3 months & still not healed TMI

[LoveLife]

I'm not sure where to post this, so please feel free to move it if necessary.

3 months ago I had a baby boy. He was born naturally, at home. The midwives didn't make it in time and DH caught the baby. My labor was a total of 3 hours (with my 1st!). The result was a 2nd degree tear that my CNM stitched up.

it seemed like everything was healing properly except for a small tear by my anus that would re-open everytime I went to the bathroom. Wel, now I'm also having slight pain and soreness where my tear was, and bleeding (like 1 drop of blood each time) from that area as well. The CNM had told me to use antibiotic ointment on it and tee tree oil/water wash after ussing the restroom. 1 month later, no change. Due to a change in my insurance I hwent to see an OB last week. She told me the torn area now had scar tissue and that it needed to be removed and let re-heal. But it just doesnt seem right to me.

Does that make sense? Would I still have pain? Bleeding?

I am at such a loss as to what to do. And I can't handle being in pain and sore anymore. 3 months just seems too long. Thank you if you;ve read this far and for any thoughts/advice!

[lifeguard]

I had a 3rd degree tear & by my 6 week appt I had pretty much healed except one area. I had what is called granulated tissue which I understand to be a type of scar tissue that can be problematic. He froze me & removed the granulated tissue & within 2 days I felt MUCH better.

[wombatclay]

hugs mama!

I had significant tearing after dd2's birth (4th degree, so through the anal sphincter) and did a lot of research on tearing in/towards the anus. Apparently it isn't uncommon for a small tear to happen and be "overlooked", especially if there is other tearing. Often these small anal fissures heal on their own, but sometimes they heal a bit "funky" if untreated. And as a result there can be long term pain there.

And some tears (stitched or not) can form scar tissue that adhers to the underlying tissue/muscle and can cause pain. Granular/granulation tissue is another possible cause for the pain (granulation tissue is scar tissue that sort of overlaps unhealed areas, slowing healing even when things "look ok"... the treatment is to remove this scar tissue and let the area heal more slowly/evenly).

I don't know if your care provider meant that you have granulation tissue, or adhesions, or a "funky" occult tear of course! I'd ask for specifics and also ask for a referal to a specialist but you deserve a pain free bottom line so keep asking!

And of course, make sure you're staying hydrated, staying regular with no pushing on the toilet. You might also consider getting a step to raise your feet or squat while voiding your bowels (there's a chapter on toilet hygiene in the "bounce back into shape after the baby" book by Caroline C. Creager and more info in the "mummy tummy" book by Tupler). Very gentle wiping, even a peri-bottle, might help in the short run.