What happens in the days after a vaginal birth?

[{sarah}]

Ok this is going to sound a bit goofy, but I'm wondering in the days after a vaginal birth when you're still in hospital do your bits get checked often? I'm finishing off packing my bag today & I thought my overalls would be great, but was wondering if it'd be too much hassle with people needing to check things. Is it a case of only needing checks if you have stitches?? With Zander they checked my c/s wound at least once a day, sometimes twice so it would have been a hassle. I wondered if it would be the same with checks every day?

[Rouge]

You sometimes have checks depending on clotting, or how your uterus feels (external checking) and it also depends on how much lochia you have. Yes tearing can come into it, but I had a few checks in the first 24 hours due to the bloodloss and the size of the clots I had. I think I wore skirts, and trackies for the first few days.

[MantaRay]

Sarah, yep, they check if you have stiches - otherwise they just ask you to report any clots that you pass (I imagine that's the same for c/s anyway). I have to say that "after" a vaginal birth with no epidural, is so much better than after one with - you can get up straight away, there's no pain, you feel fantastic!

[{sarah}]

So sounds like the overalls might be best left til after I get home. Not a problem my trackies will get packed instead Thanks guys.

[Liviam]

I had stitches after Livvy's birth and my stitches weren't checked as I was comfortable, my uterus checks were normal (external),my loss was okay and my stitches were comfortable. It is best to be prepared plus trackies will be more comfortable than overalls if you do end up with stitches.

[Antheia]

I had stitches both times and never got checked. They never even asked me how they were

[Erin_25]

I had stiches & no checks whilst in the hospital.