Childbirth is a huge stress for a woman's body. The first birth can last about a day. Women, because of inexperience, fear do harm to themselves. In this case, we are talking about those tears that appear on the cervix as a result of labor. As part of this material, we will tell you what a suture after childbirth is, what it can be, and also share the secrets of proper care.
Types of seams
In places of soft tissue rupture, sutures are formed. Depending on the place of their application, it is customary to distinguish internal and external. Each of them has its own characteristics, which should be described.
Inseam
So, one of the most common are tears of the cervix and the walls of the vagina. The seams imposed in these places are usually called internal. They are superimposed after the end of labor after examination on a gynecologist’s chair.
Many women are concerned about the issue of pain relief. So, in the case of suturing the cervix, additional pain relief is not required, because after childbirth it is less sensitive. Do not believe? Ask the women who underwent this procedure: almost all of them will say with confidence that they have not felt any pain.
When suturing the walls of the vagina, they resort to local anesthesia. Sutures are applied with medical self-absorbable threads that do not require removal. Here it is extremely important to show professionalism, then a woman will not feel any negative consequences.
Outer seams
If childbirth took place with complications, the baby is quite large, crotch tears cannot be avoided. The seams imposed on it are usually called external. Moreover, gaps can appear both naturally and artificially. In the event that there is a choice, doctors give preference to a mechanical incision, thereby preventing tears, since the edges of the incision are always smooth, respectively, and will heal much faster. Suturing in this case is carried out under local anesthesia.
And here the doctors have a choice: the suture can be sutured with ordinary medical strings, which require removal after 5-7 days, or self-absorbable. The choice of this or that method rests with the specialist. In this area from plastic surgery came a cosmetic suture, neat and almost invisible. In the last few years, it was he who was preferred by the doctors and the patients themselves.
How long does the suture heal?
Of course, being on the maternity table, the woman does not even think about the pain that accompanies labor and its consequences. But after a day, she begins to feel unpleasant symptoms. If in the walls of the maternity ward her specialists watch the baby, then after discharge she will have to independently take care of the baby and the seams caused by the tears. Given the inexperience in this matter, it is not surprising that a woman wants to have certain skills. How many sutures heal after childbirth? How exactly to care for them? These questions are asked by many newly minted mothers.
As medical practice shows, rupture sites heal on average within 10-14 days, provided that there are no complications. This period is accompanied by pain during walking, bowel movements and even sitting down. If self-absorbable sutures were used for the seam, they do not need to be removed, but if ordinary ones, after 5-7 days it will be necessary to remove them. Want to know how many sutures are absorbed after childbirth? The resorption time directly depends on the composition of the threads; on average, it takes from 30 to 60 days to completely dissolve them.
Care Secrets
The first days of a suture after childbirth are treated by midwives. This is a standard procedure for caring for a still weakened woman in childbirth. How to handle stitches after childbirth at home? Twice a day, midwives applied a solution of brilliant green or potassium permanganate to it. In the future, a similar treatment after each water treatment will need to be repeated at home. This is how the external sutures are treated after childbirth. The photo above demonstrates exactly how the threads used in the process of eliminating the effects of labor are looked.
Internal seams do not require additional care, and it is quite difficult to do this. They will heal without additional measures in the absence of infectious diseases. That is why it is so important to plan a pregnancy so that you do not encounter complications later.
Bowel movements
Extreme caution should be exercised in the first days after suturing. Even banal bowel movement is accompanied by tension of fused tissues. Ideally, at this time, ask to put an enema or a special candle based on glycerin.
After each trip to the toilet, it is necessary to carry out hygiene procedures, that is, to wash. In the morning and evening, it is allowed to use an agent for intimate hygiene. It is better to wash yourself in the shower, and not in a basin with water or in a sink, as women mistakenly suggest. After childbirth, the female body is cleansed and restored, so you just can not do without a sanitary pad. So, you need to change it every 1.5-2 hours, even if you think that it can still serve.
Lingerie
A great option will be disposable underwear made of hygienic breathing materials. Today you can buy it in any specialized store. If not, a natural cotton linen with soft seams will be a good alternative. The main rule is not to wear it immediately after a shower. Air baths are indicated not only for newborns, they contribute to the speedy healing of wounds, including sutures. After water procedures, in no case do not rub them with a towel, even the mildest, it is enough to simply get wet, but it is better to wait until it dries completely.
It is strictly forbidden to use tightening underwear. From the constricting effect, blood flow worsens, respectively, the wound will heal much longer. The woman’s desire to regain her former shape as soon as possible is understandable and justified, but it is better to wait for the complete healing of the sutures.
Bans
The suture after childbirth imposes on the woman, perhaps, the main ban - it is strictly forbidden to sit in the next 10 days. After this period, if the wound heals without complications, you will be allowed some relief. First of all, it will be possible to sit, but exclusively on a hard surface. You can rest during recovery while lying down, in extreme cases half-sitting, being careful with any sudden movement.
Some time ago, when newborns were separated from their mothers, women with seams were strictly forbidden to get up. And in fact, this contributed to faster healing of the wound. Now, when in most cases the children are with their mothers, it is simply impossible to adhere to bed rest, but caution is still worth it, because it is she who is the success of recovery.
Possible complications
If stitches have been stitched as a result of the woman’s labor, the doctor examines her daily. If no complications are observed, then he processes the seam with hydrogen peroxide, brilliant green or a solution of potassium permanganate. If any deviations from the norm are noticeable, the decision is made depending on the specific case.
Seams
Of course, the wound healing period is individual for each woman. If the seams on the perineum have parted after childbirth, they must be sewn up again. If the wound as a whole has healed, only a couple of stitches have spread, provided that there is no threat to the life and health of the mother, the doctor can leave everything unchanged. If the entire seam has spread, the wound is cut and sutured again. It happens that a woman notices deterioration and complications after discharge from the hospital, which can be caused by sudden movements. In this case, you must immediately seek help from a medical institution.
Suppuration of sutures
We have already mentioned how to properly care for a wound. But some women complain that the sutures after childbirth hurt. This can be caused by the inflammatory process, suppuration of the wound. In this case, the doctor after the examination will prescribe additional treatment.
Hygienic care consists in the use of special tampons and ointments: Levomikol, Vishnevsky and other external medicines aimed at relieving inflammation. If you find purulent discharge from the vagina after discharge, you should immediately seek qualified medical help from an observing specialist.
Pain
The suture after childbirth heals differently for everyone. Painful sensations will accompany both the inner and outer seam in any case. Normally, the pain should subside on the 2-3rd day after childbirth. External seams will bring discomfort a little longer, especially if you disturb them without observing bed rest.
If the pain appears only when sitting, this is quite normal. If you feel uncomfortable while walking or lying down, there is cause for concern. In no case do not suffer pain - consult a doctor immediately.
Sex life
The issue of the resumption of sexual activity after childbirth worries everyone without exception. Experts agree that it is possible to resume sexual life no earlier than 4 weeks later, again after consulting with a gynecologist.
To summarize
As part of this material, we answered questions about how the sutures after childbirth come down. In addition, we discussed how to take care of them, and what precautions to apply.
A suture after childbirth is a consequence of surgical intervention. In many ways, it depends on you how quickly he heals. Follow the precautions and care recommendations that your doctor will give you. It is clear that after discharge, the woman is preoccupied with household chores and caring for the newborn. But believe me: your baby needs a healthy mom, so take care of yourself. The more carefully you look after the seam, the more often you will be examined by a specialist, the sooner you will get rid of painful sensations and be able to return to a full life.