-1.30am - sent from Level 3 labour room to Level 6 Postnatal ward.

The nurse showered the baby and ward in the baby right next to me and asked question for verification of baby's identity.

- I asked for the nurse to look after the baby for the night because I was to weak to wake up and feed him if he cried. The nurse was friendly and willing to help out.

6.30am - Second day after labour

Opened my eyes and recalled what happen to me yesterday. Feeling joy and relieved that I had given birth to a healthy baby safely!

- I had the urge to pee shortly after, lying on the bed...I was thinking... should Igo pee now , fearing that the pee would sting and strigger the pain.

- But it is impossible for me to remain static until the visiting hour 12-2pm, so I just tried to come down from the bed. and walked slowly to the bathroom.

- Surprisingly, the first experience of passing urine after the delivery wasn't bad. 5.5 hours after birth...first degree perineal tearing... I thought it would be very painful.

Above:First degree perineal tear

SOurce : Mayoclinic

How to ease the discomfort?

What can help my recovery after having a tear?

There are a few things you can do to help support the healing of your perineal area. Keep in mind that everyone is different and it is always best to follow the instructions of your healthcare team:

1.Try to rest as much as possible and lie on your side if you can. ✅✅
2.Avoid positions and activities that place pressure on the muscle or restrict blood flow to the area, like sit-ups, lifting and high impact exercise. ✅✅
3.Keep the tear clean and dry — shower daily and gently pat the area dry. ✅✅Yes, this is tips from my friend , Ika. She said..just use a hair dryer to dry your perineum, keep it dry to speed up the healing proces.

" If you wipe with tissue, it is only dry on the outside, the most important one is the wound/ the stitching area, so dryer helps to dry that part and it works for me"

I placed hair dryer in the bathroom and dry it with towel and with hair dryer every time after using toilet. It works better than airing out.

4. Change your pads frequently. ✅✅
5. Start gentle pelvic floor muscle exercises 2 to 3 days after your baby’s birth, or when it’s comfortable for you to do so.
6. Avoid becoming constipated, drink plenty of water and try to eat a diet rich in fibre (fruit, vegetables and wholegrains).

7. Take your time when emptying your bladder and bowel and avoid pushing or straining. ✅✅Yes, It is a like sponstaenous to do also.
8. Use a foot stool or lift your heels up so that your knees are above your hips when you’re sitting on the toilet.
9. Try to keep well hydrated so your urine is less concentrated. This can help reduce stinging. ✅✅I dont purposely stay hydrated, i drink plenty of water because I need to convert the water into milk 😂😂
10. Try leaning forward on the toilet when you pass urine, this will keep the urine away from the tear and reduce stinging. ✅✅ Yes, I did this prior reading this. It was just a sponstaneous action, haha

Source : Pregnancy birth & Baby

Remark :✅✅ are the ones that I practise

How can I reduce my chance of a perineal tear?

During the later stages of pregnancy, regular pelvic floor exercises and perineal massage from 35 weeks, may help protect your perineum and prevent perineal injury.