weird TMI stitches/healing question

[Beauchamp]

I'm almost 5 weeks PP and the bleeding has just stopped and I've started spotting lightly. I had a second degree tear (I think two tears) and had stitches. I can still feel the stitches and see them with a mirror. They are definitely irritating, especially when I sit and try to nurse, because the tied-off ends are poking out. *sigh* :

How long does it take for stitches to dissolve?

Also...(this is the TMI part)...when I look with the mirror, it seems like where there used to be an opening up into the vaginal canal, now there is interior tissue which seems to sag over the opening. (hope this makes sense, because it's freaking me out.) What is this? Is something wrong with me or is this normal after giving birth? I tried a kegel when I was peeing and it didn't completely stop the flow, just most of it and leaked a bit. I am scared that something is wrong inside. Any idea if this is normal?

[Voltige]

nak-

I am 2+ weeks pp and also had a 2nd degree tear. My sutures have already dissolved and fallen out. Not sure how long is typical.

I don't know about the TMI part of your post. Can you FEEL anything "falling out" of your vagina? Maybe look into pelvic organ prolapse?

[phrogger]

The stitches should be gone by now. I would call your ob or midwife and have that checked out.

[groovynaturemama]

at 5 weeks pp my stitches were not gone and VERY annoying. i had dh take them out with my suture scissors maybe your care provider could remove them?

as far as the other issue, the vaginal walls are still a bit distended 5 weeks pp and it'll take a little more time to get the tone back so, unless you were a kegel maniac up until you gave birth, you may still not have gained back the strength in the kegel area. what you're describing with the tissue sounds sort of like what i experienced when i looked with a mirror a few weeks pp. i'm 7 weeks pp today and it's pretty much looking back to normal.

[ihugtrees]

I am approaching week 6. My bajingo looks the same, and it freaked me out the first time I saw it. Also, my kegels can't completely stop the flow at this point either...the first week after birth, I leaked urine and I was terrified it was permanent, but I gained some strength back...and I couldn't force myself to do a kegel until week 3 or 4.

[VegMomma]

DDC crashing to say that I have a friend whose dr accidently put in the stitches that don't dissolve. She finally called, and went in, because she could still feel them and was freaking out. They removed them.

I would call your cp soon and have them checked out asap.

HTH

[Beauchamp]

nak

thanks all. I will get checked out soon. I need a new gyn since my old one was anti-homebirth and freaked out on me.

glad to know the "muscle tone" issue is not an extreme thing. i will have to start those kegels. i never really know if i am doing them right.

[Erinz]

Think of the kegels as "elevator exercises" as in: tightening up like an elevator, holding, and then releasing down. It will be hard at first because you don't have strong muscles. But, just as any other muscle group, you will build them and they will become easier and you will be able to hold them longer.

[WeasleyMum]

My stitches were mostly gone by 3-4 weeks PP. I haven't been looking down there (scared mostly, but also lazy ) but things certainly *feel* different.

[akichan]

Originally Posted by VegMomma

DDC crashing to say that I have a friend whose dr accidently put in the stitches that don't dissolve. She finally called, and went in, because she could still feel them and was freaking out. They removed them.

I would call your cp soon and have them checked out asap.

HTH

My stitches weren't dissolved well at 4 weeks pp so the MW took them out and I feel much better now. I didn't know that could happen (never happened before). However, it's still slightly bumpy down there - like a keloid? or something? Anyone else have a bumpy tear? Is it going to smooth out?

[Lily's_Mom]

Also DDC crashing to share my experience! I had a 2nd degree tear and by 5 or 6 weeks pp I could still feel some of the stitches poking me. My mw said that even though they are 'dissolving' stitches, some pieces just won't dissolve, so if anything was bothering or poking me to just see if I could take the stitch out. And it worked! The stitches had dissolved on the inside, so it was just the tied-off pieces outside that kept poking me every time I sat down. And those pieces came out very easily with no resistance. ETA: I just used my fingers, no cutting involved. It was really just a piece of stitch with one end sticking into my skin, and one end sticking out.

Good luck, I hope you can sit down in comfort soon.

[Beauchamp]

Originally Posted by Lily's_Mom

I just used my fingers, no cutting involved. It was really just a piece of stitch with one end sticking into my skin, and one end sticking out.

Maybe this is what I have, too. I'll try it and see...carefully, of course.

I do have some discharge which I think is from the stitch rubbing. (liquidy, pale brown to yellowish and slightly pink sometimes, which could be when it gets irritated more, I guess.)

[Lily's_Mom]

Originally Posted by Beauchamp

Maybe this is what I have, too. I'll try it and see...carefully, of course.

They will slide right out if they are already dissolved on the inside. If it tugs on your skin at all, you should probably get help getting them out. But hopefully they come out no problem and you can sit down without getting poked!