You may need stitches after birth if your baby has slightly torn your vagina. Or if your vagina was cut – a procedure called episiotomy – see Vagina.

You will be stitched up, most likely with dissolving stitches shortly after the birth, once you have passed the placenta.

It will be uncomfortable for a few days afterwards. You may likely be bruised or the area around the cuts or tears will be swollen. What’s more, your muscles around your vaginal and pelvic floor area will be very weak. Going to the toilet could be quite a sensitive process. Even sitting down may not be comfortable.

Dissolvable stitches normally take around 10 days to disappear, by which time the tear or incision should have started to heal.