Post-Partum Care PSA: Do your Sitz baths

mb314 · September 2014

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 · September 2014

Hmmm this will be a nice necessary to-do.

joshua+rebecca11 · September 2014

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 · September 2014

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 · September 2014

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 · September 2014

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

venussapphire · September 2014

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 · September 2014

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.