Anybody else tear and decline stitches?

[phoebemommy]

So, my birth was great, but I tore in two places. One was teeny, one was bigger, and I declined stitches because my midwife said the'd heal up on their own. Tearing was not traumatic like I thought it would be, but I was a little traumatized when I felt around down there about a week later. It felt gaping, but I didn't have a mirror to check it out, and DH was kind of evasive in describing it -- said it wasn't horrific, but that he certainly wouldn't do me in that state. I've been trying to keep my legs together but that's so hard with nursing! And I keep worrying every time the dog jostles me or I forget and hurry down the stairs and I feel a little something down there, like maybe I yanked it open again.

Anyone else dealing with this? Or dealt with it in the past and lived through it?

[JenMidwife]

I did have stitches & my midwives still didn't want me to use the stairs for 2 weeks if possible. They think stairs are the most damaging thing to perineal healing.

Sorry I can't help more. Hope you heal up soon.

[broodymama]

Not in your DDC, but I had a minor tear when my DD was born. (She had her hand over her head and I had the tear where her elbow came out.) I didn't have stitches but I did try to take it easy for about a week after the birth, avoided the stairs for the first couple of days. I did go hiking at Mt Rainier at 6 days post partum which may have not been the wisest decision but the tear didn't cause me any discomfort and it didn't feel like it opened up or anything.

After about 2 weeks everything felt back to normal in that area and I tested everything out with DH around 4 weeks (last chance before he deployed!) and everything was fine, no discomfort during sex.

[AmieV]

Warning, TMI ahead:

I had a tear on the inside of my labia...so basically on my inner lip, one side was like hanging off. I declined stitches when the m/w asked, for the entirely stupid reason that I didn't want anyone messing around down there anymore. It was pretty bad looking, and I was afraid it wouldn't go back to normal. It didn't entirely, but it healed completely and I'm just a little "lopsided" down there if you catch my drift. we lived on the 3rd floor so I went down and up those stairs probably once a day after a few days. It took several weeks before I could pee without the peri bottle or feel semi normal. Truthfully I wish I'd gotten the dang stitches! But, alls well that ends well.

Have you tried using honey on the tears? That helps with healing. Also comfrey tea packs.

[phoebemommy]

Hey, thanks for the honey suggestion! I've been doing that and it feels really good, like it's helping. Last night my midwife checked the tear and said she probably should have put a stitch in it, but that it's healing. It's more the fear of having to wait forever to use that area again that bothers me, yk?

[SummerTwilight]

I tore two places on my labia and a 2nd degree tear on my peri and did get stitches. It still hurt like hell for at least 10 days and I also was told to avoid stairs at least 2 weeks. 19 days later I feel ALMOST not sore at all. Def the worst part of labor and the stitching up hurt worse than birth.

[AmieV]

glad the honey is helping!! Not sure how you're doing now at this point, but if you want some comfrey, PM me and I can mail you the sack I bought of it and never used. Luckily my business stayed intact this time.