stitches???

[willowblossom]

Hi ladies, me again! Not seeing my midwife for a couple of weeks so wondering if anyone knows about this.
If you have a home birth and tear badly or have an episiotomy and need to be stitched, will they stitch you at home or do u need to go to hospital?
I tore quite badly with my son but refused stitches as I couldnt bear anything down there as was so sore. But I think it may have left me a bit weaker down there (sorry tmi!) Really worried I will need stitches this time but dont want to go to hospital if ive had a successful homebirth
Thanks ladies!

 

[bassdesire]

I was stitched at home I had a second degree

 

[MindUtopia]

As far as I know (except maybe in very extreme emergency situations) they don't do episiotomies at home. If things are complicated enough that it might be called for, they probably would have already started you on the way to the hospital. As for tears, they can stitch grazes and 1st and 2nd degree tears at home. If you have a 3rd degree or worse tear, they would transfer you in just so they could get some more support in doing it properly. Usually it's done in very relaxed, non-emergency way though unless there are other concerns.

I had a 2nd degree tear and they were able to stitch it up just fine at home. It wasn't comfortable (actually that and the vaginal exam I stupidly consented to were the only really painful parts of birth for me). But they had lidocaine and I could have used gas and air if I wanted. It was fine. Not something I'd like to do again, but totally manageable.

Fortunately, I think many women who tore the first time don't tear the next time around, so you'll very likely be just fine. And it must not have been a very bad tear if they were able to leave it unstitched (wasn't 3rd+ degree), so that's a great sign as well. I wouldn't let it worry you to much.

 

[Kess]

I had a 2nd degree tear since LO wiggled his shoulders on exit, MW just stitched me up on the settee. I had been terrified of tearing and needing stitches, but actually it was fine, I had G&A and chatted to my Mom to distract me.

 

[Feronia]

They will only do episiotomies in emergency situations at home (which I hear is a 1 in 1,000 chance). They will also stitch you up at home as well! I didn't tear at all, but they had all the supplies on hand to stitch me up if there was a need to do so.

 

[uptotrix]

I'm sure they will stitch you up at home...my MW does.

 

[willowblossom]

Thanks ladies, makes me feel a bit better! x

 

[ttc bubby no2]

I have heard that my homebirth midwife does stitches but it wasn't required for me. I had a 2nd degree tear with my first in hospital but no stitches the next time even though he was much bigger.