In most births, we find the annoying tears that can be caused when the baby comes out or at the time of delivery. These are cases in which a small vaginal tear or where an episiotomy has been performed. After this fact, a few stitches are usually applied to reconstruct the area and we will analyze how long it takes for the stitches to fall off after childbirth.
Tears can be forced by a natural fact, but episiotomy is one of the almost necessary mishaps that are practiced to reduce certain consequences in childbirth. These cuts are made to facilitate the exit of the baby and therefore a widely used technique.
Episiotomy
This practice is widely used in childbirth. In most cases the baby is greater than its exit contour and therefore the episiotomy has to be provoked. In this case, it must be used so that an extensive tear does not occur or when deliveries are delayed due to not being able to expel the baby easily.
A small or first degree tear you may not need just internal or external stitches. When an episiotomy has been performed, it becomes a second degree case and here the stitches will be sewn to attach skin to muscle. Its practice and therefore recovery is much more painful and the discomfort can last for the first week.
Episiotomy is performed when the woman takes a long time to give birth. The midwife in such a case looks for a solution and chooses to perform this technique. On the other hand, the baby may be suffering, unable to come out and in this case it is necessary to prevent it from being retained.
Breech births is another cause., the position and structure of the baby's body will not be optimal for it to be expelled naturally. In this case, it is likely that an episiotomy will be performed to facilitate the movement of the baby.
How long does it take for the birth stitches to fall off?
The stitches performed in both an episiotomy and a second degree tear they can encompass discomfort for three weeks. After this time, the points will not fall off, but will be absorbed and dissolve. The specialist doctor during that time will make a small assessment of your progress, since, if there is a possible infection, recovery can be much slower.
As the days go by, if everything evolves correctly within those three weeks and if all hygiene measures are followed, the stitches will dry. After the resorption of the points the wound will gradually heal.
If the tear has been of the third or fourth degree, the recovery will be much longer in time. Discomfort can last for about a month and the points will come to fall around the 3 or 4 weeks after delivery.
How is the recovery of stitches after a cesarean section?
Recovery from a cesarean section is usually much more complex and long lasting. The mother should be careful in her movements so as not to let the wound open and the entire wound can heal normally.
Stitches applied conventionally will reabsorb on their own, but if I have applied staples they should be removed at the 10 or 12 days after cesarean section. The midwife or gynecologist will be the one to make an assessment of the healing and can remove them in consultation. If the wound is not in good condition, some stitches can be removed and the following ones removed in the following days.
The area may be numb and you may feel a little tingling. It's totally normal. To care for the area, you should massage daily and add musk oil to hydrate, calm and regenerate the area.