12 days following VBAC - advice required!

[wasabipeanut]

OK, so I manage my VBAC of DD which left me with a 2nd degree tear which I believe is pretty minor.

All seemed normal in the 1st week in terms of lochia, bit of stinginess but nothing major. Sat around all week bfing and cuddling which has been lovely. I got discharged from the midwife care yesterday.

Today I get a big increase in bleeding which is really dark - not brown but really dark red along with what feels like some quite substantial pressure in my ladybits. Surely the stitches would have gone by now and I should be pretty much back to normal?

I'm just a bit worried - should I be calling the midwife back or am I worrying for no reason?

Should also mention I got what the midwife called "a couple of grazes" but thought they would just sort themselves out.

Am I hopelessly deluded?

Hi wasabi I had a VBAC with a fairly big 1st degree tear 1 week ago. I think it can take a while for things to settle down but I'd get in touch with your MW tomorrow as sometimes increase in bleeding can be a sign of infection - is it more sore or is there a nasty discharge? Would be worth a MW having a quick look just to reassure you anyway. I gather it can take 2-3w for things to heal after stitching.

For some reason they didn't stitch me so I'm hoping nature will sort me out but am actually freaking a bit about it having foolishly had a look with a mirror . Good luck and congrats on the VBAC!

Hi Wasabi - well done on the VBAC, bet you feel pretty clever.

Thinking you'll be 'pretty much back to normal' after 12 days is, I'm afraid a little bit deluded. I had a VBAC 17 days ago (2nd degree tear, not stitched and I had to promise to stay very still for a week - I have a phobia of needles being poked in me). This was my 2nd VBAC and I have been really nice to myself. After the first one I had a worse tear with stitches but thought, 'O this is so much less than a c-section' and probably just did too much. No long term damage done, but I reckon I could have healed quicker if I'd gone slower at first.

If you are at all concerned, you really should speak to the MW. You don't mention being in agonising pain or having a fever, so you probably don't have anything really nasty going on.

Sit about a bit more, get other people to make the tea, walk the dog, load the washing machine etc etc in short, milk the 'I'm a new mummy' card for all it's worth. - that goes for you too Pelvicfloor