Childbirth has shrunk my vagina (tmi warning)

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Please don’t read this if you don’t like in-depth descriptions of vaginas!

I had an episiotomy during childbirth and my vagina is now much tighter (sex has almost been impossible). My inner labia, which you could previously see on the outside, are now also hidden. Is this all normal?! I quite liked my old weird looking vag- now I look like a pornstar!

It’s more common than you realise, my friend had a similar problem so sex was actually impossible following an epistomey. You need to go back to the doctors and get a referral, essentially she now in her words has a “designer vagina” as she needed surgery to correct the epistomy.

Please speak to a nurse / GP

... and the award for the weirdest humblebrag ever goes to 🏅

Ok

Sounds like they have given you a 'husband stitch'. Utterly vile practice, and I'm sorry if this is what has happened to you.

I would speak with your gp, preferably a female where possible.

Can I just say that I’m fairly sure the purposeful “husband stitch” is a total myth these days. But yes it’s possible it’s been stitched incorrectly and certainly sounds like it. Happened to a friend and she had it refashioned some years after.

Are you still breastfeeding? I had a couple of friends with a similar issue and it sorted itself out when they stopped...

Oh god that sounds pretty terrible. I will speak to my gp.

Honestly not a humble brag, I am quite worried about it. I remember a fairly junior doctor sewing me up.

Sounds like it’s not the whole vag which has shrunk but the entrance? It may be bad stitching or it may be ok stitching but then scar tissue that has overgrown (eg keloid). Definitely worth getting it looked at by a GP and ask for a referral - I’m not quite sure who the appropriate specialist would be, perhaps a gynaecologist at least as first port of call.

Surprised by some of the responses here, not very helpful or supportive.

@underneaththeash yes still breastfeeding. Hopefully that has something to do with it? I had a coil put in too and the nurse said it all looked fine. It just feels and looks different and it’s freaking me out somewhat.

I used to say the exact same about mine, it eventually went back to it's old wonky self.

Your vagina is very swollen when you’ve just given birth which makes stitching it up something of a challenge -sometimes it doesn’t go quite right and it sounds like it hasn’t here. Please ask to be referred to a gynaecologist because they can often correct this.

I was stitched up too tightly and had lots of scar tissue. It was impossible to have sex long after it healed as it was just too painful. When my baby was 8 months I had surgery to correct it. It’s been fine ever since, although it certainly doesn’t look how it did before. If you’re in pain or discomfort they can improve it though.

Uff surgery on my vagina is not something I would ever get. How rubbish! I had no idea this was common place. @Hungrypuffin was the surgery unpleasant?

By the way my baby is almost three months’ old, so I suppose it may be early days? No idea

*Surgery is something I never thought I would have to have, not would ever get, sorry

I had this after my first child. I gave birth in an EU country and they did a 4 o'clock episiotomy. My big headed second child corrected the problem and I had second degree tear. I still didn't feel quite right down there until about a year after stopping breastfeeding.

Hope you get it sorted 😊

I had an episiotomy and I didn’t have sex for ten months as it was all so tight and painful.

Was fine eventually though - dr told me to get some lube and some wine and just go for it. I’m not recommending that as medical advice in your case but it can potentially be sorted without surgery.

Also, I didn’t breastfeed at all so that obviously wasn’t a factor for me.

This happened to me. GP wasn't interested once he'd established I intended to have more dc. Sex was generally painful / uncomfortable.
Second dc stretched it all back out (was a really weird sensation giving birth) and fortunately they decided against the need for stitches that time around.

My episiotomy was seen too tightly and didnt heal for 6 months. Booked for surgery but on the day the consultant felt it would create more scar tissue. After having pelvic floor physio I discovered I have a lot if internal scaring too which was something I'd not heard about. Sex is fine but my PF is wrecked!

I was tighter after my first, no stitches but very stretched and bruised as his arm got stuck over his face so crowning took 10 minutes :0. I'm convinced the bruised tissue contracted back too much. Things went back to normal after 6/9 months or so.

Tmi warning

I had this after my youngest, by the time I got to gynae services, he was around 9 months and things were starting to relax. Up until then its was lots of mutual pleasure and small toys. In hindsight probably should have kept the appointment, 14 years later and can still be an issue if not properly wet and I hate lube!

Someone will probably know a bit more about this than me but I’m sure I remember reading once that you can have some kind of laser surgery to break down scar tissue/make scar tissue more flexible down below after an episiotomy.