What are we talking about? Tearing! What are we gonna do? Not be afraid of it anymore! How to prevent tearing during birth? I get this question in my Instagram DMs at least a dozen times every week! And I get it, the thought of tearing your vagina is kiiinda of terrifying – especially as […]

What are we talking about? Tearing! What are we gonna do? Not be afraid of it anymore!

How to prevent tearing during birth? I get this question in my Instagram DMs at least a dozen times every week! And I get it, the thought of tearing your vagina is kiiinda of terrifying – especially as a first-time mom.

The thing is that tearing during labor is actually really common. In fact, more than 4 out of 5 first-time moms will experience a tear during labor – but over 96% of those tears are very minor!

Take a deep breath, mama! I’m not saying that to scare you. My hope is that knowing just how common tearing is will help relieve some of your anxiety about it!

I also want you to understand that even though it happens to most of us, most won’t experience any lasting complications.

In this podcast, I’m going to go over the ins and outs of tearing, all the different ways you can tear, how to prevent tearing if there is such a thing, how to care for a perineal tear if it does wind up happening to you, and more. My goal with this episode is to rid that fear of tearing from your brain. 

Ready to talk vaginal tears? Tune in!

More MLN content related to tearing during birth:

Liesel Teen, BSN-RN
Founder, Mommy Labor Nurse

Meet your host

Hi there. I'm Liesel!

As a labor and delivery nurse, I've spent countless hours with women who felt anxious — even fearful — about giving birth. I want you to know it doesn't have to be that way for you!

When you know what to expect and have the tools to navigate the experience, you'll feel confident and in control.

I believe you deserve a better birth — no matter how you deliver.