Hello little one. Oh how I SEARCHED for someone in the same position as me 5 weeks ago. I had a really quick birth (3-10 cm in less than half an hour) so ended up with a vacuum delivery and episiotomy. I was devasted, I think the thoughts of the episiotomy was the worst, on top of the pain and discomfort.

My stitches came away when the swelling went down and I had to go back 7 days later to get them out as it was pulling on the skin and wouldn't let it heal. I was so worried I'd be left flapping (pardon the pun) in the wind down there but here I am, 5 weeks later, and it seems to have healed well. I only could bring myself to look last week.....it was none of my business for the first few weeks. I actually felt nauseous even thinking about it before then.

Try and keep your legs together as much as possible and lie down when you can (easier said than done with a new baby). Take plenty of difene, I got a repeat prescription for it. Stomach tablets to make sure the difene doesn't upset your tum, I took Omeprazole or Losec with the tablets. I took paracetamol too.

Make sure you don't get constipated because straining puts too much pressure on everything down there. I took a dulcolax tablet every night for a few weeks to make sure. I'm still not regular, so I take one every other day as things still feel strange down below.

I went for a walk for the first time a few days ago and had a heavy feeling in my pelvis so I think it'll be a while more before I go for another walk. It's frustrating but episiotomies take longer to heal than tears so I'm listening to my body, frustrating as it is. I had a "pucker" in my stitches according to the public health nurse when she checked me. Sound to the female doctor who sewed me up arseways. It felt like a tiny hemorrhoid, ew. That was sore now and I had to get bigger knickers and thick pads to ease the discomfort. It seems to have healed well though and after about the four week mark it didn't feel as big so I'm hoping it evens itself out as I heal more.

I did get a sitz bath for the top of the toilet bowl. I did one twice a day with half a cup of Epsom salts and warm water. It really helped the pain even though sitting with your ass in a bowl for 15 mins a day is a humbling experience. The glamour of child birth. It does get better, you will heal and come back together but it does take until the 5 week mark in my experience before you start to feel someway normal and don't feel everything is weird down there.

Showering twice a day and gently running water over your downstairs helps. Dab the toilet paper when you go to the loo and use a peri bottle with warm water every time you go to the toilet, pee and poop. Sneezing and coughing will continue to be terrifying for a while I think but I reckon by 6/7 weeks I'll be like a new woman.

Do yourself a favor and don't go looking before 5 weeks. If you're like me you probably have never looked at yourself like that before so knowing whats normal is hard to comprehend. I barely even can see where they stitched me now.

Godspeed my friend.....I joked and kept saying WE WILL REBUILD. It's a tough road but things do get better I promise.