Fused labia in my little girl

[KimmyF]

My DD is 4 months old and the MCHN today told me she has a fused labia, she told me not to worry but I am. she told me to rub Vaseline on it once a day and it should separate by itself. I have made an appointment to take her to my GP next week as i feel like i need more reassurance.
Has anyone else's daughter had this issue and what did you do?
Thanks

[Junglemum]

My DD1 had it mildly, but it resolved itself. No harm in going to your GP for reassurance though.

[STARRYSKY]

Sorry, I have no personal experience, but when I was working in the pharmacy one of my customers DD's had the same thing, I've never heard of the vaseline thing though?

anyway, She was prescibed a hormone cream, Ovestin? I think? to apply.
From what I understand its fairly common and I think it depends on the (not severity, but can't think of the word!) condition of it as to wether its left to separate itself or if medication is needed.
HTH a little

[Olive]

DD1 had it and we used the estrogen cream, she actually got some fine blonde pubic hair which freaked me out, and tbh i think its refused (which can happen)
DD2 i think also has it, but im happy to leave it for now

[Gigi]

quite a few links come up with you google this (fused labia in baby girls), so it must be more common that i realised.

"Sometimes baby girls are born with their labia minora (inner lips of the vagina) fused together by a thin membrane. This can also occasionally happen following an infection or irritation. The opening of the vagina is sometimes covered over. If you suspect that your daughter has this problem, you should see your doctor to discuss its management."

good on you for monitoring it with medical help. Does it affect her weeing? i hope she's ok, and it's just a little cosmetic thing that will resolve itself, as some other posters mentioned.

[sneakysparkle]

DD#1 had this - the MCHN picked it up at her 6mth checkup. She said to leave it and see how it was at 12mths - she said often theres no point to the hormone creams as it can just re-fuse.

We didn't do anything to it and by her 12mth old checkup it had fixed itself. She said its really common, and nothing to worry about. I think its just one of those things that people tend not to talk about so you dont hear about how common it actually is!

[Floweryfields]

I'd be pretty hesitant about using vaseline anywhere on a baby, let along in the vagina area. It's full of yucky petro chemicals! I'd go to the doctor and get a proper cream for it.

[helle]

I'd be pretty hesitant about using vaseline anywhere on a baby, let along in the vagina area. It's full of yucky petro chemicals! I'd go to the doctor and get a proper cream for it.

I was gonna say that. I wouldn't even put it near my vagina.

[KimmyF]

Thanks everyone, I have done some googling as well and it does seem common but I freaked out majorly when she told me today! I'm not going to use the vaseline, until I see the doctor next week, in the mean timei'll just be extra careful when cleaning her nappy area and ensure its completely clean each time and change her more often as well.
Thanks again, you helped me stress less a bit! Thank god for BB!

[Gigi]

I'd be pretty hesitant about using vaseline anywhere on a baby, let along in the vagina area. It's full of yucky petro chemicals! I'd go to the doctor and get a proper cream for it.

that crossed my mind too, we sought out organic alternatives for nappy rash creams for example, i'd prolly use one of those instead. e.g Simmons paw paw salve (not Lucas). But that would be my personal choice.

Kimmy, i would have freaked out if given that sort of news by a medical person too. You want your bub to be ok, any other news, it's like - la lalalalalalalalal, this can't be happening. When my bub was tiny, if i got any news, or worries about my bub, i had no-one to talk it over with, so having this forum, was my lifeline.

[Smoke Jaguar]

Lansinoh or the Avent version of purified lanolin? I use that now for any application that would otherwise have vaseline recommended for it

[Charlotte91]

I've never heard of it. How would I know if DD does have one??

Although, she had a catheter for a couple days after she was born (she had surgery a few hours after birth and they had to monitor her urinary output), they would have noticed then, right??

[Charlotte91]

I've never heard of it. How would I know if DD does have one??

Although, she had a catheter for a couple days after she was born (she had surgery a few hours after birth and they had to monitor her urinary output), they would have noticed then, right??

[minimatron]

DD3 had it and around 7 months its opened by itself. It looked like a thin membrane over the vagina. I showed my gp and he wasnt concerned by it and said that if it was still there at 12 months he would then talk about what to do. i didnt do anything special for it. I wasnt aware though that it may refuse.

[human bean]

DD's was quite fused at 6 months, and we used the hormone cream for a few months and it is now open. I keep an eye on it as I was told it could refuse, but now that she's walking apparently it's less likely as she's moving alot more in the general area i.e. crawling, walking, falling, climbing etc. The MCHN recommened vaseline once a day too but we never did. We were hesitant about using the cream but hers was quite fused so decided to after weighing up the pros and cons. She did get a very fine covering of blonde hair but it was gone within 2 weeks of stopping the cream.

I can understand why you're freaking out too, I was beside myself at the time. I was lucky enough though that a friend of mine had mentioned it in her daughter a couple of years earlier, so I rang her straight away to calm myself down. I'm so thankful she shared it with me at the time!!

[KimmyF]

Hi everyone
Thanks so much for all your replies. Well I saw the GP on Thursday and she told me to do nothing and that MCHN should NOT have recommended vasoline. She gave me some information from the Royal Children's Hospital and it was great it explained in really simple terms and stated that their approach is to do nothing. It will generally rectify itself by them time she gets her first period but often by the time she is two. So that was great and I'm really glad I made the appointment now. I'm cranky that my MCHN said to use the vaseline as my GP told me the recommendation as been to do nothing for ages now and she was surprised that the health nurse gave me that advice and they only prescribe the cream in really severe cases or if the little girl has been getting lots on UTI.
Anyways thank you all again I really appreciate it

[Charlotte91]

There's no way I'd be putting vasoline near my childs private parts. Gross. Although, its a very quick cure for cradle cap.....

So glad that you got some information, RCH is usually the best place to get information. They're awesome!

[Gigi]

Glad you have received reassuring medical advice.