How to care for episiotomy wounds in summer

During the process of normal delivery, in order to make the delivery process complete, an episiotomy is usually performed, which is to make a small incision in the perineum. If this small cut is not handled correctly, it is easy to get infected. Especially in summer, when the weather is hot and there are many germs, wounds are more susceptible to infection. Therefore, the editor recommends that new mothers should pay more attention to their wounds after giving birth and do more wound care. So how to care for episiotomy wounds in summer?

What pregnant mothers need episiotomy

1. The perineum has poor elasticity, narrow opening, or the vulva is inflamed or edematous. It is estimated that severe tearing of the vulva is inevitable when the fetus is delivered.

2. The fetus is very large, the fetal head is crooked, and the labor force is not strong, so the fetal head is blocked in the perineum.

3. For older pregnant women over 35 years old, or those with high-risk pregnancies such as heart disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension, etc., in order to reduce the energy consumption of pregnant women, shorten the delivery process, and reduce the threat of delivery to maternal and child products, an episiotomy should be performed when the fetal head drops to the vulva.

4. The cervix is ​​fully dilated and the fetal head is in a low position, but the fetus is obviously hypoxic, the fetus's heartbeat has abnormal changes or irregular heartbeat, and the amniotic fluid is turbid or stained with meconium.

5. When relying on forceps to assist delivery.

How to care for episiotomy wound

1. Maintain vaginal cleanliness:

Whether it is a natural tear or a cut, the wound can generally heal in 3-5 days and should be washed with warm water twice a day. To prevent contamination of the wound, wipe the private parts with Sanitary Ware after each bowel movement. Do not wipe from back to front after defecation, but from front to back, and wash again. Remember to wash sanitary pads frequently to avoid moisture and wetting the wound.

2. Avoid perineal wound dehiscence:

When constipation occurs, you cannot force the vulva with air inlet, you can use enema or liquid paraffin to lubricate it, especially for the first 2 to 3 days after the stitches are removed, avoid squatting and straining; when defecating, you must first contract your perineum and buttocks, and then sit on the toilet, which can effectively prevent the perineum wound from cracking.

Sitting can shift the center of gravity to the right, which can not only alleviate the pain caused by the force on the wound, but also avoid skin separation; prevent falls or excessive external rotation of the thigh root, which may lead to wound dehiscence; it is not suitable to be hospitalized on the day of stitches removal. Wound dehiscence often occurs on the day of stitches removal. Wound dehiscence will cause inconvenience to the treatment after returning home.

3. Prevent abscesses from forming in wounds:

In the first few days after giving birth, new mothers should lie on their right side to promote the drainage of blood in the wound to avoid accumulation and abscess formation, which will affect healing. It can also prevent the uterine wall fragments in the postpartum lochia from infiltrating into the wound and causing endometriosis in the future. After 4-5 days, when the wound looks firmer and the lochia can no longer be infiltrated, you can lie supine alternately up and down. Pay attention to the condition of the perineal wound. If the wound is painful within 1-2 hours after the operation and it becomes more and more severe, you should contact the doctor immediately for immediate treatment.

4. Prevent perineal wound infection:

After giving birth, new mothers will sweat a lot, have lochia, and vaginal wounds. During this recovery period, new mothers need to pay attention to physical hygiene and health care, and should not be limited to traditional concepts. When the wound becomes swollen, painful, and hard, and there is purulent secretion when squeezed, antibiotics should be taken under the guidance of a doctor, and the sutures should be removed to facilitate the discharge of pus; some people should use 1:5000 potassium permanganate solution warm water sitz bath twice a day, each time for 10-15 minutes, or use heat-clearing, detoxifying, and dissolving Chinese herbal decoctions to clean the wound.

5. Be careful when treating edema wounds:

When the wound is swollen, the sutures are tightened before they are removed, and the pain continues to persist. You can use 95% alcohol gauze or 50% magnesium sulfate aqueous solution for local hot compress and face compress twice a day; when applying, try to raise the buttocks as much as possible to facilitate blood flow back and relieve wound edema and pain.