Perineal massage

[Holymoly321]

Hi all,

I'm 35 weeks and am just starting to really think about the birth. Someone has mentioned perineal massage to me and I wondered how many mums actually did it before the birth, what they used as massage oil, how they did it and how often and, most importantly, did it prevent tearing? I've got pretty awful piles (and the iron tablets I've got to take aren't helping! )and wonder also if this is going to be problem (how come my mother never told me about piles when she was raving about how wonderful pregnancy is?!) Anyway, any advice would be gratefully recieved!

[morningpaper]

First question: Can you still reach?

[Holymoly321]

Ha ha! interesting question! I could probably reach round from the back. I don't really want to get DH involved as the piles are not really conducive to images of me as a sex goddess!

[morningpaper]

Reach round from the BACK?! Now i'm impressed. I'd try it first before you think about tackling anything too adventurous...

[Chuffed]

I used wheatgerm oil. Ended up with an emergency c but I wanted to do everything and anything to help prevent. dh did it as I found it awkward to put pressure on to stretch it if you know what I mean.

[basketcase]

I had an episiotomy with DD1 (painless, didn?t know it had happened and definitely not the end of the world..) and wanted to try to minimise the risk of further tearing/episiotomy with DD2. Bought the almond oil, got comfy, lying down and - just couldn not reach DH tried but I just got cross with him as he pulled too hard/worried he was actually causing damage rather than preventing it. Had a good laugh at my expense, mixed in some lavender oil and gave me a relaxing back massage instead
Agree with morningpaper - great idea...if you can reach

[Kiwifruit]

Smiling - I'm 35 weeks tomorrow, and I've just started thinking about this too. Got told by my doula to use almond oil, so have got as far as purchasing that, but haven't actually tried to put it into practice yet.

Come and join us on the September Ante Natal thread (link here - it's very chatty at the moment!

PS can sympathise with you on the piles I got some Nelsons Hemorrhoid Cream, which is homeopathic, and seems to help (doesn't make them go away, but makes them a lot more comfortable...).

[BadgerBadger]

I did it while I was pregnant with DD1 (though not as diligently as I could have) and I didn't tear at all, I didn't do it during DD2's pregnancy and again, didn't tear, but of course that could be more to do with prior stretching from birth one .

I honeslty think visualisation and control during pushing helped as much as anything. By control, I mean concentrating on how it felt down there and moving the LO's along according to what felt right, rather than according to enthusiastic onlookers advice (ie. PUUUUSH!!) . I was so introverted at that stage that they (midwives and DH) thought I was tiring.....I wasn't, I was ignoring them .

[diva4mgl]

Can you still reach? LoL
I used wheatgerm oil from bodyshop, at the end of my pregnancy i couldnt reach. I could reach but couldnt massage there so long
I had natural birth with no drug. When DD was born MW said i had great delivery with no tear, but unfortunately they found tears inside
So even i tried so hard, i had stiches inside.
Mind you i started massaging and oiling since 30 weeks everynight before going bed. I suppose litle prevent won`t do wrong

[moondog]

Thought this seemed feasible until i realised howmuch work and stretching involved. Read an article in which a woman described her experiences (with her dh's help.)
'Immediately prior to the birth,my husband could get his entire hand in.'


Jeeeezuz! No thanks! How to kill any iota of romance left in one's relationship! I decided I'd rather go with the tears!

[sweetkitty]

I didn't bother but ended up with a 2nd degree tear think I would have got this anyway as DD came out with both her hands by her face also I didn't wait for the head or anything I pushed like hell just wanted to get it out (sorry that was how I felt at the time).

[spacecadet]

i had an episiotomy with dd1 and tore horrifically with ds1 and ds2, with ds i had a 3rd degree tear. when i got my induction date for dd2 last year the midwife suggested massage with almond oil, so i did it, i could reach if i sat on the bed with my knees drawn up!! and it worked, no stitches, not even a nick!

[gingerbear]

you could always try one of these...gulp!

