About my vaginal stitches, and some other things (only woman who have had babies please)?

Five days ago I gave birth to a baby girl. Well in the process, I tore myself!!! My daughter's shoulders did it! I think my OB said I got 3-4 stitches, and I have been using the sitz bath, and I just ran out of them witch pads (they were awesome). Well the nurse while in the hospital asked me if I was able to make a bowel movement and I did in the hospital and did yesterday, but for some strange reason today, I have been scared to. Its like when I accidentally hold in my pee, and the pressure with the stitches and stuff it kind of hurts and it basically been hurting like that when trying to go #2. Anything I can do to help relieve, or should I just go #2 and not even worry!?

and when go the stitches usually dissolve away?

Try an extremely warm compress to your stitches to ease the pain and then try to have a bowel movement. Or try after you take a bath. I had an episiotomy and it looked like he did 4-5 stitches. I didn't have a bowel movement for about 24 hours after leaving the hospital (didn't need to). You can go get some stool softeners from walmart/grocery store if it's painful (I didn't use any cause I was breast feeding and wasn't sure if they were ok). I was too busy to have time to take a bath at all so I only had showers. It took 14 days for my stitches to stop hurting. I don't know if it was the lack of warm baths or if one of my stitches came loose but it felt like I had cracked down there (like when you split your lip and try to smile/talk). It hurt so bad to sit and go #2!

I have had two c-sections and a vaginal delivery. My middle son was the vaginal and I tore all the way. From what I can remember the stitches disolved after a few days to a week and yes, go ahead and do number #2. you will be fine. They wouldn't ahve discharged you otherwise.

Congrats on the baby. My stitches took a few weeks to dissolve. You can buy either Tucks pads or witch hazel and cotton pads at any drug store.

you should take stool softners.I had the same problem,to the point I was in so much pain.You know the stitches are dissolving when they begin to itch.

It goes away. Get yourself a squeeze water bottle fill it with warm water and squeeze the water over the stitches. it makes it feel a lot better. as the days go by it will get much better. the stitches tend to dissolve after a couple of weeks.
just take it slow and try not to strain, i know it's tough.

it shouldn't tear anything if you do go but it will be very uncomfortable. i would recommend some stool softeners and eat really soft foods with lots of fiber. this will also help with preventing constipation that can occur after delivery. also get more witch hazel pads, lifesavers. you can also go to the store and get this numbing spray that helps with the pain while you pee.

Just go and don't worry. I know it's tough, but you'll feel better. Are you on stool softeners? That could help. I don't remember how long the stitches take to dissolve, I'm thinking about a week. And the witch hazel pads are good (just use gauze or cotton balls). Chilled in the fridge or Tucks pads are good too.

it can take several days to several eeks for them to fully disolve to the point where they fall out.
TMI here but honestly it's better to do your #2 if you feel you can rather then hold it. The colon's main function is to extract moisture from fecal matter. This means the longer you hold out the harder you poo will become creating even more pain then if you'd just dealt with it originally. If you haven't tried a stool softener yet, I'd call your nurse for permission. According to my OB they're safe even with breastfeeding. Another, more natural remey is plenty of fiber and white grape juice.

I think you should be fine ..i tore with both mine and didn't have any problems. You're still just sore bc it's only been 5 days and it's scary because you know you're stitched up, but lots of people tear, get stitches and go #2 after and i've never heard of anyone having problems with it.

Did they give you an antiseptic spray whenn you were in the hospital? If they did, you can just spray that heavily on a pad and that'll give you some relief. Congratulations on your baby!

Hi there, you sound exactly like me!!

When I had my daughter I started taking stool softener because the OB said it would make it easier to go #2 and not feel a lot of pain. It did the trick! I was so scared to take it because I never had before, and I always thought it would make you have to go all the time, a lot etc. but it didn't at all it just made it easier.

I also used Tucks pads for relief.

And, as far as the stitches it took me 3-4 weeks to dissolve the ones I had. After about 2 weeks it stopped bothering me so much and I only noticed them once in a while.

Oh and Congrats!!!

this is what i did after all 3 of my daughters. i would get myself a squirt bottle and about 1 ounce of betadine in it and fill it with warm water. when i had to go i would slowly drip/squirt the solution at my stitches. it helped with the pain, by numbing a bit, and helped me to relax so i could go and not strain, plus it cleans the area to help avoid any chance of infection, and yes this is normal, i hated having to go for about a week after delivery, it gets much better within 2 weeks, and the stitches disolve in about 2 weeks as well, i hope this helps... aalso there is a spray at the pharmacy called solocain. it is a topical nimbing agent, you can apply it before going to the bathroom and it will numb the area for about 5 minutes.

