to stitch or not to stitch?

[petra_william]

Im hoping i wont tear, i didnt last time and having a waterbirth again which i know helps but i read a story that one woman chose not to have stitches as long as she promised to stay in bed and let her mum ad DH do everthing else to let herself heal. whe the MW came to check her a few days later she was amazed at how well she had healed ad realized that the bruising ad swelling she saw in other mums must be (parlty) caused by the actual stitches. so im thinkig would it be better to let it heal naturally? anyone got any experience with this?

[ColwynsMommy]

I think it depends on how much you tear. I tore with my first, not a lot but enough that the need for stitching wasn't really in question. With my second, I barely tore (the OB called it a papercut) but he put in one or two stitches anyway. I had about the same amount of tearing with my third, and the midwife said it would be fine without stitches. Healing from the tear without stitches was easier than the little tear with stitches, but not so much that I would refuse stitches if my midwife suggested it. My current midwife also uses glue in some situations, and mentioned something about seaweed, but I have no idea what that's about.

[ShwarmaQueen]

I think you can get a hundred different opinions on this. With DS I tore and my MW said they weren't too bad (more like surface tears) but when I transferred for retained placenta the OB went ahead and stiched them. They both agreed I'd heal faster that way anyway, so I was happy. It still took 6 weeks for me to feel semi-normal again, so I can't imagine how long it would have taken if I hadn't gotten them!

[autumnday]

Depends on many factors, how much tearing, how deep into the tissues the tear is, and realistically how easy it will be for you to stay in bed if the tear warrants it. Usually pretty easy for first time moms as newborns don't run around much, but if there are older siblings, can be a bit more difficult.

Hopefully, no tearing so you don't have to make the choice!!

[annarose999]

i tore what my mw called a 1 in depth and a 2 in length and said the choice was up to me whether or not to stitch. i had so much sciatic pain from a hematoma that developed that i opted not to and just laid in the bath for two hours post birth. after 6 weeks i went in to my ob who said it healed really well. it was good to hear considering how much i got up and out of bed.

[Sweetiemommy]

I think people usually decline stitches because it freaks them out, but it is really not that bad. You are in a blissed out state, and can still hold the baby and talk to everyone. If it bothers you, just prop a pillow up against your legs to block your view and focus on your baby or your husband. The little injection to numb the area hurts for a second, but you don't feel the stitches at all and it is well worth it to have everything heal up nicely. My midwife does such a great job that you couldn't even tell that I had torn at my 2 wk appt. In fact, she looked at me in amazement and said, I thought you tore! And I told her that I did and she looked impressed with her work and said, "I'm good!" Lol.

[dannic]

I've torn with every one on the same line. (3 babes) With my last, I was waterbirth and still tore. I opted out of stitches, but it took forever to heal and I'm sure my inability to lie still exacerbated it. I'm planning on stitches next time. (if I tear, lol)

[Cersha]

I tore with my first (bottom and labial, thanks to a nuchal hand) and I got the stitches, but they dissolved before they healed...so, I might as well not have had them at all.