Post delivery care for your vagina wound

If you deliver by natural birth and if there is tear or the doctor made incision or cut for you, then the doctor will also made stitches for you.

Since there are stitches then you have to take care of the wound so that it will heal properly.

FIRST IS TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE

Take stool softening medication like Duphalac (from Abbott) or Lactul (from Y.S.P.) because you would not want any further damage whenever you pass motion.

Personally I prefer Duphalac because Lactul is sweeter than Duphalac.

Also bear in mind if you plan to breastfeed that your body tends to be more dehydrated which translate to "harder"stools :(

So Dupholac is a must. In fact I consume a total of 3 plus bottles for about 3 months because during my confinement, I did not consume much fruit thus aggravating the situation.

Note the different prices. Cheapest @ AA Pharmacy RM17.80

Also during post delivery, you may be prone to having piles or hermorrhoids because of the dehydration. So to prevent, try passing motion frequently like twice a day (ideally) and drink more fluids.

One symptoms I had of hermorrhoids is itchiness in the bottom after passing motion. Really an annoying post delivery symptom.

Plus there were numerous times where I suffered "cuts" from passing hard motions where it bled momentarily as well.

TREATMENT
So to prevent major cut to the anus, I read that to help pass out hard stool, use a finger and apply pressure near the opening of the anus.

And if you suffer from piles or hermorrhoids, do Kegel Exercise throughout the day and even night.

When taking hot showers, use a finger to GENTLY push the protruding part into the anus. It also helps to do Kegel exercise simultaneously as you push the part in as it help to suck that part in.

APART FROM STOOL SOFTENING

Initially I was afraid to take a mirror to look at my "bottom" because of the stitches and all but when I finally found the courage to do so, I noticed I had "yellow" spots in certain parts.

Yellow spots (enlarged) in the vagina area

My KKIA nurse and  my gynae nurse said these are normal. I just need to keep the vagina area:-

1) clean 

2) dry

3) aired

4) sizt bath

5) kegel exercise

How to do this?

Clean is obviously with water.

Dry means tissue follow by blow drying with hair dryer with cool air

Aired means do not use thick sanitary pads. Use panty liners if there's no more blood discharge etc. And if possible do not use even panty liners.

Sizt bath for me means soaking with hot salt water for 15 minutes. Initially 2 times a day but increased to 3 times a day when I saw the yellow spots.

Use "garam halus" as it is easier to dissolve and I used about 3 handful each time. That's a lot of salt.

In addition I keep a pot of warm to hot water nearby to add when the bath water (I used normal heater water set to highest temperature) is not longer hot.

Apparently when the water is not hot, the bacteria which came out can go in again. So it's important to keep the water temperature hot during the 15 mins.

Normally by 10 mins the water in no longer hot, so I'll add hot and salty water.

I will use a timer and during the 15 mins, I do some simple arm exercises (for sample click tracy-anderson-arms-exercise) as well as Kegel exercise because Kegel along with Sitz Bath can really speed up the healing process.

Also getting a bigger pail is great if you have bigger hips like me.

Initially I used the blue official Sitz Bath pail but later I changed to the red pail cos I find the water level in the blue pot too low to reach those yellow spots.

So now after 4 months of delivery, I am glad to say that proper care, Kegel exercise and Sitz bath, there were no permanent damage and I have complete healing from the initial cut and tear as well as post delivery cuts from passing motion.

Also thankfully whatever piles or hermorrhoids which I suffered during the first 2 months are also gone! :D