Perineal massage-worth doing?

[AmIGoingMad]

Hello!
I'm 28+ 4 and starting to panic think about the birth quite a bit. Just wondering if pernieal massage is worth doing and when you should start from if you're planning on it? Any particular oils etc more effective/easier to use?

IMHO I would not bother, such a faff to do and you get all oily down there which in itself is unpleasant.

Please do not panic about the birth, the one thing I can say about yout body is that is does the most amazing things when you give birth, one of which is ensuring you are wide enough for the baby to come out. Yes some do tear but you won't even notice tbh if you do.

I hope not because I haven't bothered and I am due on Friday!! I just felt like it was one more thing to do and I didn't have time. I have been more focused on doing general stretching, including hip and pelvic stretches.

I guess I can tell you in a few days whetehr I should have taken time to do it!!!

I did it, usiing KY, not oil, in the shower of a morning and credit it with my lack of tearing. 28 weeks is not too late to give it a go and it only takes a few minutes extra.

yes yes yes start it now and it can only give you a fighting chance, I didn't bother this time and tbh have regretted it since

I didn't do it - tried and found it very painful. I didn't tear at all when the head came out and only tore as DS's shoulders were stuck. If it had been a normal delivery and the shoulders had followed the head I wouldn't have torn at all, so it's not essential IMO. And I didn't even feel it when I did tear - unless you get a really severe tear (unlikely) it's not as big a deal as you think it's going to be, and the stitches heal really quickly.

I did it and it must have helped. Didn't tear with both babies.

it's worth a shot! It's good to know you're doing something to limit any possible damage. There are some erm, instructional diagrams here

Get an epi-no...much more pleasant and much more effective
www.epi-no.co.uk

Yes do it!! My sister in law has just qualifyed as a mw and she did a case study on it and said it is very effective if you do it! I got some in a gift set from mothercare and it said to start about 6 weeks before birth 2 times a day. I've heard olive oil/baby oil is better than nothing its the actual massarging that helps rather than the cream/oil. I started at 34weeks

i did it but not very often. only grazed, though, no tearing. i've said this before but the best thing for me was realising that when i thought i was consciously relaxing down there (say if a midwife was sayying stop pushing or whatever) i learned through perineal massage that i was actually tensing rather than relaxing. for me anyway, i had to train myself out of that and all was fine.

Didn't do it and didn't tear. My MW did recommend it and gave me some lovely rose oil but I had one unpleasant bout of thrush in pregnancy and didn't want to risk another by applying scented products down there, esp. close to delivery. I put the oil in the bath instead...

I did do it, from 32 weeeks with almond oil, and didn't tear at all, so it certainly didnt't do any harm.

Also did lots of pelvic floor exercises which I'm sure helped too

Thanks for all the advice! Just ordered some of the mothercare stuff and then i might have to study up on what exactly i'm supposed to do! Thanks for the link blondieminx!