Vaginal Care after birth

You’ve heard over the years that as a woman, not only your face needs self-care in the form of make up. Actually, your privates are very important too and undergo oh so many changes after you deliver. If you went through a vaginal birth, you will experience swelling, soreness and bruising. Worse still, if you got stitched from experiencing a tear, some pain is inevitable. Here are some things you should know about your vaginal care post delivery.

• If you are going through pain and want short term relief, some cool tap water or ice placed in a towel and dabbed on your privates will do the trick.
• Sit on a sitz bath, or use some warm water in cleaning your perineum. The warmth of the water will relieve the soreness on your perineum.
• When sitting, ensure you a soft cushion below you. Ensure you also support your back while at this. The soft cushion offers a good shock absorber for you since sitting directly on a hard surface will be hard.
• Use some pain relief medication if possible as it goes a long way in giving you relief.
• You’ll realize that in the first two to three days post delivery, your flow will be dark red. This is called lochia. You should use some maternity pads and not tampons, changing them as often as per every two hours.
• As a take home, if you have had an episiotomy wound, take steps to keep your stools soft and regular. Eat foods high in fiber. These fiber foods should have fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Drinking a lot of water will also help you with the loosening your stool and easing your pain. Some stool softeners can also help.

Remember, if you notice anything that’s fishy around your vaginal area, consult your gynecologist.