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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

state of bits post-birth (TMI?)

16 replies

Jayfer · 15/06/2010 21:06

I'm 6wks post birth and got my postnatal check this week. The state of my bits is worrying me. I had a second degree unstitched tear, which is no longer painful but is really raggedy looking.
I know that once you've given birth nothing will be the same again but I wasn't expecting what it looks like.
Will it get better or is this it?

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chegggersplayspop · 15/06/2010 21:08

You looked?! I gave birth 6 months ago with a second degree tear and I still haven't looked...

CoteDAzur · 15/06/2010 21:10

I haven't looked for months afterwards.

You are not supposed to look "raggedy". Repair op?

CuppaTeaJanice · 15/06/2010 21:13

Unless you post a picture on your profile nobody will be able to say for sure!! (Please don't, though)

The doc will have a look at your 6 week check if you ask them to. They'll have seen all sorts of birth damage and will be able to tell you if yours is healing ok or needs further treatment.

lukewarmcupoftea · 15/06/2010 21:13

It does keep getting better over time - I had an episiotomy where the stitches came out. Took at least 9 months to heal up, and obviously doesn't look the same as it did before, but isn't painful.

however.... the gp I saw at the 6 week check tried to fob me off with a vague, oh some never heal... After it still hadn't healed after a few months, I pushed fir a referral and the consultant couldn't understand why I hadn't come in earlier (apparently a v simple repair job). I have chickened out of the op for now, but just to say, do push for a referral if you don't feel it is healing up. If I'd had it done at the start, I probably wouldn't have had to wait so long for it to heal up.

2girlsandmaybe3 · 15/06/2010 21:19

I'm just about to brave another look myself... Had 2nd degree tear a few weeks ago which was sututed. Saw consultant who said it can take months to heal but will eventually. I looked last week and must say it had healed considerably since the last time I looked. I think as long as the scar doesn't hurt, it isn't causing you an discomfort during sex etc then best to give it more time to heal, 6 weeks is incredibly short time to heal, my consultant reckoned 6 months.

Can I ask why you didn't have your tear sutured?

Original poster

Jayfer · 16/06/2010 15:22

Thanks for the replies everyone.
2girls - one midwife said it needed suturing and another said it didn't and would heal better without, the first mw had gone off duty by this point so I wasn't sutured.

We shall see what the doctor says at my 6wk check tomorrow.

OP posts:

ohsurelynot · 16/06/2010 15:28

interested in how you got on jayfer - in similar situation myself.

cyteen · 16/06/2010 15:29

I am another who is mightily impressed that you looked. DS is 21mo and I only dared to look about a month ago...suffice it to say that there is no longer anything designer about it

Just some advice that sounds obvious, but if you want your doctor to take a look make sure you ask. My 6 week check was a brief shouted exchange conducted over DS's ear-splitting wails - no attempt was made to check anything of mine.

ohsurelynot · 16/06/2010 15:43

why can't midwives/doctors do a better job at stitching women back up again? Surely they must do it everyday when you think about the number of women who need stitches after giving birth.

Original poster

Jayfer · 17/06/2010 16:05

Doc was lovely. She looked at my bits and said they are healing well but are bound to be a bit raggedy after birthing an 8lb baby! She said they will take a long time to heal fully but will always be a bit raggedy but if I'm not happy to come back. To be honest I just wanted someone to say that they were ok as I can't really ask my friends to compare!!
Ohsurelynot - Is that any help?

OP posts:

ohsurelynot · 17/06/2010 17:21

Jayfer, your doc's response was certainly more constructive than my gps. I saw her 3 weeks after having my baby and she said I would need a complete repair. Saw the consultant the week after (after going home and sobbing my heart out) and he basically said it was healing well but would take a few months to completely heal. Think he was a bit annoyed at my doc for scaring me so much. What do you mean by 'raggedy' (if you don't mind me asking) I have got a ridge where the skin sort of overlaps, if that makes sense.

Marjee · 17/06/2010 18:44

Sorry to jump in on your thread, I have a dent where I was stitched, does anyone else have this? Glad you got checked and alls well Jayfer, noone ever checked my stitches

ohsurelynot · 17/06/2010 21:15

think you may have similar problem to me marjee, I keep hoping mine will eventually repair itself, really do not want to have any sort of repair op even though I know they're relatively straightforward. How long ago did you have your baby?

Marjee · 17/06/2010 22:26

Ds is 7 months now. I'm still sore there but not sure if it means I haven't healed properly or if its just that I'm worrying because it was never checked so I haven't been told its ok if that makes sense. I should stop being a wimp and go to the gp but its embarrassing to ask for a check up after so long!

ohsurelynot · 17/06/2010 22:39

Makes total sense, sometimes a bit of reassurance can go a long way. 7 months is not that long in terms of childbirth recovery, make that appointment with your gp!

Marjee · 17/06/2010 22:50

I know I should but like you I keep hoping it'll get better on its own. Do you still have pain? My scar feels sort of bruised. Midwives should check stitches routinely, it would save so much worry!

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