# Soooo, How Long Before Your Girly Parts Returned to Normal?



## diamond lil (Oct 6, 2003)

I had my dd naturally, vaginally, three weeks ago. I no longer need the peri bottle when I pee, but should I continue to use it anyway? I think I can still see my stitches (I had a minor tear). I thought they were supposed to dissolve. I still have very faint burning when I pee, but no major bottom pain.

I am no longer bleeding; just having major discharge.

I guess I don't know what to expect. Anyone want to reassure a newbie?


----------



## peytonsmama (Jul 2, 2008)

Well I would love to tell you something reassuring but....I too had stitches and kept thinking any day now they'll be dissolved, in my case it took the full 6 weeks for them to dissolve completely. The discharge will last quite a while too, but it should be getting lighter soon. Congrats on your baby's birth and hope you continue to heal well!


----------



## neverdoingitagain (Mar 30, 2005)

To fully recover? Like stitches gone, no lochia, no pain? Took about 6 weeks for the lochia, and that damn stitch had to taken out







:







Bathroom pain was weeks, probably due to the stitches not dissolving. It was about 3 months before I felt comfortable peeing and almost 6 months with a bowel movement. I kept feeling like I was going to get a fissure.
second time I was lucky, no tearing. Lochia was pretty well gone after a week, but kept popping up until the full 6 weeks were up. As for pain while going to the bathroom, I had some stinging for about a week( skidmark)
It sounds like you're well on your way. You don't need the peri bottle unless you really really like it


----------



## FiberLover (Feb 6, 2007)

I'd have to say at 7.5 weeks pp now, I'm normal down there.

Well, apart from the scar tissue from the tear. (I had a 2nd degree tear and some stitches, DD had a nuchal hand).

I'd say...it got close to normal at 5 weeks or so.


----------



## crazyeight (Mar 29, 2006)

um never?!







the full 6 weeks both times for it to really feel like i could sit, pee, poop, wipe, and have sex without being extremely tender. HOWEVER the stitches and scars will forever make things wonky. get used to either being "tight, lopsided, extra skin" or other such "gifts" and take note of them for future....reference??! hehe


----------



## Dillpicklechip (Nov 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dhinderliter* 
um never?!







the full 6 weeks both times for it to really feel like i could sit, pee, poop, wipe, and have sex without being extremely tender. HOWEVER the stitches and scars will forever make things wonky. get used to either being "tight, lopsided, extra skin" or other such "gifts" and take note of them for future....reference??! hehe









: LOL!


----------



## deditus (Feb 22, 2006)

It also took the full 6 weeks for my stitches to dissolve from my minor tear. My dd is 2 now and it has only been in the last 6 months that my scar tissue doesn't hurt.


----------



## nia82 (May 6, 2008)

I had DS 5 1/2 weeks ago and my lochia is still running bright red, the stitches are still there. I have no pains though. Peeing hurt only on the day of delivery, bowel movements didn't hurt at all, I was just scared to "push" but after 3 days I noticed it didn't hurt at all. So pretty much I am pain free, but those stupid stitches and the bleeding... (two 2nd degree tears, perineal and labial, DS had a fist in front of his face....) Hopefully gone soon.


----------



## mamathellama (Mar 9, 2008)

My DD was born 4 1/2 weeks ago. I've had more bleeding than pain actually. It hasn't been how I expected it. I think I had a little pain for about 2 weeks when I would pee or poop and soon after that I'm pretty sure the stitches dissolved/fell out (I had a tiny tear up and a 2nd degree tear downwards). I am bleeding less now, but it's still bright red most of the time. I hope it stops by my 6wk checkup. Does anyone know what they do if it hasn't stopped by then? Like will I have to go back again a few weeks later? It's not heavy enough that I would suspect I have retained placenta or anything, but you never know. Usually I can just use a pantyliner. Also not bleeding at night, just during the day. Any advice?


----------



## nia82 (May 6, 2008)

@ mamathellama: Since I have the same issue (but I need a Kotex!) I scheduled an appointment with my obgyn next week... I will let you know what they say.
My sister's bleeding stopped after 4 weeks and was on again at 6 weeks, they did an ultrasound to verify that the placenta is out... She actually got her period back despite the fact that she's breastfeeding!!! I hope it won't hit me that soon... Then I'll never stop bleeding







:


----------



## queenjulie (Oct 26, 2007)

Wow, it definitely doesn't have to be the way some of the other responders make it sound! I've had two kids, one with two small tears and six stitches and one with no tears whatsoever. With both, I had no pain afterward, stitches came out in a week, and I was tighter and more sensitive (in a good way!) during sex at the six-week mark both times. The lochia definitely lasted the full six weeks, though--that was annoying. But delivering a baby doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be "messed up" or have a different vagina later on!


