Anyone have experience of visible urethra hole? Prolapse? Help!

[Threesmycrowd]

I gave birth vaginally at the start of December and have just plucked up the courage to see how things are looking since...its horrible 😫 my vulva is an awful mess and I have a sort of lumpy bit on my perineum. There is also a small but very visible hole which from googling I know is my urethra. It looks so weird. It's not like a doughnut (like the prolapse pics I've seen online), it's just a round hole. I dont have any symptoms of prolapse, no pain or problems with peeing but it looks really odd. Has anyone else experienced this? Will it go away? Would pelvic floor exercises help I wonder. What should I do. I dont want to let dh anywhere near it while it looks this weird. Can't imagine ever having oral sex with my new revolting vulva and a hole in the middle. Feeling low about the whole thing tbh and would love to hear any other experiences post childbirth.
I did have a temporary catheter inserted I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

You will heal and childbirth can change the appearance of everything a bit. As long as you're not having problems with toileting, it will take time. As for your perineum, did you tear or have an episiotomy? It could be that. You've just recently given birth, so it's early days yet.

Very early days op please don't worry. Look no vaginas or penis for that matter looks pretty up close so don't look. If you feel ok that's all that matters. Personally I found sex far better post baby. Honestly don't worry

Visible hole isn't weird. You just never saw it before. It can look a mess down there for a while- it's been through a lot! It will tidy up over time.

As for sex, well just be glad you both are ready for it and don't fret about the details. All that matters is it feels good, that's what you both need to focus on.

Thanks for your replies. Yes I did have a second degree tear and stitches. And I'm not ready for sex yet I'm just panicking about the future. My labia was horribly swollen during pregnancy and I was hoping everything would look better once I had the baby not worse...now its not swollen but it looks such a mess and so unattractive. I was probably naive to expect my body not to change but I thought it would be inside rather than so visible.

Honestly when I looked I was shocked. It was like the black hole of Calcutta, as we used to say. I've actually had my perineum rebuilt as part of prolapse surgery. It's not unusual, it's not un fixable should there be functional problems, but give it time. The body does repair. It's too soon to panic. but I totally get you!

Thanks for your replies. They are reassuring. I guess I just need to come to terms with things being different now and hope it improves in time.

Would be great to hear if anyone has had a visible urethra hole though rather than just unsightly vulva! As I'm finding that really weird. It's about 5mm diameter so not that small and it just looks really odd to me. Any stories of something like that disappearing over time gratefully received!!

I’m a nurse and catheterise a lot of women. Seeing your urithral hole isn’t abnormal.
women all look individual in that area, just like faces are all different. If it feels ok and all works then don’t worry. But if you are concerned, a hip will advise and assess.

You looked way too soon! It can take a long time for all of it to go back to anything approaching normal. And is a visible urethral opening such an issue?

Thanks that's interesting. I thought all urethras were not easily visible. And @FictionalCharacter I suppose it's not a huge issue other than I find it looks very strange and I feel really uncomfortable about the idea of anyone seeing it - and the rest of the whole sorry mess tbh - close up. Which isn't good news for my sex life!

@Threesmycrowd It won’t be a sorry mess forever, honestly. You had a look very early, you’ve only just started healing. Your whole downstairs, inside and out, is like the day after a WW2 battle at this point! And I can’t believe a partner would peer at your visible urethra opening and go Ewww! 😁

Would you look at his visible urethra opening and go Eww during oral sex? I doubt it!

Had 2 vaginal births both resulting in 3rd degree tears & a partial prolapse (vaginal).

You are still healing, it takes time, but also things will be different down there whilst your hormones settle, that will take even longer time (like 12 weeks - 1 year and beyond, especially if breastfeeding) but it WILL settle.

Prolapse or not, definitely do your pelvic floor exercises (try the NHS squeezy app). If you are worried, ask for a referral to a pelvic floor physiotherapist.

I don't know how much looking with mirrors down there you did before you were pregnant - could your urethra have been visible before but you've not noticed? Or if it's significantly bigger, could it be an infection?

Hi, did you ever get an answer to why your urethral looked bigger than before ? Experiencing the same things 3months pp

Sorry you're having the same problem @RoandBeau. No I haven't found out why it's like that, I also haven't looked at it for a while so not sure if it's improved but I suspect not unfortunately. Is yours sore? Mine is fine normally but I'm finding it sore if its rubbed (sex).

Yes I agree with this, I also catheterise women and it varies how obvious the urethra is from woman to woman. They are all visible though, it would be very difficult to catheterise if they weren't!

Hi @Threesmycrowd @RoandBeau
I'm 8 months PP and have just noticed that I can see my urethral opening too. As previous comments have stated, I probably didn't look down there all too much beforehand so I can't be certain it wasn't always visible. But I feel like something just isn't right.
The last couple of days I feel a bit irritated (a UTI type sensation) but have no pain when peeing. Sounds silly but I don't know if I'm imagining it because I'm constantly thinking/worrying about it.
I'm thinking of giving the GP a call tomorrow to have it checked but wondered if either of you got to the bottom of it?

I have this after the birth of my first 3 years ago and it definitely wasn't like this before. I had a catheter fitted during labour which they really struggled to do causing me so much pain so I just presumed maybe they had damage it then. I suspect that I may have a bladder prolapse and sometimes I feel a weird/pulling like sensation from the opening when I'm walking so I wonder if it's connected. Would be interested to hear from anyone else who has had this.

Thanks for the replies, which I've only just seen. I was also catheterised during labour, just a temporary one and also caused pain. I wonder if that's connected. I still have it but haven't done anything about it - @LSL0708 did you try the GP? Sorry to hear there are others struggling.

This has also happened to me, I’m 13 month PP. I also had a catheter, and a forceps delivery, an episiotomy and a 2nd degree tear up towards my urethra 🫣.

I could never see my urethra at all before, and even once tried to work out where it was and still was none the wiser 😂 so it’s definitely a new thing for me!
It isn’t getting any smaller and a doctor has said it looks normal, so I’m just trying to accept it (even though it makes me feel uncomfortable knowing how much everything has physically changed)

Thanks @TiredWired for sharing. Great that you were brave enough to speak to a doctor about it and that it's normal (even if a new normal for you ... and me). I dont like it and I find it sore sometimes when it didn't used to be. But just got to get on with it, our bodies have been through a lot I guess it's normal for them to have changed.

I have this 😭 gave birth in August my baby is 11 weeks old today. I had foreceps and a catheter. I had to have the catheter for a week due to swelling and then they couldn't get it back in...

I'm wondering after such time if you have noticed any recovery this far into the year? How are things for you now? I am really hoping mine closed over time but 😔 thinking I'm damaged forever

Thanks for replying....I hadn't looked at myself for months until I read this and looked the other day. It's like a car crash down there still a year on 😥 sorry to not have good news. My urethra is visible and super pink, looks really sore actually although isn't and just all around it is really 'flappy' for want of a better word. I think we may have to just make our peace with it but if any thing changes or improves I'd love to hear from you again xx