Riding after episiotomy

alainax

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 April 2010
Messages
4,503
Location
Lanarkshire
Visit site
Hi, looking for your experiences if you would be so kind :)

I had a medio lateral episiotomy 2 weeks ago. 3rd degree iirc from a long sunny side up forcep delivery. Some minor tearing alongside.

A few days later the stiches burst at the outside of the line ( towards my leg/ buttock with it being medio lateral) and a gaping hole was left. Advised won't be re stitched, just has to heal from the inside out.

Today I made a huge leap forward and was able to sit down :D have spent 2 weeks lying or standing. Went to see the pony, and was staring longingly at him wondering when I will be able to ride again.

Obviously it will all depend on how fast I heal, however could you let me know your experiences? How did you know you were ready? How long did it take? Did you take extra precautions? Did you ride too soon and cause issues ie ripping the wound?

Thanks for your advice :)
 

Clare85

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 May 2011
Messages
1,909
Location
West Sussex
Visit site
First of all, congratulations on the birth of your baby :)

I would say that you need to follow the advice of your midwife/consultant in the first instance, and following that it's about how ready you feel. Fortunately I didn't have to have an episiotomy, with either of mine so I can't draw on that experience, but do take care of yourself and don't rush back to the saddle. It's not just the stitches that need to heal, it's your muscles and ligaments that need time to tighten again. Enjoy your wee one :)
 

Moomin1

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 July 2010
Messages
7,970
Visit site
Congratulations again on the lovely baby! Commiserations on the sunny side up part - I feel your pain with that one after experiencing it myself. ��. I didn't have an episiotomy thankfully but did have a lot of tearing and stitches. I would say that it's vital you don't rush things and you follow your midwife's advice in your case. Once you do get back on board I strongly recommend a decent seat saver too. :)
 

Shay

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2008
Messages
7,345
Visit site
From a friend's experience with an episiotomy which tore after stitching - don't rush back into the saddle. You can cause further complications which are potentially life long. I'm really sorry - but best plan for awhile. Watching what my friend is still going through almost 10 years later, nothing is worth that. Be guided by your midwife - I would expect they'll err on the side of caution anyway. And use the time to re-build core strength. I felt like a piece of spaghetti after my daughter was born!
 

BigPony

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 January 2011
Messages
89
Location
Staffordshire
Visit site
I had forceps and an episiotomy, no idea what sort or how many stitches but I know it hurt like hell and took ages to put me back together!

I bought a sitz bath off amazon, lavender and tea tree oils (easy on the tea tree) and soaked at least twice a day. I healed well and was able to sit on in 3ish weeks- a 5 minute walk and I was done, I just wanted to get back on.

A week later I went for a 40 minute walk hack and in hindsight it was too much and I was uncomfortable for a few days after.

If you're not breastfeeding you should have been given some pretty good painkillers, bear in mind these will make you feel better than you are. My friend had a similar but worse delivery than me but was fine and dandy in a few days whereas it probably took me a month to feel vaguely human again.

If you've already had some issues, I would play it safe to avoid things taking more time to get sorted in the long run.
 

noblesteed

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 August 2009
Messages
1,872
Location
Up North
Visit site
I waited a good while after my boys were born. 3 months with my first with whom I had pelvic problems during pregnancy then an assisted delivery with forceps/episiotomy. My stitches had come apart a little too and they left them to heal. They DO heal very fast - I was amazed how soon my body got back to normal after the birth. Couldn't feel a thing once I was back on board and I remember wondering why I hadn't got back on sooner!
With my 2nd child which involved tearing and stitches I waited 5 weeks.
In both cases I've had no trouble from the injury/scarring etc but that MAY depend on how much 'padding' (ie fat) you have in the area!
 

Pilib

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 May 2005
Messages
1,419
Visit site
My little darling turned round during labour and ended up back to back so I had foreceps, an episiotomy and second degree tearing. Healed well and was back in the saddle in 4 weeks. As noblesteed says I couldn't feel anything and felt fine being back on board. X
 

Follysmum

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 February 2013
Messages
2,429
Visit site
I had an episiotomy, it was awful, was cut quite badly and ended up with alot of scar tissue, could not sit down properly for a month. Lots and lots of sea salt baths helped. Take your time and ride when you think your ready.
 

alainax

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 April 2010
Messages
4,503
Location
Lanarkshire
Visit site
First of all, congratulations on the birth of your baby :)

I would say that you need to follow the advice of your midwife/consultant in the first instance, and following that it's about how ready you feel. Fortunately I didn't have to have an episiotomy, with either of mine so I can't draw on that experience, but do take care of yourself and don't rush back to the saddle. It's not just the stitches that need to heal, it's your muscles and ligaments that need time to tighten again. Enjoy your wee one :)
Thank you! I have been signed off by the midwives, but have to see the GP in 4 weeks and they will check the healing. I guess it might be wise to wait till then and ask them what they think. And do some lunging and long reining in the mean time to build get a bit fitter!

Congratulations again on the lovely baby! Commiserations on the sunny side up part - I feel your pain with that one after experiencing it myself. ��. I didn't have an episiotomy thankfully but did have a lot of tearing and stitches. I would say that it's vital you don't rush things and you follow your midwife's advice in your case. Once you do get back on board I strongly recommend a decent seat saver too. :)
Thank you :) I have the avacallo gel out in the garage, I best go dig it out!