----------



## rhoneyes (Aug 19, 2008)

its been 2 wks for me since Adam was born. I no longer use the peri bottle but a soak in warm water once a day helps soothe any aches or pains down there. still bleeding but only needed kotex for the 1st wk.

my perinium is healing good..can still see the stitches, but no pain there. My inner labia tore in half so thats been the most pain..and burning. Its almost healed now...but i no longer look the same. One side is bigger longer than the other..that stinks.

bowl movements are really bad...they tear me each time. I hope that goes away. this was my 1st delivered vaginally w/2nd degree tear.

hey did anyone else have pain in their urethra or clitoris? I have and I can say that its the worst pain out of everything else. Did it go away for you? See I have a weak valve in my bladder and my bladder doesnt contract. Could birth have made it worse?

Im glad for this thread..the books or baby classes dont tell you about the nasty things we go through after birth.


----------



## azjen43 (Feb 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rhoneyes* 
the books or baby classes dont tell you about the nasty things we go through after birth.

This has really been on my mind alot lately from talking with new moms. I agree that there is a need to talk more about the entire PP experience. (Not just the nasty stuff, but all the surprising changes) I know as a CBE, I am always trying to strengthen my knowledge base and pass on as much info as I can. (Only so much time in classes, though, KWIM? Which is why I encourage students to come here and explore, too.)


----------



## dziwozony (Aug 27, 2006)

i didn't have to have stitches, but had a minor tear that we let heal on it's own. it healed a bit funny & i have a little flap that wasn't there before- so it's not quite how it used to be! but my vagina itself has gone back to pre-birth...my partner says it doesn't feel any different when we have sex. i think the first time we had sex was about 5 weeks after the birth...gently of course, but it was not painful at all. we have a lot of sheep fencing around our place that i often climb over, & it definitely took at least 6 weeks to be able to spread my legs apart that far again & not worry about doing damage! i noticed my perineum (sp?) took several months to be all smooth again & back to how it used to be.


----------



## Dillpicklechip (Nov 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *queenjulie* 
Wow, it definitely doesn't have to be the way some of the other responders make it sound! I've had two kids, one with two small tears and six stitches and one with no tears whatsoever. With both, I had no pain afterward, stitches came out in a week, and I was tighter and more sensitive (in a good way!) during sex at the six-week mark both times.

Wow, you are lucky! I think that type of positive experience is the exception rather than the rule, though.


----------



## Emily's Mama (Apr 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rhoneyes* 

hey did anyone else have pain in their urethra or clitoris? I have and I can say that its the worst pain out of everything else. Did it go away for you? See I have a weak valve in my bladder and my bladder doesnt contract. Could birth have made it worse?

Yes! I've been wondering about this pain in urethra/clitoris too. It started for me nearly a week PP (I'm 3 weeks now) and I cannot seem to find much info on it. It seems for me like a downward pressure and at times can be really quite bad. I had a look "down there" and it seemed like maybe my clitoral hood had retracted a bit or it was swollen or something, hence the pain? Don't know if this is associated with labor, or maybe friction on the pads for the bleeding? If I do pelvic floor exercises then it's not so bad. It's worse if walking around a lot or at end of day. I'm hoping it will go away over next few weeks on it's own!


----------



## dogmom327 (Apr 19, 2007)

I didn't really feel back to normal until about 5 mo pp. The bleeding stopped at 4 weeks (but had another 5 days between 6 and 7 weeks), the stitches were gone by 6 week but sex was painful until about 5 mo pp.


----------



## septbabymama (Mar 11, 2008)

I'm glad this has been posted because I'm wondering myself! I gave birth 3 weeks ago vaginally with a 1st degree tear. I stopped major bleeding at 2 weeks. I was able to poop on the 2nd day and it hasn't been painful since then on and peeing has been fine since the 1st week. I wear a pantiliner for a little drop of blood here and there so I expect that to last for few more weeks. As for the stitches, I'm actually scared to look down there...I think it still feels weird when I try to feel around during showers so will have to check it out soon...and look up what lochia is since I have no idea what that is.









My tummy still looks about 5 months pregnant...does it really go down after 6 weeks?


----------



## calpurnia (Sep 26, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *queenjulie* 
Wow, it definitely doesn't have to be the way some of the other responders make it sound! I've had two kids, one with two small tears and six stitches and one with no tears whatsoever. With both, I had no pain afterward, stitches came out in a week, and I was tighter and more sensitive (in a good way!) during sex at the six-week mark both times. The lochia definitely lasted the full six weeks, though--that was annoying. But delivering a baby doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be "messed up" or have a different vagina later on!

Me too! I had more pain from my piles than from my episiotomy. We had sex about 2 weeks after without vaginal pain. Lochia finished around then as well, athough I got my period back at 6 weeks pp....


----------



## Down2Earth (Jan 23, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *septbabymama* 
and look up what lochia is since I have no idea what that is.









Lochia is the bloody discharge after you give birth.


----------



## Sarah W (Feb 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Emily's Mama* 
Yes! I've been wondering about this pain in urethra/clitoris too. It started for me nearly a week PP (I'm 3 weeks now) and I cannot seem to find much info on it.

I've got the exact same thing. I'm 5 weeks pp today. It isn't a terrible pain, and I usually notice it during a BM. It's strange because it's definitely in the clitoral area and that makes no sense to me.

