Postpartum skin tags/issues

[Fae1989]

Hi all,

My DS is 7 months old (thus I’m 7 months postpartum).

He was delivered by forceps and I had two second degree tears (possibly a third, not sure now) and an episiotomy.

It took me weeks (and I mean weeks) to pluck up the courage to feel ‘down there’ following this. When I did I was a bit shocked.

Sorry, this is a bit TMI... so I can feel it’s quite smooth between the front and back areas and there’s a hard lump of skin (possibly scar tissue?) extending between the two. However there’s also a painless flap of skin just before my bum that I thought might be a haemorrhoid (sometimes get a bit of bleeding and I’ve had these before but internally) but now I’m not so sure.

Has anyone else had this? Did it go away or did you seek any medical advice? The birth was so traumatic, I don’t want to visit the GP and have them poking around down there! I feel like I don’t know my body anymore! My anatomy just feels so alien to me now :/

Many thanks!

I had a lot of discomfort sitting say at a weird angle from scar tissue with my first large baby's stitches. I remember feeling better at 9 months pp and this is when I attempted sex, which was ok but probably fine 12 months after birth. So recovery can take a good while, but it's possible they didn't stitch you up brilliantly. I think this was the case for me, as on my baby two they asked who stitched me last time ( which I thought was a strange thing to ask post birth, I had a 3.5 year ago gap)

I would use a handheld mirror take a look and rather than suffer do go to the gp. They will probably refer you on if you insist. I didn't see them but I think I was lucky to recover, but I know sometimes you can need restitching. On my second I've recovered in the 6 weeks but much smaller baby.

And I don't think it's ever going to be the same down there sorry.

I had a massive skin tag grow on my perineum after my first labour. I had had a very long 2nd degree tear, which didn't heal properly on the inside. It was repaired about 8m later, at which point the skin tag was also removed.

Please don't wait as long as I did. If things feel wrong or painful, get yourself checked. There was no need for me to suffer as long as I did.

Unfortunately, my skin tag grew back every time it was removed by childbirth tearing and post-birth repairs. Eventually I had it surgically removed when my youngest dc was about 3, and it has not grown back.

Has a massive haemorrhoid hanging like a grape from month 7 onwards. It only went away a month after the birth but got sore again about 3 months later.. I think I'll need surgery