My poor vagina

I’m now just over 5 weeks post partum and had a wobble like you did at 3 weeks about the state of my body & recovery! Very similar to you I had an episiotomy/2nd degree tear which initially was healing up well, albeit was very sore but was managing with regular paracetamol, ibuprofen and lactulose. I had awful haemorrhoids as well which I was using germaloid cream for which helped. Like you I was starting to feel better so went out at 2 weeks pp and started to do more but it really set me back!! The midwife told me you can’t pop open your stitches from going for a no 2, though all the trauma and the muscles in your pelvic floor are shot to bits and take time to recover. My advice would be to keep up with the lactose, maybe not as regularly as before but enough to make any future bowel movements soft and easy so you don’t strain at all. Do some gentle pelvic floor exercises too, I use the Squeezy app which is good to start to gently strengthen things up!!…

I was horrified as well by the state of my vag and perineum down there but you’re only 3 weeks post partum!! It took you 9 months to grow your little baby, it’ll definitely take your body that and if not longer to get back to what it was before. Things are completely different for me down there now at 5 weeks compared to 3 weeks, so don’t worry!! I have a bit on my tear that is still healing and a bit red like you - GP saw this when I went at 3 weeks pp for a UTI. Very normal and if it causes any aggro in the future things can be done about it. Please try not to stress as like I said you’re only 3 weeks and still recovering! Be kind to yourself, rest when you can and it’ll all work out. Make sure you do eat and stay hydrated as this will help you recover too!! Sending love x

I had an episiotomy due to a forceps delivery and piles too. Please don’t stop taking laxatives, make sure you wash your perineum será every time you to to the loo - I bought a peri bottle, then I dried the area with a hairdryer. I’m 3 weeks post partum and healing very well. I also have a doughnut pillow to sit on. I’ll see a private doctor for the piles next week. Good luck

3 weeks is still SO early. Have a look around you for a physiotherapist that does a "Mummy MOT". I really think they should be a standard thing for everyone after birth. They'll be able to tell you what's normal and what's not, and what you can do about it, how to improve things, and what things will improve by themselves. It's SO useful and so reassuring. There's a book by Emma Brockwell called "Why did no one tell me?" Which is absolutely worth reading. She's a specialist pelvic floor physiotherapist who does Mummy MOTs after birth. Give it a read

I’m 2 weeks post partum and had a third degree tear after episiotomy and forceps… I’ve been bed bound for the whole time as I can’t sit up on the wound, I’ve now ended up with piles which I think are more painful than the tear! I can’t take ibuprofen as I have ulcerative colitis and too scared to take the dihydrocodine and laxatives as getting the balance right is so hard so I’m just on paracetamol. Just to let you know you’re not alone and I’m also feeling just as miserable! I can’t get in and out of bed easily so my husband is having to get the baby for me all night which I feel guilty about, it feels like the whole newborn experience is being ruined with so much pain and being bed bound. I wouldn’t survive without a peri bottle or a donut pillow! Good luck with recovery, I really hope it gets better for us!

Thank you so much for your comments and support ❤️ 🙏🏾 sometimes it feels like your the only one feeling this way.

@Ellie I wonder if the opening was always there and I didn't notice until the piles started. I will get some germaloid cream tomorrow hopefully that will improve