Stitches, episiotomy, 2nd degree tear

[coffeeandchocolate4]

I gave birth 9 days ago, had a episiotomy which also tore further and I sustained a second degree tear. Went to theatre to be stitched, 4 days post birth I noticed the stitches had become undone slightly and signs of infection. Went to hospital and advised they won't re-stitch and gave me antibiotics. Today (9 days post birth) I stupidly looked and it looks like the stitches have now come completely undone.
Just after any advice or experience where this has happened to others and that it will heal. Currently don't feel like leaving my house as I feel so horrid knowing there's an wound there.

I thought my stitches had come undone after my ds1 - I thought the cut looked 'open' but I actually think with them being dissolvable they were just wearing away as normal. Have you been showering/bathing loads? I was having at least 3 showers a day so that's prob why it happened so soon...but it really did heal up fine.

I don't know if your MW mentioned it but after a shower/bath I used the hairdryer on cool to dry my stitches and the healed so much quicker! Keeping the wound dry helps so much.

My stitches got infected and initially started gaping before gping more and more. I'd been to see my gp several times for antibiotics, when I went back for the third time (after the stitches had completely failed) he took one look and called the labour ward to find out who to speak to. The midwives tried to say it was normal and would heal by itself bit he was persistent. As I hadn't been discharged from the midwives, they eventually agreed to make me an appointment that afternoon in the day assessment unit.

The registrar there took one look and agreed it needed restitching. They took a swab to check if there was still an infection, and gave me yet another type of antibiotics to take over the weekend (it was a Friday). I was seen on Monday, admitted and restitched under GA on the Tuesday, 2.5 weeks after giving birth. 2nd time, the stitches held although it has scarred. It was definitely worth the pain of the restitching, within a few days it was less painful than it had been. I was told with the depth of open wound I had it would have taken months and months to repair by itself.

Mine was an open wound about the depth of my little finger and about 4 inches long. If your stitches really have completely failed, I'd go back to hospital or get your GP to refer you, and insist it is looked at by a doctor. It's not the same as them gaping a bit but without looking at you they'll think you are exaggerating.

Thank you for replying. I'm due back at hospital Shortly so going to Push if it can be restitched as infection has cleared. It's just so horrid knowing it's there and open.

Just to warn you, what they will probably tell you is that it will be painful having it restitched if they agree. They have to cut open anything that has started healing and scrape the surfaces down so they can start healing again. For me, it was only really the first day and a half afterwards that hurt more, then it was better than it had been - I'd obviously been brewing an infection almost immediately after birth as it had been extremely painful until then.

I never was brave enough to look at it once the stitches started failing, just feeling it while going to the loo was enough to cause several major crying spells. Although it has scarred on the outside, everything works as well as it did before - so please don't feel like you'll never get back to normal again .

Thank you. That's exactly how I've felt every time I think It's getting better I notice something else and just cry in the toilet. Tipped me over today was (TMI) I've noticed a long piece of what looks like cotton which is attached to the wound. I'm guessing that's the stitches but god knows how that was meant to be dissolvable like they said!