This is general information for new mums recovering after a vaginal birth. It isn't a diagnosis, and it doesn't replace advice from your GP, midwife, or the team who cared for you after delivery.
You did nothing wrong
If you've landed here searching for perineal massage and hoping to prepare for birth, that's a slightly different topic — perineal massage before birth is something your midwife or GP can talk you through in the lead-up. This article covers what comes after: recovering from a graze or tear once you've already given birth, as part of the wider postnatal recovery picture.
A tear or graze during a vaginal birth is common, and it isn't a reflection of anything you did or didn't do. Some are small grazes that need no stitches at all. Others involve a repair in the delivery suite. Either way, your body now has some healing to do, and that's completely normal.
What perineal healing tends to look like
Every birth and every body is different, so take the below as a rough guide, not a schedule to measure yourself against.
In the first week or so, swelling and tenderness are usually at their most noticeable — sitting can be uncomfortable, and the area may feel tight or stingy, especially around stitches if you have them. Many women find the sharpest discomfort starts to ease over the second and third week, though "ease" doesn't mean "gone" — some soreness, particularly with sitting for long periods, is common for several weeks yet.
By the time of your six-week postnatal check, most stitches have long since dissolved and the wound has usually closed over. That doesn't mean every sensation is finished, though — some women notice tightness, occasional twinges, or changed sensation for months afterwards while the deeper tissue continues to settle. There's a wide range of normal here, and if something feels off to you, it's worth raising with your GP or midwife rather than just waiting it out.
Gentle comfort measures
A few small things tend to make the first weeks more bearable:
- Sitting: a pillow, cushion, or inflatable ring can take the pressure off — shift your weight to one side rather than straight down
- Cooling: a clean ice pack or chilled pad, wrapped in a cloth, for short periods in the first day or two
- Gentle movement: short, easy walks and, once it feels okay, slow pelvic-floor squeezes — nothing that pulls or strains
- Hygiene: rinse with warm water after the toilet instead of wiping, pat dry rather than rub, change pads often, and choose loose, breathable underwear
What supportive therapy may help with
This is where Hayley's visits come in — not to rush your body along, but to support it while it does its own work. Low-level laser therapy and therapeutic ultrasound are thought to support the body's normal recovery process, and may help take the edge off discomfort in the area for some people. Hayley will assess how your healing is tracking and give you an honest read on whether a visit is likely to help in your situation — there's no assumption that every recovery needs treatment.
If your tear needed a surgical repair, the same gentle, unhurried approach used in post-op recovery applies here too.
When to see your GP or midwife
Most perineal healing is straightforward and steadily improves. A few signs are worth acting on rather than waiting to see if they settle:
- Pain that's getting worse instead of easing, or pain that suddenly spikes
- The wound reopening, gaping, or coming apart
- Discharge that smells offensive, or is heavier or different to your normal bleeding
- Redness, warmth, or swelling spreading around the area — possible signs of infection
- A fever, or feeling generally unwell
If you notice any of these, contact your GP, your midwife, or call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for advice any time of day. Outside normal hours, an after-hours GP service or your nearest hospital emergency department can assess you properly. It's always better to check than to wonder.
Be patient with yourself
Healing after a tear isn't a race, and there's no prize for getting back to normal quickly. Rest when you can, let the people around you help with the things that can wait, and give your body the time it needs. For a broader look at the weeks after birth, see recovery after birth.
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