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Help needed for perineal tear recovery from vaginal birth
Hi, all
I couldn't post in the Doctor-to-Patient forum because of its post limit so I'll post my problem here.
My wife gave a vaginal birth to our son about 5 weeks ago. Because our son was already one week late so we used ecbolic. OB didn't expect the birth was so quick that when he arrived, the baby was already in the process of getting out. Therefore OB couldn't do the perineal cut. As a result, my wife suffered a second degree perineal tear. Then OB sewed the tear up and everything was seemed fine.
About a week ago, we happened to find out that the stitches were totally broken. My wife had never felt a thing about it. Maybe we had put all our attention to our little son. I called the OB right away and wanted to talk to him, but the nurse didn't even tell the OB about it even I asked him to return my call. I had to leave the city for business the next day and my sister-in-law called the OB again. She still couldn't reach the OB and the nurse refused to give my wife an appointment right away. Instead she ask us to wait for one week and my wife went to see the OB today finally.
Surprisingly, the OB insisted this condition is normal and said the stitches were broken because my wife walked around. He suggested my wife to soak herself in a hot bath twice a day, 10 minutes each time. He said the tear will grow well in two weeks.
I couldn't believe what the OB said about this whole situation and the remedy he suggested. ( I am away and my wife went to the OB with here sister) How can this be normal? My family have never heard about this before. I searched on the web for hours and no one else seems to have met this problem. I am convinced that this is caused because of the OB's malpractice, but I want to make sure before I go any further.
Anyone out there has met the same problem or heard about this before? Would anyone please give me any advice what we should do asap to remedy the situation? Do you think that this is caused because of malpractice or it's just an accident or completely normal?
I need your opinion. Please help my family!
Sincerely yours,
huixin
I couldn't post in the Doctor-to-Patient forum because of its post limit so I'll post my problem here.
My wife gave a vaginal birth to our son about 5 weeks ago. Because our son was already one week late so we used ecbolic. OB didn't expect the birth was so quick that when he arrived, the baby was already in the process of getting out. Therefore OB couldn't do the perineal cut. As a result, my wife suffered a second degree perineal tear. Then OB sewed the tear up and everything was seemed fine.
About a week ago, we happened to find out that the stitches were totally broken. My wife had never felt a thing about it. Maybe we had put all our attention to our little son. I called the OB right away and wanted to talk to him, but the nurse didn't even tell the OB about it even I asked him to return my call. I had to leave the city for business the next day and my sister-in-law called the OB again. She still couldn't reach the OB and the nurse refused to give my wife an appointment right away. Instead she ask us to wait for one week and my wife went to see the OB today finally.
Surprisingly, the OB insisted this condition is normal and said the stitches were broken because my wife walked around. He suggested my wife to soak herself in a hot bath twice a day, 10 minutes each time. He said the tear will grow well in two weeks.
I couldn't believe what the OB said about this whole situation and the remedy he suggested. ( I am away and my wife went to the OB with here sister) How can this be normal? My family have never heard about this before. I searched on the web for hours and no one else seems to have met this problem. I am convinced that this is caused because of the OB's malpractice, but I want to make sure before I go any further.
Anyone out there has met the same problem or heard about this before? Would anyone please give me any advice what we should do asap to remedy the situation? Do you think that this is caused because of malpractice or it's just an accident or completely normal?
I need your opinion. Please help my family!
Sincerely yours,
huixin
first of all - congrats! i had daughter number 2 on 6th of October, 2008. all is well with bub, gorgeous and healthy.
i had a tear, think it was 2nd degree. but because it was a natural tear, it wasn't clean cut and straight. so it causes more trauma, and takes longer to heal. i had an epi with my 1st daughter, and has lots of stitches, but it healed quickly. and i didn't suffer the pain. but this time, with the tear, it is still healing, after 4 weeks. and boy does it itch!
my husband has checked the area, and although it looks 'healthy' there does seem to be some 'gaps' happening. so it may be normal as your dr says. i hope it will heal soon. i have my check up at the 6 week mark, hopefully it will join by then. can't handle the thought of having the dr rummaging through there again!
goodluck.
i had a tear, think it was 2nd degree. but because it was a natural tear, it wasn't clean cut and straight. so it causes more trauma, and takes longer to heal. i had an epi with my 1st daughter, and has lots of stitches, but it healed quickly. and i didn't suffer the pain. but this time, with the tear, it is still healing, after 4 weeks. and boy does it itch!
my husband has checked the area, and although it looks 'healthy' there does seem to be some 'gaps' happening. so it may be normal as your dr says. i hope it will heal soon. i have my check up at the 6 week mark, hopefully it will join by then. can't handle the thought of having the dr rummaging through there again!
goodluck.
I just had my baby girl on the 18th. I had an episiotomy but i think before they did that i got a tear. It hurts so bad i feel like i want to cry everytime i use the bath room. they gave me the spray bottle for water, medi-pads, and that dermaplast. but it feels like none of them are working. tomorrow i am going to buy that sitz bath i really hope it works. i seriously dread every time i have to use the bathroom :-(
Rachel
Rachel
I just wanted to say that I totally understand what you are going through with your doctor. I had a 4th degree episiotomy. It feels like after you give birth the doctors are done dealing with you. I had the same experience with questions - I was very upset that at my checkup with my doctor she had not even looked at the notes before she came in. I had called with questions that the nurse had said she had asked my doctor a few weeks prior - my doctor seemed to have no recollection - I had even come in and seen another doctor at the practice.
