# ?? TMI ??? What does your vaginal opening look like postpartum?



## twins+1

I really don't know which forum to put this in, so this was the best one I could find in relation to the topic (since we are postpartum women).
I was a vbac this time, so this is new to me, but I'm getting a little concerned that maybe my vaginal area isn't healing the way it should.
I am 4 weeks postpartum and when I look at the vaginal opening via mirror I can still see my cervix almost right inside the vaginal opening. It is small, but its easily visible. I am worried that maybe it is a mild prolapse? I can't find any information if this is what it is. I still have 2 weeks until my 6 wk check-up, but I think I may call my OB earlier. Seems like things should be back in position already? My vaginal opening also seems larger than it was - but maybe larger than it should be???
Sorry if TMI, but I don't know who else to ask. Is this sounding off?

Just adding that labor was super fast @ 1.5 hours, but it was a good and normal delivery (vbac).


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## bedheadmaestro

it might not be your cervix...I also thought I was prolapsing, but then i found out it's actually my urethra that is now kind of ballooned out due to the pressure from the baby. i don't want to say 'stick a finger in there and find out' but...the urethra will feel saggy and squishy and the cervix will be stiff.


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## spicyrock

I'm not sure what could be going on, but I wanted to ask if you had stitches, and if so, how many. The ladies I know who had fast deliveries definitely tore more than I tore, and maybe that could take a longer healing time, left to its own devices? But I only have the one baby, so I'm certainly no expert on birth. When I finally got up the courage to examine my vulva ( I was pretty nervous about this ), it did look a little strange, but i don't think I could see my cervix, or anything. It just looked a little... torn and re-sewn. There was some scar tissue.

If you didn't tear at all, I don't know, but I imagine it would take quite a while for your body to return to its normal state of elasticity. But I've been told by tear-free women that everything does, eventually, firm back up (just like the rest of your body).

Anyway, I'm mostly just speculating with you. HTH


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## Whittliz

I am almost a year PP and I am dealing with what you described. My bladder has prolapsed a bit so I can see my vaginal wall and urethra bulging. I also had an internal tear, so I have a "skin flap" that I can see too. My pelvic floor was obviously weak and DD was a frank breech delivery with a 2.5 hour pushing stage where I didn't push and allowed my uterus to do the work. I think there was some trauma to my pelvic floor.









I know it's disconcerting, but 4 weeks postpartum is still really soon. I think that American women expect too much of their bodies! Chinese doctors expect that it will take a year for a woman's body to truly heal and regroup after childbirth.

If you go to your OB, I would suggest you squat for the exam because if you lay on your back, everything will fall back into place and they will not see was you see while sitting on the toilet. I would also suggest major pelvic floor exercises. You might want to check out these sites.

http://www.wholewoman.com/

And the MDC thread on pelvic organ prolapse.

HTH!


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## ~bookcase~

spicyrock;13935538The ladies I know who had fast deliveries definitely tore more than I tore said:


> yes, quick births do not necessitate tears/ worse tears than slow ones


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## herins

I am 10 weeks pp, and am only just starting to feel like it looks "normal" down there. I was very open for at least 8 weeks, and could see bulges where I had been stitched. I also felt a huge amount of pressure for about 6 weeks, to the point that I was worried I would never heal. Give yourself time. (Mine was also a vbac, and there were some moments where I wondered if my recovery was any easier this time around - which I am now certain it was).


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## twins+1

Well I ended up getting checked and it was indeed my urethra - just some postpartum swelling/birth trauma to some tissues. So the area is swollen and should resolve with time. Thank heavens!!!
I had a 2nd degree tear in the perineum because my son's head and hand came out together, but the Dr said the stitches look very good and everything is healing as it should.
Thank you for the replies. Its good to know that 4 wks is still early. I think I expected everything to kind of visually be as it was by now, so I'm glad to know it can take quite a lot longer and that that is normal.


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## PaigeC

I never asked my midwife about it but I didn't know what I was looking at down there for the longest time! I didn't think it was ever going to look normal - and then one day it did. Maybe by 12 weeks.


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## CHoney

Quote:


Originally Posted by *twins+1* 
Well I ended up getting checked and it was indeed my urethra - just some postpartum swelling/birth trauma to some tissues. So the area is swollen and should resolve with time. Thank heavens!!!
I had a 2nd degree tear in the perineum because my son's head and hand came out together, but the Dr said the stitches look very good and everything is healing as it should.

I'm happy you're ok! I know I looked very swollen for awhile afterwards, and I also tore because my DS came out with his hand on his head! It took a few months for things to look like they used to.


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## mischa.simpson

Quote:


Originally Posted by *twins+1* 
Well I ended up getting checked and it was indeed my urethra - just some postpartum swelling/birth trauma to some tissues. So the area is swollen and should resolve with time. Thank heavens!!!
I had a 2nd degree tear in the perineum because my son's head and hand came out together, but the Dr said the stitches look very good and everything is healing as it should.
Thank you for the replies. Its good to know that 4 wks is still early. I think I expected everything to kind of visually be as it was by now, so I'm glad to know it can take quite a lot longer and that that is normal.

I gave birth 10 days ago to Colben who was a hand/face compoud with 2nd degree tears too. I FREAKED OUT when I felt something coming out of my vagina when I went to check a big bleed. It may seem ignorant but I never even knew prolaps was a possibility. Why do they not talk about this in prenatal class


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