The perineum, the area between your vagina and your back passage, often gets torn during childbirth - (or as a result of an episiotomy performed by your midwife or consultant)
It is very common for the perineal area to feel sore after childbirth, whether or not you have stiches. It can take days or weeks to ease the discomfort, but rest assured that the pain will pass.
Basically - keep the area clean, use creams and lotions to aleviate pain and rubber rings to sit on if you are really suffering. It does pass, but our products really can help!
The following tips can be used to help and ease your discomfort:
1. Keep the the perineum clean. Use plain warm water to clean the area (after each visit to the toilet). You might also find that adding certain remedies to the water will provide a soothing effect. Change your sanitary towel often and use clean cotton fabrics agains the area.
2. Use your pelvic floor muscles! We cannot emphasise this enough; not only will these exercises help heal the area by increasing the bloodflow, but also as part of your effort to help th emuscles that prevent urine leakage, wind and stools. Please ask your midwife, yoga teacher, health care professional for a leaflet about these exercises.
3. Cool packs - in the first few days these really help by keeping the area cool and easing the immediate pain.
4. Valley cushions/rubber rings. To make sitting down easier or even an option if you have suffered a serious tear/episiotomy. But don't sit for longer than 30 minutes without getting up - so that the bloodflow to the area is not restricted.
5. Creams or Sprays with natural healing remedies. These can provide instant relief and may help with the healing process.
Also, try and avoid constipation as this might increase your discomfort -so drink plenty of water and eat well.
Express Yourself Mums have carefully chosen some products that should definately help alieviate your immediate discomfort and make the few days/weeks after birth more comfortable.