6 week check post birth.

[NoTeaForMe]

Hi,

I wasn't sure where to post this really but .......

At my Drs they do the 6week check and babys first injections in to the same appointment at 8 weeks. During childbirth I tore internally (2nd degree) and a couple of other tears that needed stitching. I also had a graze. I presume I will have an internal examination to check everything? (No-one has checked me over since they stitched me.) I am worried about the exam and also about having my baby with me, what if she is screaming? Will I be in pain afterwards? Do the first injections make your baby a bit ill/under the weather? I have heard that some of them do. I'm concerned about being messed about with and being in pain and then having a poorly baby to look after!

Will it be ok?

The first injections might make your baby a bit cross. You can give a small dose of calpol if they react (check the box or ask the gp). I bfed dd straight afterwards and she was fine. No tears, nothing.

I had an episiotomy (extensive) and eventual em cs. Nobody ever checked either wound except when the midwife removed the cs stitches on day 5 and she didn't really check anything. The episiotomy stitches were never checked by anybody.

6 week check went like this:

Are you okay Show?

Yes thanks.

Good. Let's just have a look at the baby and then we're done.

Think GPs differ so much, friends have mostly experienced the same as Showaddywaddy - especially female GPs - they understand you don't want to have any internals if not necessary. What I would say is I'm slightly suprised no-one has ever checked your stitches, my MW did the day after I came home from Hospital (also had 2nd degree tear). So if you are having any niggles with the stitches then maybe take this opportunity to get them checked out at this appointment, if they feel fine then don't bother.

I moved abroad when DD was 3.5 weeks so never had a 6 week checkup and never felt the need to.

I personally always calpol to DD prior to going to jabs so it has time to act.

Hi NoTea,

Same as Showaddywaddy. No one has checked my stitches since I was discharged from hospital on day 2.

6 week check done at 8 weeks was all about the baby. In my area they no longer examine mums at the check. Don't know what the policy is elsewhere. Was asked if I was feeling OK, getting some sleep etc, but that was it really.

Injections were fine. Think he slept a bit more afterwards but didn't notice any real problem.

HTH.

Hi Notea. first the 6wk check... with both dds I had stitches but was not internally examined by the Dr. he asked how I was, if my periods had returned, contraception requirements etc. As you tore internally they may want to check it out - maybe take some painkillers beforehand just in case.

The jabs can make baby feel a bit grumpy but you can give a dose of calpol if needed (dosage on the box - think it's 2.5ml) and not all babys are affected that way (mine were okay on the whole but dd2 had a reaction to the final pneumococcal - nothing major - temp & grizzly)

If you are concerned about baby screaming perhaps you could ask that you get checked out first?

x

It seems to vary from practice to practice. At my gps we have an appointment for baby, and appointment for me and then injections separately. I had an internal to check the healing, but I know plenty of people who just get an appointment mainly for baby with a quick, you ok at the end.

RE the jabs, DS was fine with them, cried when they were done, but stopped with a quick bf. Then that evening he was grumpy and had a temp, however out of my NCT group I think he was the only one who did, the others were all fine. Have some calpol in the house just incase - with a dose of that he was fine.

Cosmosis did the internal hurt? Were you in pain afterwards? I'm starting to worry about it, and although I really don't want to have an internal examination as I'm worried about it hurting again if does concern me that I have never been checked over.

Thanks.

No check here either of stitches, MW just asked if all ok and doctor didn't ask to see. Ask for injections to be done last of all. At my GPs the recommend doing this anyway so that once LO has jabs you can get straight off.

Hi notea I hope I can help (student HV).
The exam by the GP is to check if you have any concerns both physically and emotionally, be honest, if you have discharge/ tearfulness let him know. They don't generally do an internal.
Immunisations - babies do feel them but they don't have long term memory so don't remember at this age. Some babies do get a mild fever which immitates the start of the illness being immunised for, so could be general grizzling or temp, calpol usually helps but if it persists for more than 48hrs go back to the GP.
During imms feed her breast/ bottle and cuddle, this helps. Try to stay calm as she will feel your nerves and react by crying accordingly.
PS. It will be fine, it is routine and all other mothers have it.

So no-one will ever check me over? Like I said I don't want an internal but on the other hand I do find it strange that only 6 weeks ago I had a massive 'wound' and no-one has looked to see if it's healing well or not.

thecaptain I know it's routine and all mothers have it, I just wanted to know what happens, I had a few queries that's all!

The Dr usually feels your abdomen, asks questions and maybe if he feels its necessary will look a little further, but no they don't do routine internals.

I had an episiotomy and was not checked at all either, its quite reassuring to know I'm not the only one! It does concern me slightly that the mws kept saying the stitches would be checked "at some point" as I kept asking them but they never did so its obviously not part of the routine iyswim

Sutures don't routinely get checked because they are dissolvable If you are finding sex painful then they might look then.

no, it didn't hurt atll, although he did tell me that the internal cut had healed in a ridge so would probably hurt when having sex. as if I wasn't nervous enough about that! ( it didnt though)

I had our 6 week check (at 8 weeks) and injections today. Mine went a bit like Showaddywaddy - are you ok? is baby feeding ok? he looks healthy. lets do his injections then ... Noone has looked at my csection scar since about day 5

He was fine with the ims luckily, he let out a big shout in a kid of wtf are you doing to me manner and then went back to sleep :) exaxctly the same on 2nd leg