Post-Partum Care PSA: Do your Sitz baths

mb314

As we get closer to delivery and start thinking of after care, I have a PSA to share.  Do your post partum sitz baths (with epsom salts), even if you don't feel like you need them.  Take it from me.  I didn't do them at first, and I later regretted it 

I had two smallish tears that did require stitches.  I delivered med-free and never felt the tears, and I had an easy post-partum recovery for the most part.  I didn't have a lot of pain "down there" post partum,  and I was taking walks within two days of delivery.  I felt good and was so wrapped up with DS that I never did sitz baths as recommended.  Big mistake.  Not only did my tears get infected, I healed weirdly with scar tissue.  I didn't discover it until my 6 week post partum MW visit. Antibiotics took care of the infection, but my MW had to do a silver nitrate treatment on my scar tissue.  Holy mother of god, that hurt worse than the childbirth - they basically burn your skin so it has to re-heal.  At 6 weeks post-partum I had to do twice daily epsom salt sitz baths.  Over the course of the next two months, I had to go back for two more silver nitrate treatments (awful awful pain), and continue the sitz baths.  I wasn't cleared for sex until four months post partum, when I was finally totally healed.

I'm not trying to scare people - the weird scar tissue issue doesn't happen to everyone who doesn't do sitz baths.  It's not common, but it's also not un-common.  It's just that if I had done my sitz bath initially, I likely would have avoided the whole ordeal. 

kfo22

Hmmm this will be a nice necessary to-do.

joshua+rebecca11

I've never heard of the Epsom salt sitz bath. What exactly is it? Just a warm bath with Epsom salt in it, and how often? Because I am definitely doing it now! Thank you for sharing!

ETA: spelling!!

brichar31

The sitz bath is so much better than the actual bath tub if that's what you mean.  After I delivered they said to take 3 baths a day (in the hospital I had to go to communal tubs, freaking gross).  My mom brought me her sitz bath and epsom salts, its like a potty you set on the toilet and sit on it to soak your lady bits.  It was so much more comfortable than actually sitting in a hard tub, I plan on taking it to the hospital with me this time!

mb314

A sitz bath is basically a way of soaking your lady parts.  You can simply soak in the tub, or you can buy a special contraption/seat that you fill with water/salt and then you put it on the toilet seat and sit on it to soak your lady parts.  I bought my sitz bath at Walgreens. I found it to be a lot easier than filling the bath tub, particularly if you do it a couple times a day. 

Epsom salts (readily available in First Aid aisles at the pharmacy/grocery store pharmacy area) promote healing, so adding the salts to the water will help your tears heal.

Dumbgurl04

WOW!!! Thanks for the info!!!!

venussapphire

I was just looking on vitacost and they sell a sitz bath spray.

https://www.vitacost.com/motherlove-sitz-bath-spray-2-oz

Might be a good backup to have. Has anyone used this?

lil_shocker

And don't forget the spray bottle when you leave the hospital! (If you give birth in one). Sitz bath and spray bottle are your dearest friends ladies.

wildflower75

This must not apply if you have a CS?...I didn't hear about any of this with my first birth...

lil_shocker

wildflower75 said:

This must onot apply if you have a CS?...I didn't hear about any of this with my first birth...

I don't think that they would since I assume there generally isn't trauma to the vagina with a C-section.