I had 2 tiny tears and I wonder if I really needed any stitches. It was a homebirth, and I remember not having my baby when she “checked” me after birth (looking for tears, suture, etc). I wasn’t as satisfied with the immediate postpartum, because the midwife was very concerned about my vitals (due to her regulations under which she had to operate) and I wasn’t able to hold my baby for very long (maybe 30 or 40 minutes, can’t really remember) before the midwife had to “work” on me, so I had to give my baby to my husband. I really do believe I tore because I was pushing when I shouldn’t have been. Nobody told me to, but as soon as I got on the birth stool, both midwives (one of whom I never met before my birth, due to coronavirus restrictions) were sitting in front of me and watching, with occasional touching my perineum while I was crowning…I really felt like my contractions came to a complete halt when I got on the stool, and to this day I really believe it was because I suddenly had an audience when prior to that, I was alone in my room with just my husband holding and supporting me. I am very seriously considering whether I need a midwife or not for my next birth. Throughout the pregnancy, there were never any questions she answered for me that I didn’t already learn on my own from my own research…I wonder if I really need the “expertise”. This podcast is very interesting and encouraging.