From a friend's experience with an episiotomy which tore after stitching - don't rush back into the saddle. You can cause further complications which are potentially life long. I'm really sorry - but best plan for awhile. Watching what my friend is still going through almost 10 years later, nothing is worth that. Be guided by your midwife - I would expect they'll err on the side of caution anyway. And use the time to re-build core strength. I felt like a piece of spaghetti after my daughter was born!
Oh that is awful for your friend :( I will see what the doctor advises :)
I waited a good while after my boys were born. 3 months with my first with whom I had pelvic problems during pregnancy then an assisted delivery with forceps/episiotomy. My stitches had come apart a little too and they left them to heal. They DO heal very fast - I was amazed how soon my body got back to normal after the birth. Couldn't feel a thing once I was back on board and I remember wondering why I hadn't got back on sooner!
With my 2nd child which involved tearing and stitches I waited 5 weeks.
In both cases I've had no trouble from the injury/scarring etc but that MAY depend on how much 'padding' (ie fat) you have in the area!
I have plenty of padding :D last week I was in tears with the pain and presuming it would be weeks and weeks before I could sit down, now I feel so human again, and cant quite believe how fast it can heal :)

Thank you for the advice and telling of your experience!

My little darling turned round during labour and ended up back to back so I had foreceps, an episiotomy and second degree tearing. Healed well and was back in the saddle in 4 weeks. As noblesteed says I couldn't feel anything and felt fine being back on board. X
Thanks for the advice from your experience! :D
I had an episiotomy, it was awful, was cut quite badly and ended up with alot of scar tissue, could not sit down properly for a month. Lots and lots of sea salt baths helped. Take your time and ride when you think your ready.

Yes I have been having 3 baths a day, with dead sea salt, lavender and tea tree oil, has been great :)
 

alainax

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 April 2010
Messages
4,503
Location
Lanarkshire
Visit site
I had forceps and an episiotomy, no idea what sort or how many stitches but I know it hurt like hell and took ages to put me back together!

I bought a sitz bath off amazon, lavender and tea tree oils (easy on the tea tree) and soaked at least twice a day. I healed well and was able to sit on in 3ish weeks- a 5 minute walk and I was done, I just wanted to get back on.

A week later I went for a 40 minute walk hack and in hindsight it was too much and I was uncomfortable for a few days after.

If you're not breastfeeding you should have been given some pretty good painkillers, bear in mind these will make you feel better than you are. My friend had a similar but worse delivery than me but was fine and dandy in a few days whereas it probably took me a month to feel vaguely human again.

If you've already had some issues, I would play it safe to avoid things taking more time to get sorted in the long run.

I have been having the baths a lot, seem to help incredibly. I am breast feeding, they had me on paracetamol for the first week ( and anti biotics) but now off those and feeling fine :)

My plan would be a 10 min walk around the indoor, and build it up slowly from there. I have been thinking about in a few weeks time just actually sitting on a saddle on the stand. The very thought of sitting that way is making me cringe at the moment - have visions of putting my foot in the stirrup and not being able to sit like that :p

Thank you all for your advice :) So glad that people are able to ride again even if it takes some time.
 

Fiona

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 July 2001
Messages
10,150
Location
N. Ireland
Visit site
I'd wait until your 6 week gp appt and if well healed by then, take it from there. Sitting on saddle on the saddle horse to test it out seems like a great idea. No point getting your hopes up if its still tender.

I can't honestly remember when I got onbboard again (had episiotomy and re suturing) but wasn't due to pain. More to general 'head screwed up-ness' and lack of sleep lol....

Good luck..

Fiona
 

fuzzymooch

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 July 2015
Messages
119
Visit site
Congrats! and also ow, sorry about the episiotomy!

No advice but going to keep an eye on this thread, due in two weeks and desperate to get back on already :). Crossing everything that there's no tearing or cutting.

Hope you feel better soon and are back with your furrys playing.
 

TGM

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2003
Messages
16,465
Location
South East
Visit site
I had an episiotomy and a third degree tear, and actually was able to get back on the horse within a fortnight with no pain or tenderness whatsoever. However, despite only being out of the saddle for six weeks I had lost a lot of muscle tone and my legs felt as weak as bits of chewed string! However, I didn't have the complication of stitches bursting, so it might not be wise for you to get back on board so quickly. I imagine actually mounting and swinging your leg over might actually have more chance of causing damage than actually sitting in the saddle.
 

stencilface

High upon a hillside
Joined
28 February 2008
Messages
21,079
Location
Leeds
Visit site
Don't rush anything ime. I had minor tearing, which wasn't an issue (well, it was a bit ouchy!) but the issue was herniating a disc in my back, and tearing a sacro ligament picking mini SF up when she was 3 weeks old. I didn't leave the house for two whole miserable weeks as couldn't stand or walk for any length of time. It was 3 months until I was back riding again, and even then I could feel it. My back feels safe no nearly two years later, no twinges. As an upside though, you can take heaps of painkillers whilst breastfeeding - I was on paracetamol, ibuprofen (the huge pink ones!) and codeine 3-4 times a day for weeks, and it barely took the edge off. I was also on blood pressure tablets for 8 weeks post birth which were also 3-4 times a day - trying to remember to take all that used to drive me nuts!
 

Mooseontheloose

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 January 2015
Messages
387
Location
UK
Visit site
Just remember, it's not a competition, though it feels as though some new mums think it is. You won't be fitter than you were before the birth, so don't try any heroics and take your time. Your baby won't have much fun if you've plopped off and injured yourself.
I felt as if my chin had been stitched to my kneecaps for a couple of weeks, but it did all heal and I was riding again within six weeks, but watch out for bruising and unfortunate er, well, leakages........
 

Mrs G

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 August 2014
Messages
995
Visit site
I echo all the congratulations and hats off to any and all horse riding Mums! I am sat here cringing and wincing and clenching.... X
 
Top