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3rd degree tear - question about stitches

Hi

I had my little baby boy on Monday but in the process got a 3rd degree tear. I was wondering if anyone could tell me about how the stitches work. Do they disolve or do I have to have them removed? If they disolve by themselves what makes them disolve? The reason being is that the only thing that seems to relieve the pain is a bath with lavender oil. I have already had 2 baths today but am worried that the water will make them disolve too quickly before things have healed down there.

Any advice greatly received!

Replies

  • Congrats on the birth of you baby boy Poor you ihad this too so you have my sympathies. Stitches should disolve and I not heard of anything that would make it disolve quicker. I'm surprised they didn't keep you in because of this as they like to keep an eye for a few days. Your home visits from your mw should include her checking your stitches to make sure you are healing ok and not getting an infection so you should definately ask her! Use hairdryer to dry yourself but make sure you use the cool setting!!! Hope you recover well and best wishes to you and your lo xxx

    [Modified by: julesy on September 08, 2010 06:43 PM]

  • Congratulations! Sorry to hear about the tear. I had the same so trust me, it does get better pretty quickly. I found that dead sea bath salts were brilliant.

    The stitches will just dissolve - I don't believe that any number of baths will dissolve them quicker but will just help you heal quicker and ease the pain.

    I had brilliant care after my tear, regular checks from midwife and referral to the "wee" physiotherapist (to check I still had control in that area). I wouldn't panic if you can't control your wee 100% just yet, it will get better. Just remember your pelvic floor. It does work.

    Sorry if TMI!

    If you have anymore questions just email me. x
  • Hi, I had a 3rd degree tear too and I was discharged the day after the birth. Mine dissolved by themselves and I just had the visiting midwife check them on 2 occasions. The Dr also checked me over at my 6 week check too.

    Throwing you healing thoughts!
  • Hi there, congratulations first of all.

    I had my DS March this year. Had a very positive experience - labour and delivery was very quick considering he was my first. I had no pain relief not even gas and air due to how quickly I progressed, but was devestated to learn I had a really bad third degree tear a Grade C - had tore straight through to my anus and had un-countable stitches. I thought I was going to be a total mess and in absolute agony. But I was the total opposite. I was disharged the same day on the evening, and from leaving the hospital I was never checked down there again. I was told to follow the advice in a leaflet that I was given (very helpful) and was asked questions each time a MW saw me and had my consultant check up and physio 8 weeks after. I was asked 2 main questions - 1, if I was pooing ok - which I was, and 2, if me and hubby had done the deed since the birth which we had and was fine, and that was that I was discharged. All if fine down there now.

    Mine just dissolved by themself, never heard about anything helping to dissolve them quicker like baths. I think its important to keep the area clean in order to have a quick recovery. I never took baths, or used anything. I must say though the once I remember going to the toilet and when I wiped I saw a little bit of stitch on the toilet tissue. Had just dissolved and come away.

    I looked down there 2 days after I had DS and didnt stop crying for hours after from the state it was in. Its back to normal now, just was so swollen from everything.

    Wish I had had some helpful replies when I posted about mine, I was clueless. Sorry if Ive rambled.

    Heres hoping for a quick recovery.

    x

    [Modified by: SweetKissesFor1 on September 08, 2010 08:05 PM]

  • SweetKisses - you were brave to take a look!! I couldn't bring myself to, although hubby insisted on looking so he could check it was ok. I had that little dignity that I would have shown the neighbours if they asked!
  • Hehe yummymummy - hubby looked too I made him. He said it was 100% better looking than when the surgeon was looking to see what type of tear it was. He said he thought our days together in that way were over lol.

    To be honest I wish I hadnt of looked so soon, I was so paranoid about it afterwards.
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