I stopped bleeding from my stitches at about 3 weeks pp and started to feel like myself again. Everything feels like it's close to being normal on the inside, too, except my cervix is really low. There's some discharge, but it isn't bloody.


----------



## LokiPuck (Jan 11, 2003)

I remember bleeding for just over four weeks after having DS.

Not to freak anyone out or anything, but sex is still painful for me well over a year later. Everything feels to tight down there. I had about 15 stitches after giving birth.


----------



## pumpkinhead (Sep 15, 2003)

For me, everything was in more or less working order (sex/pee/poo etc) after 12 weeks. It took the better part of a year for things to equilibrate though. As in: for things to be as they were going to be forever more.

Things will probably never be as they were before you had a baby, but they will return to some semblance of what you remember. Not overnight and probably not even in a few months, but they will







.


----------



## septbabymama (Mar 11, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Down2Earth* 
Lochia is the bloody discharge after you give birth.

Thanks!







I looked it up as well.


----------



## MegBoz (Jul 8, 2008)

I had a 1st degree perineal tear. MW said it was so minor she normally would not have stitched it, but the bleeding wasn't stopping, so she put in 2 stitches.

I had hardly any pain postpartum! (Well, in the vulva area, I mean. The "after pains" of uterine contractions were uncomfortable.) It was just tender & slightly sore for a couple days - so minor. Although hemmroids arrived about a week PP, but they were gone by about 7 weeks PP. (Colace- stool softener - helped.)

Lochia was minor for me - needed a heavy pad for just a week. Then just panty liners for another week. I'm pretty sure I didn't even need panty liners after about 2 weeks! Lochia never came back again later.

The perineal tear wasn't healed at 2 weeks - and that freaked me out. ANYWHERE ELSE on your body, if you have a laceration, it should be healed in about 2 weeks! But MWs said that's normal. A few weeks later it was fine. I think it looks normal too.

Well, apparently I have "skid mark" just below my urethra, above the vaginal opening.







It hurts- feels like an abrasion - like a skinned knee (which the MW said is what it is - an abrasion.) It doesn't hurt very bad & I'm not that aware of it, but any stimulation down there (oral sex) made it hurt. MW said to call back if it still hurts in a month (which would be 14 weeks PP!) DH & I haven't had sex yet... with oral sex hurting, we didn't progress!


----------



## BugMacGee (Aug 18, 2006)

First time: 2 weeks. Second degree tear. I think I re-opened the stitches picking DD up in her carseat on day 5 (there was no one to help me







)

Second time:about a week and a half. I tore just a tiny bit. But I remember it getting more painful as it healed, then the pain suddenly went away.

Now I'm just talking about pain here. Vag births definitely changed the landscape permanently in subtle ways. Lochia lasted about 4 weeks both times.


----------



## rhoneyes (Aug 19, 2008)

yes...its impossible to include EVERYTHING I think. There just isnt enough time. I think more PP discussions would be a good thing for everyone to talk about. Doctors nurses and other moms need to share that kind of stuff more. But who wants to talk about bleeding and torn perineums...lol????

Quote:


Originally Posted by *azjen43* 
This has really been on my mind alot lately from talking with new moms. I agree that there is a need to talk more about the entire PP experience. (Not just the nasty stuff, but all the surprising changes) I know as a CBE, I am always trying to strengthen my knowledge base and pass on as much info as I can. (Only so much time in classes, though, KWIM? Which is why I encourage students to come here and explore, too.)


----------



## rhoneyes (Aug 19, 2008)

Wow so im not the only one then..The pain for me has been getting better. I still have the pain shoot through me. Its hurts so bad! But only sometimes when I sit down or Im using the restroom. My stuff looks ok but the doc did say that everything including my urethra was swollen from pushing and all that. But I cant have any stimulation to my clitorus now...I really hope thats temporary. Im not trying to have sex this soon (3wks PP) but I still wonder.....

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Emily's Mama* 
Yes! I've been wondering about this pain in urethra/clitoris too. It started for me nearly a week PP (I'm 3 weeks now) and I cannot seem to find much info on it. It seems for me like a downward pressure and at times can be really quite bad. I had a look "down there" and it seemed like maybe my clitoral hood had retracted a bit or it was swollen or something, hence the pain? Don't know if this is associated with labor, or maybe friction on the pads for the bleeding? If I do pelvic floor exercises then it's not so bad. It's worse if walking around a lot or at end of day. I'm hoping it will go away over next few weeks on it's own!


----------



## Emily's Mama (Apr 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rhoneyes* 
But I cant have any stimulation to my clitorus now...I really hope thats temporary. Im not trying to have sex this soon (3wks PP) but I still wonder.....

ditto!







:

let's hope it clears up soon!


----------



## kayleesmom (Dec 16, 2004)

i would say 3-4 wks to feel back to normal when i had tear at least 6 wks for the stitches to dissolve and have no pain


----------



## MsHiss (Nov 17, 2005)

Great thread! I am 2 weeks PP and this is reassuring.

Thanks!


----------

