should lead an active lifestyle (walking outdoors, doing gymnastics for pregnant women). Correctly compiled diet will allow the future mother not to gain extra pounds and will not lead to the fact that the fruit will be too large.