Suturing Talk

Let’s talk suturing! It’s been awhile!

I try really hard to prevent tears during delivery. But, its not always possible and unfortunately tearing can be a normal part of giving birth. I suture 1st and 2nd degree tears at home. If there was ever a tear that I felt uncertain that I could repair very successfully then I would take my client to the hospital for a (hopefully) quick repair. In my 5 1/2 years of practice with LCM I have not yet (knock on wood) had to transfer a client for a tear.⠀

I take suturing seriously and I error on the side of caution when choosing whether or not to suture a tear. In my experience, a deep tear that is sutured will heal much better and quickly than one that is left alone to heal on its own. I always think “If this was my vagina, would I want it sutured?” And if the answer is yes then with my client’s permission I suture the tear. ⠀

It is SO important to have a vagina that works well (yes you CAN quote me!) and sometimes a 20 minute suturing job can make the difference between a tear healing in 2-3 weeks or a tear taking months to heal.

Moral of the story.. ask your midwife what her comfort level is with suturing and what her philosophy is surrounding when to and when to not suture.

📷 @cdabirthphotographer