With an epidural, you generally won't feel the pain of stitches because the medication numbs the area from the waist down, but you might still feel pressure or movement during the stitching process, especially for smaller tears. For more severe tears (third or fourth degree), you'll likely be in an operating theatre with stronger anesthesia (epidural or spinal) to ensure you feel no pain during the repair.
If you had an epidural or other pain relievers during delivery, you'll likely have no clue if or how much you tore until your provider tells you. However, even if you deliver with no pain medication, you may not feel a vaginal tear.
How do I know if this has happened to me? Wound breakdown can cause an increase in pain, new bleeding or pus-like discharge. You may also begin to feel unwell. Sometimes women notice some stitch material coming away soon after they have had their baby, or can see for themselves that the wound has opened.
A local anaesthetic is used to numb the area around the vagina so you do not feel any pain. If you have already had an epidural, the dose can be topped up before the cut is made. Whenever possible, the doctor or midwife will make a small diagonal cut from the back of the vagina, directed down and out to one side.
It is normal to feel pain or soreness for 2 to 3 weeks after having any tear. The stitches may also irritate and it may sting when you wee. They may feel a little itchy, but this often means they are healing. The skin part of the wound is likely to heal within a few weeks of giving birth.
Up to 9 in every 10 first time mothers who have a vaginal birth will experience some sort of tear, graze or episiotomy. It is slightly less common for mothers who have had a vaginal birth before. For most women, these tears are minor and heal quickly.
The most significant symptoms are:
If you have an epidural, you may not feel the ring of fire, or you may have a dulled burning sensation. Or you may only feel pressure, without burning. But you could also still feel it – every woman's experience is different.
A numerical rating scale (NRS) of 0–10 was adopted to evaluate maternal pain, with 0 describing no labor pain and 10 describing the most severe labor pain. The higher the score, the more severe the labor pain is.
Control your pushing.
Aim for controlled, consistent pushing. If you can, try not to push down hard all at once while the baby's head is coming through the vaginal opening. Pushing gently and slowly can give the tissue time to stretch.
A common fear about the first poo after birth is the risk of damaging perineal stitches. Fortunately, it is very unlikely that your stitches will tear during a bowel movement. These stitches are designed to be durable and withstand the pressures of postpartum recovery.
You should not ignore postpartum symptoms like chest pain, trouble breathing, severe headache with vision changes, heavy bleeding (soaking a pad per hour), fever, severe pain or swelling in one leg, or thoughts of harming yourself or the baby, as these can signal serious issues like hemorrhage, blood clots, preeclampsia, or postpartum depression/psychosis. Seek immediate medical help (call 911 for emergency symptoms) for severe signs, and contact your doctor promptly for persistent or worsening symptoms, even up to a year postpartum.
Lochia will smell like menstrual blood. Some describe it as musty, metallic, sour or stale. But it shouldn't smell fishy or foul. This could mean bacteria has caused an infection.
With an epidural, you are still aware of contractions, but you won't feel any pain. However, an epidural does change the game when it comes to pushing. This is where the nursing staff can help.
Some evidence suggests that women who use an epidural appear to be less likely to have perineal tears. If you don't have an epidural, try kneeling, squatting, or lying on your side (which you can do with an epidural), as these birthing positions may reduce the risk of tearing.
While childbirth is famously painful, conditions like Cluster Headaches, severe Kidney Stones, Endometriosis, Trigeminal Neuralgia, and even intense dental procedures like root canals are often described by sufferers as worse, with cluster headaches frequently topping pain scales due to their intensity and lack of breaks, unlike labor. Pain perception is subjective, but these conditions involve excruciating, sharp, or prolonged agony that some individuals rate higher than childbirth.
Labor pain is one of the most severe pains which has ever evaluated and its fear is one of the reasons women wouldn't go for natural delivery. Considering different factors which affect experiencing pain, this study aimed to explain women's experiences of pain during childbirth.
Physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can also raise pain tolerance and decrease pain perception. One study found that a moderate to vigorous cycling program significantly increased pain tolerance. Mental imagery refers to creating vivid images in your mind, and it can be useful for some in managing pain.
Once you're in the pushing stage, your contractions may come every 5 minutes, lasting 45–90 seconds. They're also often strong and more productive. Contractions at this stage can bring renewed energy as you sense your baby is near. They can feel like increased pressure in the rectum, back and perineum.
But if you've had an epidural, you might not even realize you've pooped. This medication injection can help block the pain you feel during labor and childbirth — and it can dull the sensation of pooping, too.
Using an Epidural to Push Positions
In other words, once you get an epidural, you won't be able to move around, walk, or change positions. Natural childbirth gives you added freedom to walk and change positions during labor. This increases your odds of a vaginal delivery and gives you more sense of control over the entire experience.
However, most postpartum people use a peri bottle for about a week after giving birth, when the vagina is still tender and sore. You may want to continue using a peri bottle after the first week or perhaps until the postpartum bleeding stops.
How wound dehiscence happens. A wound can become separated when stress or tension overcomes the strength of the stitches or staples used to close the incision. This may happen from coughing, lifting, strenuous exercise, or other movements or actions. It can also occur if the wound was not closed correctly.
We recommend showering only for the first 2 weeks so any suture material does not dissolve too rapidly and any tear is allowed to heal. After 2 weeks it is OK to take a bath or submerge in water if you like. If you don't have stitches you can take a bath right away.