What should I do if my vulva is swollen and painful after a normal birth?

Natural birth is the most traditional way of childbirth for women. For women, babies born through natural birth have better physical fitness and are easier to care for. However, this natural way of childbirth can cause great pain to women. This causes women to have a fear of childbirth. It can also easily lead to physical abnormalities, for example, swelling and pain in the vulva is a common phenomenon. Let’s take a look at what to do if your vulva is swollen and painful after a normal birth?

Postpartum vulvar swelling and pain is mainly caused by the fact that when the baby is born during a natural delivery, the vagina of the mother needs to expand to the maximum extent. This expansion will cause the muscle tissue near the vagina to be involved, but the muscle tissue of the mother will be damaged, resulting in vulvar swelling and pain.

What to do if your vulva is swollen and painful

1. Clean with warm water: After delivery, you can use warm water to clean the swollen and painful vulva. The doctor and nurse will tell you how to clean it specifically. If the swelling and pain are obvious, you can also use ice compress to relieve it. Take out some ice cubes from the refrigerator, wrap them with plastic wrap, and then wrap a soft towel on the outside. Apply ice compress to the swollen and painful area of ​​the vulva, which is also very helpful in eliminating vulvar swelling and pain.

2. Anti-swelling drugs: If the swelling and pain of the vulva are particularly obvious, you can use appropriate medication. However, the use of medication on sensitive areas must be done under the guidance of a doctor. Do not use medication privately. Try to use some mild anti-swelling drugs to slowly relieve the symptoms. Postpartum recovery is a relatively long process, so don't be too impatient.

3. Choose a soft cushion: Postpartum mothers need more rest. When sitting down, it is best to use a soft cushion under the buttocks to relieve muscle tension in the swollen and painful areas.

4. Do some appropriate exercise: The exercise mentioned here refers to exercise that is beneficial to promoting the recovery of vaginal tissue and speeding up blood circulation, which can help the muscle tissue damaged during natural childbirth recover as soon as possible. For example, tighten your vulva and anus, and then slowly relax them. You can repeat this several times a day until the muscles slowly relax. Keep doing this and it will be very helpful in relieving the swelling and pain of the vulva.