It is very frustating and scary to feel you have no one to ask these questions too. I realized there was no reason not to go back to my old doctor who was just a gynecologist. She always seemed to listen and called back personally. When I went she was honest - things at the time looked fine but she preferred a different type of stitch to use.
I suggest going to a different doctor preferably NOT an OB - they seem to be stretched so thin - get a recommendation from someone or find a small practice. There is nothing to stop you from doing this even if you have to pay cash it will be about $100 - a small price to pay for piece of mind - my doctor counted it as my annual so there was no charge.
I hated sitz baths - I prefer just taking a real bath with Aveeno oatmeal. As the swelling goes down the stitches can itch as the skin retracts - it really helps even at this stage. good luck.
It is very frustating and scary to feel you have no one to ask these questions too. I realized there was no reason not to go back to my old doctor who was just a gynecologist. She always seemed to listen and called back personally. When I went she was honest - things at the time looked fine but she preferred a different type of stitch to use.
I suggest going to a different doctor preferably NOT an OB - they seem to be stretched so thin - get a recommendation from someone or find a small practice. There is nothing to stop you from doing this even if you have to pay cash it will be about $100 - a small price to pay for piece of mind - my doctor counted it as my annual so there was no charge.
I hated sitz baths - I prefer just taking a real bath with Aveeno oatmeal. As the swelling goes down the stitches can itch as the skin retracts - it really helps even at this stage. good luck.
Hi, tmv/taysmommy
Would you please let me know how long it took you for the tear to fully heal since use of sitz bath? My wife is worrying about it. She sees no improvement of the tear after 8 days of sitz bath. It would be good for us to know how long it takes to recover.
Thanks a lot.
huixin
Would you please let me know how long it took you for the tear to fully heal since use of sitz bath? My wife is worrying about it. She sees no improvement of the tear after 8 days of sitz bath. It would be good for us to know how long it takes to recover.
Thanks a lot.
huixin
Shoot, I keep clicking on posting a comment before I type. Old habits are hard to break, lol! Change is hard. Anyway, enough about the new design of the forum....The spray is dermoplast over the counter, but chances are after this time that part should be healed pretty well and not be so uncomfortable. If not, the spray works great. I forgot to mention and you probably already know, but the reason that it looks different and takes a little longer to heal is that a tear is more jagged than a straight line episiotomy. Take care.
feel free to file a malpractice suit, but it will get you no where, only cost you tons of money for nothing, tearing is a normal part of childbirth,
sounds like your little guy made his way into this world faster then the doctor expected, and many many women tear, i tore a bit with my first and i agree with tmv, most the time the stitches will dissolve on their own, i remember being very nervous about the site of the stitches thinking something was wrong and it was just the normal healing process
i took baths a few times a day and it really helped, you may consider finding a new doctor just for the fact that your wife had a valid concern and they refused to see her, other then that i hope she feels better and also a bath is not going to cause an infection, just tell her to keep the area clean and dry (when she gets out of the bath of course) follow the doctors orders and enjoy that baby!
also i think some doctors will perscribe a spray that will help with the pain of the tear, mine didnt but ive heard of it, maybe she can ask about that too
sounds like your little guy made his way into this world faster then the doctor expected, and many many women tear, i tore a bit with my first and i agree with tmv, most the time the stitches will dissolve on their own, i remember being very nervous about the site of the stitches thinking something was wrong and it was just the normal healing process
i took baths a few times a day and it really helped, you may consider finding a new doctor just for the fact that your wife had a valid concern and they refused to see her, other then that i hope she feels better and also a bath is not going to cause an infection, just tell her to keep the area clean and dry (when she gets out of the bath of course) follow the doctors orders and enjoy that baby!
also i think some doctors will perscribe a spray that will help with the pain of the tear, mine didnt but ive heard of it, maybe she can ask about that too
To tmv:
Thank you very much, tmv. It comforts us so much. We'll get a sitz bath and try it out.
huixin
Thank you very much, tmv. It comforts us so much. We'll get a sitz bath and try it out.
huixin
At four weeks, the stitches are often absorbed and begin to fall out on their own. This is the normal way that they come out, if I am understanding your question. I had the same thing happen to me with my first baby. The area looked like it was gaping a little, but taking sitz bath's twice a day really helped. You can also use a tub if you don't own a sitz or buy one at a drug store or wal-mart. Best wishes and congratulations on your new son!
I am 38 weeks pregnant now and have been doing a ton of research on labor and delivery and I have never heard of that happening before!!!! On top of that to tell your wife to soak in a hot tub for 10 minutes a day seems like a very bad idea!!! She could get an infection or something... that is why after your water breaks they tell you not to take a bath only showers! If I were your wife I would get a second opinion asap... or go to the hospital. Hope everything works out okay
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