3rd degree tear - how long before your stitches were gone?

[kookiegoddess]

I had a 3rd degree tear when my dd was born on 20 sept - and nasty black stitches show no signs of moving!! Doc said they could take up to 6 months which I was stunned at as they said nothing about that at the time! anyway just wondered if anyone else had this kind of stitches and how long theirs took to go. V depressed about this as we've had sex less than 10 times this year!!! poor hubby keeps asking when things will be back to normal...

I was told that perineal massage would help but it's very uncomfortable

So your stiches will, by now, have done their job and the tissue will be holding together on its own. This actually often takes a couple of weeks. Although it needs looking at to ensure this is the case.

If a persistant stich is hanging about it's probably a problem of the stitch - not the perineum. There is also the possibility these were not disolving stitches though this would be rare.

I don;t see why they just couldn't be removed if the area has healed. A midwife or obstetrician can have a look for you. If you have the number ring your midiwfe at the surgery, or leave a message for her to ring you and explain your predicament. SHe will have a look for you or be able to send you to the obstetric staff for them to, and taking our stitches is nothing tooooooo major. We just snip the knot, or a visable thread and can guide them out or let them work their way out.

In fact loads of people actually feel much comfier once they are out. Stitches just hold tissure together till it can do it it's self, and once they have that done, they can be more trouble than they are worth!

to clarify, apparently some people get quick dissolving stitches and some are slow like mine

Poor you. Maybe ring the maternity department and see of they run a perineal clinic, or if not could you be seen in a postnatal clinic or antenatal clinic there.

thanks tree.

Is there a way of checking that the tear has healed before they remove the stitches? it's quite a bad tear, so quite a lot of stitches. wouldn't want to cause myself any more discomfort - I remember the pain of sitting down for feeds at the beginning!!

think I'm due to have a check up, just cannot believe that they would put stitches in that take 6 months to go and not give more info around this.

To check they just need to look, maybe seperate your labia a bit to get a decent view. Occasionally they will use a finger, ask you to squeeze it to check for tone.

I agree be unusual to put in long lsting stiches and not tell you!!

NOTHING they do, look at or remove will feel ANYTHING approaching the pain you had at first. Promise! If it is nippy if they do remove they can offer you gas and air.