How long does it take to recover from episiotomy in summer?

Most pregnant women choose natural childbirth (natural birth), but when it comes to natural birth, they will think of the possibility of having an episiotomy, and then they become more and more scared and worried. Do all mothers who choose natural birth need to have an episiotomy? The answer is of course no. Whether or not an episiotomy is needed depends on the condition of the pregnant woman, the condition of the fetus, and other unexpected situations during the operation. It does not mean that all pregnant women who choose natural delivery will suffer from an episiotomy. So how long does it take to heal an episiotomy wound in summer?

The episiotomy wound from a normal delivery is just like the episiotomy wound from a caesarean section. The skin of the episiotomy wound usually heals quickly. Generally, the skin of the episiotomy wound can heal within 3 days. However, it will take several months for the subcutaneous tissue and muscles to heal and grow again with the surrounding tissues and become as soft as other tissues.

Generally, when checking 42 days after giving birth, the obstetrician and gynecologist will check the healing of the episiotomy wound for the pregnant woman. If the episiotomy wound becomes swollen, pus-filled, or cracked within 42 days, you should go to the hospital immediately to see a doctor.

Key points of episiotomy care during normal delivery:

1. After delivery, the perineum wound is located between the urethral opening and the duodenum, which is very easy to be contaminated by urine and feces. In addition, there is a lot of lochia after childbirth, and the blood can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria. In addition, the new mother is weak in qi and blood, which is easy to cause infection. Therefore, you should pay attention to doing more self-protection after giving birth. Especially in summer, when the weather is hot and there are many germs, maintenance after cutting is particularly important.

2. Whether it is a natural tear or a cut, the wound can generally heal in 3 to 5 days and should be washed with warm water twice a day. To prevent contamination of the wound, the private parts should be cleaned after each bowel movement. Do not wipe from back to front after defecation, but from front to back, and wash again. Remember to wash sanitary pads frequently to avoid moisture that will wet the wound.

3. New mothers should develop regular bowel habits. After giving birth, you should drink more water, 2000ml a day, and consume more high-fiber foods (vegetables and fruits) to prevent constipation. If a new mother is constipated and exerts too much force when defecating, it can easily affect the healing of the wound.

4. When a new mother suffers from constipation, she should not hold her breath and stretch her vulva. She can use a suppository or liquid paraffin to lubricate it. Especially for the first 2 to 3 days after the stitches are removed, the new mother should avoid squatting and straining. When defecating, she should first contract the vulva and buttocks, and then sit on the toilet to effectively prevent the perineum from cracking.

5. When sitting or standing, the new mother should tilt the center of gravity to the right as much as possible, which can not only alleviate the pain caused by the force on the wound, but also prevent skin separation; avoid falling or excessive external rotation of the thigh root, which may cause wound dehiscence; new mothers who have undergone episiotomy are not suitable for hospitalization on the day of stitches removal, because wound dehiscence often occurs on the day of stitches removal, and wound dehiscence after returning home will cause many inconveniences for maintenance.

6. In the first few days after giving birth, new mothers should lie on their right side to promote the discharge of blood in the wound, so as to avoid accumulation of blood and formation of abscesses, which will affect recovery. It can also prevent the uterine wall fragments in the lochia from being injected into the wound and causing endometriosis in the future. After 4 to 5 days, when the wound looks relatively firm and the lochia can no longer be injected, you can adopt alternating upper and lower lying positions. Pay attention to the condition of the perineal wound. If the wound is painful within 1 to 2 hours after the operation and it becomes more and more severe, you should contact the doctor immediately and take timely measures.