[homemama]

Hi smiling,
I used wheatgerm oil religiously from 36wks and I didn't tear. (1st baby BTW)
I also drank raspberry leaf tea every day. This is suppose to help you not go overdue but also make you supple. Not sure which one worked so I'll do both again next time. (also didn't go overdue)
You can get pure wheatgerm oil in a little bottle from body shop (don't go for the one mixed with cream)
Good luck and sorry about all the brackets

[Holymoly321]

hi homemama, Thanks for that - I';ll pop into Bodyshop tomorrow. Any tips on how to do it exactly? I'm confused by the earlier posts who said they couldn't reach. Surely if you could reach to put in a tampon (though obv this is just an example in our condition!!), you should be able to do perineal massage? Also, how many times a day should I be aiming for? Did you have the dreaded piles at the same time? Mine are pretty horrendous at the moment (they've def got worse in past two weeks - does this mean they're here to stay for the duration?) and so will p massage do me harm?
THanks

[KiwiKate]

I did massage when pg with my first. No tearing at all. Did it every few days for about 3 weeks before birth (he was three weeks early, though! so had planned to do it for 6 weeks).

Doing it now in prep for no2 - I find the bath the easiest place.

(tried getting dh to do it at first, but it freaked him out).

[KiwiKate]

As for piles - here in NZ we have a product called metamucil (it is a powder that you add to water to drink). It is just fibre, that bulks up once in your system and helps get things moving easily (iykwim). Since using this my horrendous piles have completely disappeared (Thank God). This is available in supermarkets here. It says it is for constipation, but I was never really constipated. Perhaps you can find something similar in your area?

[homemama]

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner Smiling. I had no problem reaching and I was HUGE. People said I looked 'due' at 5mths!

Sorry if this is TMI, but I rubbed the oil between my thumb and index finger to warm it slightly, then slid thumb slightly inside and massaged inside and out. I figured it needed to stretch on inside too! MW said the oil was safe BTW. Did this after shower every morning and sometimes after eve bath.

Sorry, I can't help with the piles things as I didn't get them til DS was 6wks and I wasn't eating properly (through tiredness) I did springle linseed on my breckie tho, so that may have helped. I took lots of it leading up to birth and in two days following as I was told it helps to sort out the trauma caused to your bowel by birth. I had no probs.

Sorry for rambling, hope this helps.

[Gizmo]

I massaged using almond oil from about 34 weeks on, IIRC. Did it about 4 times a week, generally when DH wasn't around, as it didn't exactly feel like something I wanted to share

Major TMI alert - look away now if you don't want to know the details - it would take about 20 minutes, using a little almond oil on fingers and thumb. Gentle massage around the perineum and vagina to start with, then starting from inside at the bottom (ie the perineum end) putting fingers in and stretching outward until it was uncomfortable. Then stop for a few minutes and repeat a couple of times.

After all that I had an epidural so couldn't feel to control my pushing and DS decided to stick his hand up to his head as he was being born, so I still ended up with a small tear. However the midwife reckoned I got away very lightly and I did heal up ultra fast, so I reckon it was worth the kerfuffle.

I'd go for it, but don't expect it to become a lifelong absorbing hobby

[NomDePlume]

Gizmo, I did the same, technique wise. It was suggested to me by my midwife as a way of starting labour. I did it twice a day for 2 days and on the 3rd day labour started ! First baby, 3 hours, no pain relief, no stitches. I can thoroughly recommend it.

[Holymoly321]

Where can I get almond oil or wheatgerm oil from? I've seen some in Bodyshop but I'm not sure whether I just use this on it's on or am I supposed to mix it with something? Want to be sure before I start putting stuff on sensitive bits of my body!

[ych]

You can get almond & wheatgerm oil from Holland & Barratt, you don't mix it with anything. I'm using Grapeseed oil.

[Holymoly321]

thanks ych. But why grapeseed oil - is that meant to be better? I've not heard anyone mention that type of oil.

[ych]

My midwife suggested any of the 3 as they are all massage based oils and do the same thing. It's also supposed to be good for toughening nipples in preparation for breastfeeding (!) and if you use almond oil for this, it apparently can lead to nut alergies. This came from a midwife but I'm not sure if it's right or not. I don't know if any of these oils actually work, but will find out in 3 weeks!

[Laura032004]

I did try perineal massage, but I found that it really hurt (so much that I was on the bed in tears - 'if I can't do this, there's no way I'll be able to give birth.....'), so I didn't get much further with it.

DS was eventually born by EC/S so the massage wouldn't have helped anyway

[homemama]

Smiling, I didn't mix the oil with anything. Just rubbed it between my fingers to warm it a little.