How long did you wait til you looked 'down there'?!

[nk1605]

I had a normal vaginal delivery a week ago with a 2nd degree perineal tear. stitches in and midwives said they're healing well.

it's all still quite sore down there and I haven't been able to bring myself to take a look! I know I'm going to have to eventually but how long did it take you to? I'm so scared of the difference!!

How come so many women haven't looked at their erm private bits I'll call it lol in months and years????
Don't see what the big deal is myself!!!
After I had my first child which was a hard birth and had to have an episiotomy I looked down below after a couple of days as suddenly it felt like I was sitting on glass so took a look to see what was going on and it was stitches coming lose a bit but midwife said they didn't need redoing. I have scarring from it of course, the line on the outside and also some scarring on the inside of my lip, but it's there for a reason, my child's heart rate started dropping and needed them out soon as possible so had no choice, so yeah I don't like the scarring as such but don't let it bother me be user my child's here because of it. Was shocked at all the blue bruising and swelling I had at the time, didn't expect that. Second time round I didn't get all the nursing and swelling thankfully and so could walk properly and at normal pace unlike a slow grandma after I had my first lol I tore slightly so needed stitches again but not as many at least but sure I looked pretty soon just to see what was going on down there, it's your own body ladies, should check!!! Lol

The only advice my mum gave me about birth/labour/recovery was to not get a mirror and look, the look on her face and the tone of her voice was enough for me to know this was wise advice...I never looked!

I've never looked after either.
Dd1 is 2.5 years old and dd2 is 7 weeks.
Second degree tear with first and stitches and minimal first degree graze with second bit needing stitched.

Naughty I just didn't feel the need to! All seemed to be healing fine, 16 months on the area doesn't feel any different at all to pre pregnancy despite a second degree tear. It's just never something I've felt the urge to do.

I looked at all stages. At the beginning it looked terrifying, like frankenstein's face, but after a while it just looked very sore and sad, and then after about a year it just looked normal and I had forgotten what it looked like before!!

I wouldn't look til stitches are out if you are at all squeamish. After that reacquaint yourself with the area by giving yourself a gentle massage there after baths, maybe with a bit of olive oil. After a while you'll know it well by touch and not be frightened.

Be proud! It has literally functioned as a portal to this world for your child! Congratulations, and welcome to motherhood, which does have a certain warrior element to it (with related battle scars). Look at this www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/a38198/this-mom-whos-flaunting-her-permanently-flabby-belly-is-an-inspiration/?src=spr_TWITTER&spr_id=1440_161096561

It very much depends what happens during the birth ambientolf

It will be fine, either way.

I looked the day after as MW said to check the episiotomy was healing ok. Just dont do what I did and use the magnifying side of the mirror! Holy moly I almost cried at the gaping but thankfully I realised and flipped the mirror over and it was all fine. Can't say I looked much beforehand either.

Even if I did not want to see it (and I don't), dh would and for that reason alone, I might sneak a peek.

Unless it is really necessary don't do it. It is not a pretty sight.

I had emergency forceps and episiotomy. Looked after about 6 weeks and all looked the same as before just with a scar. Was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting

MW told me to look about a week pp and I had a mutant vajayjay! (2nd degree tear)

It was about a year before I plucked up the courage to look again and then it had gone back to normal.

Am 36 weeks pregnant and it looks weird again.

I had a second degree tear with my first and it took me ages to look. By the time I did it wasn't nearly as bad as it had felt. Second time I had a first degree and I looked quite soon, couldn't see anything at all except some bruising.

I meant to say, I'm now 5 weeks on and it looks just as it did pre-children!

Well DD1 is 5 and DD3 is 9 months. So. Erm

6 years ish?

I've had 3 lots of stitches and a lovely new skin tag from haemorrhoids (GP told me, said it was a battle scar )

So I'm going too never look and live in blissful ignorance

*to