Episiotomy stitches come open

[bluemoon2468]

I gave birth two weeks ago and my external stitches have come open. I don't think they're infected, although I have a GP appt tomorrow to get some precautionary antibiotics, but the stitches appear to have just come out. I've looked with a mirror and it looks pretty awful, just an open wound. I know they usually don't restitch them, so I'm just wondering what it's likely to look like when it heals? Am I just going to have a big open cut in my labia forever?

@bluemoon2468 hey didn't want to read and run. This happened to me with my DD 3 years ago, I think I just overdid it and that's how they came apart!
I like you was worried about a gaping hole in my labia forever. They wouldn't restitch me and I was terrified of what it would heal like. It healed ok and the opening is a little bigger but it's not as bad as it first looked when it was still red and healing, also made no difference to my sex life which was another fear! Hope that provides some reassurance for you x

No they won't restitch as the tissue isn't strong enough to do so and it will heal regardless. This has happened to me twice. Try to take it easy as in no squatting or lunges 😂 my first dehiscing occurred when I sat on the stairs and bent over to tie my shoes.

It’s quite common for episiotomies to ‘break down’ (what they call it when the stitches come apart). They tend to heal just fine on their own, it’s just more of a risk for infection due to it being a larger area of open wound. Keep it clean and keep your legs together when you can.

This is totally normal actually, because the stitches are made from a dissolvable material that starts around 10-14 days after being put in which is where you are at! By this time your body has already done a lot of healing and it will continue this process, keep the area clean and the skin will heal up

Thanks so much for all of your replies. Great to hear that it will likely heal okay regardless. The GP has prescribed me antibiotics as a precaution but said that it doesn't look infected currently so that's good 😊

Hi. This happened to me too. Had my baby boy september 19th and about 4 days later back in hospital with an infection. Top layer of stitches open but consultant advised that stitches in muscle layer still intact. I have now healed and it took about 8 weeks. It has now been 12 weeks and it is gwtting better every week thats passing. Can still feel where the scar is when i sit on it but have been told that this will also go in time (whoch it is improving) and that the scar remodeling process needs to happen. It has been a very dark and emotionaly draining time. X