How to Care for Episiotomy Stitches | Episiotomy Care Plan

An episiotomy is an incision made in the perineal area between the anus and the vagina to enlarge the birth canal. Doctors perform this procedure to avoid tearing your skin during childbirth. Recovery from an episiotomy can be the most uncomfortable part of having a child, but there have many nursing advice that will help you to reduce pain and enhance the healing process perfectly.

1. Reduce physical activity, wait six weeks before you engage in any activity that might rupture your stitches, including using tampons, having sex, and touching.
2. Get enormous rest and do not take on any inessential chores.
3. During and after going to the bathroom, clean the area by squirting warm water over it.
4. Use a sterile peri-bottle every time, when you go to the washroom to keep the incision area clean.
5. Soak your perineal area for 20 minutes in a sitz bath three times daily (frequent sitz baths or shallow baths that cover your vulvar area, may help speed healing).
6. After each sitz bath changes your sanitary pad.
7. Have to use a fresh maxi pad at least every 4-6 hours.
8. Adjust your sanitary pad gently, so that it does not rub against your stitches.
9. 3 to 4 witch hazel pads must be placed on a sanitary napkin to make full contact with the wounded site.
10. Witch hazel is a cooling agent and reduces swelling in the incision area.
11. Take a warm and clean bath (Have to wait at least 24 hours after giving birth).
12. To reduce the pain of the incision, take acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or pain medication as prescribed.
13. Ointments and other medicines should be applied over the episiotomy site to enhance the healing process.
14. Apply ice packs immediately after birth to reduce pain.
15. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and bran cereals.
16. Drink lots of water and eat a lot of fiber to avoid constipation.
17. To avoid painful bowel movements and strain, take stool softeners.
18. You may feel swelling, tenderness, and sensitiveness in the episiotomy area while passing urine.
19. While your perineum is still very sore, do not sit for long periods of time.
20. Reveal the wound to air as much as possible.
21. Start doing Kegel exercises the day you give birth, they help to restore muscle tone, stimulate circulation, and speed healing.

More questions related to this article:

1. What is an episiotomy?
2. What is meant by episiotomy care?
3. What is episiotomy care?
4. How long does it take for an episiotomy to heal completely?
5. How do you treat episiotomy?
6. Mention some care plans for an episiotomy.
7. Which care plans are necessary for an episiotomy?
8. How can I make my episiotomy heal faster?
9. How do you take care of perineal stitches?
10. What is mean by episiotomy and how to take care after delivery?