What should you pay attention to after episiotomy stitches removal?

The so-called episiotomy, which is medically called episiotomy, is when a woman is giving birth. If the perineum opening is relatively small, the fetus cannot come out smoothly. At this time, an episiotomy is needed. This will make the vaginal opening larger so that the baby can come out smoothly. After the episiotomy, stitches must be left in place, and they need to be removed after a certain period of time. After removing the stitches, you need to pay attention to the following issues.

Precautions after episiotomy:

After delivery, you should always pay attention to changes in the incision. Most mothers have returned home at this time. If the lochia has not yet cleared, they should still insist on washing the vulva with warm water twice a day. At the same time, you should keep your bowels open to prevent the wound from splitting. If necessary, you can take some laxatives. It is best to sit down to defecate and avoid squatting for too long. In addition, the inside of the wound is not yet firm after the stitches are removed, so you should not walk too much or do exercises that involve too much movement.

Keep the wound clean

After the stitches are removed after a normal delivery, the mother's lochia is often not clear yet, so the mother should still insist on washing the vulva with warm water twice a day. The mother should continue to rinse the perineum with water after urinating or defecating, and wipe it with toilet paper, wiping from front to back to avoid bacterial infection.

Keep the wound dry

After a normal delivery and episiotomy with stitches removed, the mother should keep the perineum dry and use safe hygiene products. Change underwear and sanitary napkins in time to keep the vulva clean and dry. Avoid moisture, breeding of bacteria, etc.

Do not lift heavy objects

Do not lift heavy objects or do any strenuous housework or exercise within one month after delivery. Excessive physical activity too early may cause damage to the pelvic floor tissue and even cause uterine prolapse in old age.

Prevent wound dehiscence

Some women may experience episiotomy wound dehiscence after the stitches are removed. If they have been discharged from the hospital, they should go to the hospital immediately for examination and treatment. If the wound tissue is fresh and has been split for a short time, you can immediately perform a second suture after proper disinfection. The stitches can be removed after 5 days and the wound can mostly heal again. If the wound tissue is not fresh and there is secretion, you cannot suture it. You can take a potassium permanganate solution sitz bath and take antibiotics to prevent infection. Wait for a local scar to form before it heals. Although the episiotomy is a very small operation, because the wound is located at the intersection of the urethra, vaginal opening and anus, and because of some special circumstances after delivery, it is very easy for the wound to not heal, so you must pay attention to daily care.