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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

when did you look down below??

39 replies

Buffy81 · 04/09/2014 15:34

I had my lb 2 weeks ago and ended up having a forceps delivery and a 2nd degree tear. Ended up getting an infection. Went to hospital to monday for a check up and she advised that I have a look down there so that if TT here are any changes, I will be able to tell.

How long did it take for you to pluck up the courage to have a look??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

AlpacaMyBags · 04/09/2014 23:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Blondiemama · 05/09/2014 05:45

I checked with a mirror after about a week while I was airdryibg after a shower! I'm glad I did while stitches were still in because I did get an infection a couple of weeks later and could tell really easily by looking. I had third degree tear btw. It will take quite a while to heal OP. I allowed DH access and a look after about 10 weeks and he assured me all was fine and he had no complaints ;-) be patient about it and enjoy your baby.

LadySlipper · 05/09/2014 06:06

I looked just before the midwife came for her final check at home. I was horrified. When arrived I said "it wasn't that pretty to start with but my goodness, what a mess, is it all right?" And she replied "Well you're never going to pose for Playboy, but you're healing nicely." I know it was a very long time before I could face it again!

Mmolly2013 · 05/09/2014 11:56

I looked after few days and then a few weeks later initial I was worried but I can see the healing now

Zara8 · 05/09/2014 14:10

Well over 6 months. And I'm no prude when it comes to the fanjo area. I had no interest in seeing the damage.... I got DH to look and report

guineapig1 · 05/09/2014 21:16

DS is nearly 2 and I have not looked! Episiotomy and kiellands forceps followed by lots of stitches. Frankly I don't want to know! DH on the other hand tells me that it doesn't look any different.... Thinking about it he is not the most observant of men. I once drastically changed my hair colour. It took him three days to notice!

Frizz1986 · 06/09/2014 10:16

I had a 3rd degree tear and looked after 10 days. The midwives looked each time they visited and advised me to take a look.
It was fine and didnt bother me at all. I thought it was important to take a look as its my body and i wanted to see it if everyone else was looking!
It looked quite neatly stitched up and i am glad i did so i could have spotted any infections (which thankfully i didnt get)
I am not squemish at all though so that may have helped.
I actually havent looked since but dh hasnt commented that it looks weird or anything.

magicalmrmistofelees · 06/09/2014 10:17

About 6 months! Then realised I didn't know what it looked like before so would have no idea if it had changed anyway .

skitter · 06/09/2014 10:26

About 6 or 7 weeks after the birth as one stitch hadn't fully dissolved and was irritating the hell out of me (it took a hospital obstetrician to get it out - my poor gp could get it to budge! Mortifying...). I had a third degree tear, extending from an episiotomy, and it looked much better than I'd expected!

Redling · 06/09/2014 18:46

I haven't looked yet nearly 3 weeks post birth but it all feels fairly normal. My midwife looked at 5 days and pronounced that the epesiotomy and stitches were 'beautiful'! So maybe I'll have a look at my beautiful vagina soon. Tbh I'm also in the camp of not really knowing how it looked before. Also DH isn't one to stare at it anyway! I'm more bothered about internal width if you get my drift. It's more how it feels that will be an issue.

mangofizz · 06/09/2014 19:03

At my 6 week check the dr said she would feed back to the surgeon (3rd/4th degree tear) that she had done a beautiful job. I think mine must have been a bit of a horror, the dr doing the check had been in theatre at the time and said she remembered me from my name (and I have a very very ordinary and forgettable name so the damage must have been memorable!)

I felt it about a week later but it was enough to make me panic and have a little cry so I didn't look. I did have to show my MIL though to stop her going on about the 9 stitches she had fucking 35 years ago and making light of it when even the total unsympathetic community midwife had patted me on the arm and said how much pain I must have been in! (MILs face was a picture, the extreme action was so worth it!)

sunnyrosegarden · 06/09/2014 20:52

4th degree tear, healed well, didn't look for months either! I was checked daily for the first 10 days.

I distinctly remember standing in the shower around 10 days, thinking that I was going to have to get used to feeling swollen but strangely numb down there, as it obviously was never going to heal. Even the midwife advised me not to look.

Mind you, apparently I exploded, and was very very badly bruised, hence the swelling.

Heatherbell1978 · 07/09/2014 15:21

Gave birth 16 days ago and have no idea when I'll be able to. Had one stitch and mw said all looks normal but can't bring myself to.

ClaimedByMe · 07/09/2014 15:24

The best advice my mother has ever given was "don't get a mirror and look" she did after a forceps delivery and the tone she used telling me was enough for me to know that she was saying it for my own benefit

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