Try using the stool softener and the sitz bath when you are using it. Give yourself another week and you shouldn't have any more pain. And the sitz bath will only feel good for about another week or so also. Congrats on the baby.

You should get a stool softener. I had the same problem and it helped so much. THe stitches dissolve pretty quick. I think it was 1 week. There is a spray that you should use too and it helps so much.

I was really scared to go poop too,... don't worry, I told the nurse how scared I was (cuz I got scared before you) and she said that everyone gets scared, you just have to do it. It is perfectly scared to take a stool softener if you want some help, even if you are breast feeding. Drink lots of water and keep eater lots of fiber and whole grains, that way everything keeps moving. Don't force anything,... only do it when you feel the urge like it's right there,... you won't actually tear anything,... but trying to force out the poop will be a horrible experience, so DON'T DO IT, JUST LET IT COME NATURALLY!

Also, my stitches didn't all fall out on the same day, but they did all fall out between two and three weeks.

What you are feeling is not unusual. You can purchase the witch hazel pads in the drug store (they are pads used to treat hemorrhoids) and I would suggest that you take a stool softener (Co-lace or Senokot) to help with your bowel movements. Go ahead and do your thing (#2), you should be okay. But the stool softener will help.

congratulations on your baby girl. i gave birth to a baby boy 4 months ago. i remember going thru the same thing. i wandered when the stitches would desolve mine fell out though. but as far as the bowl movement it hurt everytime for me and peein stung like a sonofabiatch. i had to wear grandma diapers (you know the kind you find in the woman hygene section) for like 2 weeks. =/ cus of the bleeding and accidental peeing. i didn't want any embaressing episodes.
as for going number two you should do it... if not it'll make it hurt worse. i didn't have a bowl movement till my 4th day and it hurt but it didn't cause any extra tearing, the gyno said i healed up perfectly. but you may want to get some hymroid cream for this bowl movement so that way it can help with any uncomfortable feeling.

I know its painful to pee/go #2 with the stitches, you just have to kinda push through it. Take it slow, and do get some stool softeners. If anything feels like its ripping down there, no worries it will grow back :) Pretty soon everything in that area will be back to normal eventhough it doesnt seem that way now. I know it took my stitches the whole 6 weeks to heal and for it to stop hurting completely down there. But I think im a slow healer or something. Goodluck! and all will work it self out.

I know exactly what you are going through, b/c I went through it also. I gave birth to a baby girl back in december 2007. My doc cut me but when her shoulders came out I ripped clear back to my rear-end. I was in so much pain later that night, but the pain was worse the next day. My doctor gave me some spray called Dermoplast to spray on the stitches every time I used the restroom or after I took a shower. He also told me to take a stool softner ( not a laxitive) to help with #2. I had to do the sitz bath and he told me to make sure not to take baths but to take showers for at least 2 wks after birth so no infections would occur. I think I bleed for about 4 wks and I didnt think it was ever gonna stop. As for the stitches, I dont know how long it takes for them to dissolve b/c I dont want to look or feel down there. I guess my doctor will tell me when I go for my 6 wk check-up.

You can email me if you need any help with other questions or advice with your baby. I will be more than happy to help you. Good Luck with you and your little angel.

that is so normal. it will hurt for another two weeks or so. Ive had 4 kids so trust that. take a stool softener so its not so painful and drink lots of water. and give the stitches about 2 weeks or so.

ur stitches will definately be gone in 6 weeks u need to give ur skin time to heal .. if ur not nursing u can take stool softeners or a mild laxitive to help DO NOT STRAIN OR PUSH HARD YOU COULD TEAR YOUR STITCHES ... also b prepared as it begins to heal it will become itchy u can relieve this by patting it with a towel or tp ... NO SCRATCHING

You poor thing, I know what you mean. I had a forceps birth, a huge episiotomy, lots of bruising and a tear as well. To top it all off, the stitches on my tear actually popped about a week after the birth and they didn't re-stitch it so I had to be really careful about hygiene. As for the pain, or the fear of pain, when you are opening your bowels it helps to take a clean sanitary napkin and use it to apply pressure to your stitches so you don't have any downward pressure which might hurt. I also got really constipated whilst breastfeeding so make sure you eat plenty of fibre and drink lots of water. From memory it took a few weeks for the other stitches to dissolve.