To ask your experiences? A midwife acquaintance told me about the benefits of perineal massage. Has anyone tried it and how, if at all, did it help your birthing experience?

[Mammajay]

So, have you tried it and did it help? I was told it helps reduce need for episiotomy?

I don't want to give a horror story so I'll just say that I did it religiously for fuck all benefit! DC2 was a planned section but it didn't do any harm except almost putting my back out twisting round to try to reach so you might as well try.

I tried it as thought nothing to lose, ended up having forceps though so no idea if it made a difference or not though.

It’s one of those things you will never know for sure because you can’t compare your birth with and without it, but I just think why not do it? Doesn’t take up much time and might help so 🤷🏻‍♀️I did it and I had 2nd degree tears but DS was 9lbs+ and my mother likes to say think how much worse I would’ve torn without having done it 😬

I did it, but had a grade 3 tear due to fast delivery. However if you read the Cochrane review summary of the studies (probably more useful than anecdotal stories) it says it reduces your chance of an episiotomy but not of tearing.

I did with my third after very serious cuts and tears with my first two. Needed a plastic surgeon and over and hour of stitching with my first, similar with the second and only a graze with the third, not one stitch.

I did it. Dad came early as a strep b baby......still wonder if there was a connection

Did it religiously. Also had an epi-no. Ended up with an episiotomy.

I didn't, had an episiotomy with back to back 8lb 14, and no tear with second, 9lb 5 (water birth)

I did it religiously (and DH helped ) but ds was born with shoulder dystocia, forceps birth. I had an episiotomy and he tore me further, I had reparative surgery a year later. Total waste of time birth-wise, but as a couple we enjoyed it

I did it in all 4 of my pregnancies. Never had a tear or graze in 4 vaginal births and all were superfast deliveries. Started at about 32 weeks. I will add all my babies were tiny though.

I did it. Massive nuisance and didn't help at all!

Really I did it religiously and still had episiotomy, forceps, stitches, the works!