Are you supposed to see your episiotomy stitches as they dissolve? Please HELP!!?

Question

I gave birth 9 days ago, and the dr didn't think he'd have to cut me until the very end, and he said he was going to have to make a very small incision. I was under the impression that it wasn't very bad, because it didn't take long at all for him to sew me up and I had more pain from the pressure feeling in my bottom than anything else. Anyway, today, I've seen THREE stitches on my toilet paper! I'm not wiping, I'm using the spray bottle and then just patting dry. So, by dissolve I thought they meant they would disappear... but is this what is supposed to happen? Are you supposed to be able to see them when they come out? The only thing I can think of is that I've been itchy with a burning sensation down there for the past few days, so I've been squirming around a little bit to avoid stratching. I've also had several bowel movements, but all soft - nothing I would think would rip them out. Also, I looked down there with a mirror, and it looks as if part of it might be open!!

Any advice would be appreciated, I don't know what to do!! I'm calling my dr tomorrow, but what would they do if it HAD opened up? Would you have to have outpatient surgery? (Could they even do that?) YiKES!!!

Answer 1

Although the suture material used for stitches is absorbable by the body, it doesn't always happen that way. The tissue in the area you are discussing is very thin, and the sutures are on the surface of the skin. Some people's bodys react to them much in the way you react to a splinter, and it gets healed out and rejected. The tissue has already healed suffieciently enough that you don't need to have a concern- you will not tear apart or come apart at this point. Now just because you have healed the skin back together doesn't mean it isn't going to be supersensitive. It's been stretched and cut, and things are just going to be sensitive for a while yet. To soothe the tissues, get yourself a pack or jar of hemmorhoidal tissues- the ones with witch hazel. Put them in the fridge to get cold and use one after you clean and pat dry. Just pat it right on the spot and leave for a minute or so. Or you can use a cold bottle of witch hazel on a cotton pad- works the same way. Witch hazel has a nice soothing effect on skin and kills bacteria at the same time. The itchy feeling will go away as the healing completes itself, and the witch hazel will help it a lot as well. In the meantime, it's natural to be a bit uncomfortable in the seater, and the burning is from the nerves healing. But you can relax, you will not tear open and you are healing quite normally from the sounds of things. If the burning really gets to you, you can also soak your posterior in a warm bath with witch hazel added in. Just don't soak more than once or twice a day- you need the skin to be dry to heal the fastest and to avoid infection. Also be sure you are using plain white paper- you don't need to irritate healing tender tissues with dye or perfumes.

Answer 2

I would say this is normal.Yes, you will see them sometimes.I do not think it is open it has a clear natural seal over the wound. The body has a natural healing process so no I really do not think anything is wrong. Bowel movements are common all of this is suppose to happen it is a natural process.The itching is also the healing process,and if you see swollen,redness then you may want to call your doctor or nurse.I would call the doctor/nurse anyway to ease your mind.

Answer 3

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Are you supposed to see your episiotomy stitches as they dissolve? Please HELP!!?
I gave birth 9 days ago, and the dr didn't think he'd have to cut me until the very end, and he said he was going to have to make a very small incision. I was under the impression that it wasn't very bad, because it didn't take long at all for him to sew me up and I had more pain...