Anonymous wrote:God I wish I had had the c section I wanted instead of this .

C-section scars are no joy to behold 3 weeks post partum either...

if you touch your stitches is it normal to feel like a scab... I'm scared ti look but u think I strained or ripped my stitches.. I had baby 6 days ago....

Can you go to your OB to make sure everything is ok? I was worried about mine, and OB said some sutures had come undone. She said they would heal themselves. It wasn't a pretty sight. I couldn't really walk around the neighborhood for about 3 months. At almost a year things seem back to normal for the most part.

My friend had her kids in military hospitals and needed stitches after the first two. After the first baby the man stitching her up didn't really know what he was doing and since she was so swollen "down there" her didn't recognize the inner labia for what it was and apparently tried to sew it to the inside of her leg. At least that's the story she tells and she has stuck with it for 13 yrs now. She did say he definitely didn't know what he was doing though.

I had a 2nd degree tear, and it felt/looked like it was never going to be the same again, at least until 6 weeks post-partum, but maybe even longer (can't remember, which I take to be a good thing). It's totally okay now. Deep breaths and give it more time!

I have had 2nd degree tears twice. Did look the second time around because I was so uncomfortable and thought things would never go back to normal. But a few months later, everything was fine...Don't beat yourself up!

The surgery is a perineoplasty repair aka a "revisions" aka "episiotomy." It's outpatient, easier recovery than childbirth. I had in done. Not the most fun I ever had, but necessary after stitches burst and got infected.

I have had 4 vaginal births and tears with stitches each time. I have never ever looked down there. Why?!?! Blech.

I think you may need to give it some more time. I only had a first degree tear and one stitch, but I didn't feel normal for over a month and a half.

I had a third degree tear. I never looked down there until months afterward, but I will say I was feeling fine by 6 wks PP, and now I don't feel I'm damaged in any way. I didn't know exactly what a 3rd degree tear was until I looked it up after giving birth. That was MY mistake! Just knowing really freaked me out and I was worried i would never be the same again! Good news... I feel like I am!

Thank you so much for your insights, it's really making me feel better. One question, what kind of surgery would one get?

I looked weird for a good while after each set of stitches. Now I look totally normal.

You could always have surgery later, after you are done having kids. I wont lie....I'm permanently disfigured after 3 kids and blowing my stitches each time.

Oh OP, I know your horror. I took a peek shortly after coming home from the hospital and was very sorry. Don't worry, it does get better. I am 7 weeks PP now and things are looking (and feeling!) much better. You will heal- hang in there

Man I just looked at my stitches from a 2nd degree vaginal tear. And I'm just beside myself.
What a horrible mistake that was! They still hurt and itch like crazy, I get stabbing pains that are unbearable.
Occasionally I move in some way that's clearly pulling skin - aren't they supposed to have dissolved by now?
Also, I feel like Frankenstein! I am worried that I'm never going to be normal down there .
Please reassure me that I'm wrong about this! God I wish I had had the c section I wanted instead of this .