Bathing after a c-section or vaginal birth can be a desire of many women. You may have started your postpartum bleeding so feel like having a good wash or even just soak away the aches and pain of labor is needed. But now you are wondering when can I use soap on my stitches after birth – keep reading for all the information and top tips.
C-section or Vaginal – When can I use soap on my stitches after birth?
The general answer is, you can use soap on your stitches from around 4 weeks after birth; however, there are other facts related to it.
The answer to the question ‘when can I use soap on my stitches after birth’ will depend on what kind of birth you had-vaginal or C-section. For vaginal stitches, you should not be rubbing soap into the wound instead just let the soapy water run off your body as you normally would. For a C-section, you need to let the wound heal and this can take 4 weeks or more. Soap should only be introduced after this time and should be fragrance-free to avoid sensitivity.
Can You Use Soap on Stitches After Birth?
Advice from many professionals would be to wait at least three weeks before being submerged in water. It is thought that by this time your skin will have healed on the outside.
‣ C-Section
Jumping in the bath before your stitches have had time to heal can leave you at risk of infection. Let’s be honest you have just undergone major abdominal surgery, and now have a gorgeous newborn who is demanding of your time. The last thing you need is an infection at the incision site! It can be extremely painful and make you feel unwell.
If you are in doubt and desperate for a relax in the bath then always check with your healthcare provider. They can check your wound and ensure it is healing as it should.
‣ Perineal Tears and Episiotomy
It is advised that you should have a shower or bath every day but to just let the soapy water run over your body as you would normally.
Soap should not be rubbed into the wound until it is fully healed which will be different for everyone.
Alternatives to a Bath after Birth
Medical director, Jessica Madden suggests that showers can be more beneficial in those first post surgical days.
Showering will help you feel fresher but you need to be sure that you are only using warm water. Washing using soap can trigger a reaction to the healing process.
By showering you are allowing your stitches to become wet without submerging them.
Benefits of Bathing after Birth
Bathing may not be in your routine, if you are like me I prefer the shower. I very rarely go in the tub unless it’s to relax.
There are huge benefits to making time for a soak especially if you are a new mom.
- Time out – you get time to be you. You are not running to a newborn’s timetable when you’re in the bath.
- Relief- the warm water can provide you with such a relief. Sore muscles can become less tense in the tub.
- Shallow waters- you don’t have to sit in a deep bath to relax. Having a shallow bath can help with your tender lady parts and if you are one of the lucky ones who is dealing with hemorrhoids then this type of bath can be amazing.
How Can I Wash my Stitches with Soap After Birth?
Once you have had the green light to jump in the bath you must be sure you are gentle.
Should you use soap on stitches after birth? The only soap you should use is one that is fragrance-free and gentle on the skin. Use a little soap on your hands and being careful, you can wash appropriately. Avoid using a cloth or loofah as these are too rough and can cause complications during the healing process.
Tips for Healthy Healing
You have been given the nod for that well earned and much desired soak in the bath. The excitement may make you feel like a kid at Christmas.
Before you hop skip and jump your way to the washroom take on board a few tips below to give you a hand.
- Ask for Help – Getting in and out of the tub can be a struggle at the best of times but after having your abdominal muscles cut you may find your strength is not what it used to be.
- Don’t over do the bubbles – Actually adding bubbles to your bath this early is a big no-no. In fact, the only soaps and lotions you should use are classed as Ph balanced and fragrance-free. Many products that you use in intimate areas are great or even pinch a bit from your newborn!
- Temperature- Prepare your bath as if your baby is going to join you. The water temperature should be around 37 degrees so it’s not too hot or cold.
- Avoid force – You should never use the shower head directly on your scar. It may come to a point where it itches but allowing water to run over the incision site is better and will cause less irritation.
- Dry with care – After you wash you must ensure that your scar area is dry. Using a towel you can pat dry the incision point.
Signs of Infection
Even if you follow the rules to the letter you may still find that bacteria has managed to get into your scar.
Signs there could be an infection are things like:
- Worsening pain in the incision area.
- General malaise.
- Fever.
- Redness around the incision that is getting worse.
- Foul-smelling wound discharge.
- Any fluid draining from the incision.
- Bright red bleeding from the incision site.
- Chills.
- Green or yellow colored drainage from the incision site.
- If your scar feels hot to the touch.
If you notice any of these then you may require medication to fight off the infection.
Wrapping Up
If you were wondering when can I use soap on my stitches after birth. The general rule of thumb is to wait at least three weeks before introducing soap to your scar.
It is also best to find the most gentle Ph balanced soap you can. We all heal in different ways so the decision isn’t yours or your doctors, it’s down to your body and the time it is taking to heal.
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