Perineal massage

[lucidlady]

Has anyone tried this, and does it work? I'm 37+6 and starting to worry about tearing. How do you even reach that far down at this stage?!

I started a thread on this yesterday on the pregnancy board am also 37+6 and starting to worry! Lots of helpful advice on there, but agree with you at this point reaching is rather difficult.

get DP to do it for you

I tried to persuade my DH to this today but he wasn't too keen . I can't reach and i'm 32 weeks. Bad combination of short arms and huge bump

I did this albeit a bit half heartedly. I had a v small 2nd degree tear that didn't need stitches. I found putting 1 leg up on the edge of the bath helped me reach

I've started doing this, am 37 weeks with DC2. Does anyone know if it has any effect second time around?

I can't find much about massage in women who've given birth before.

I'm giving it a go. I don't think it can hurt and I know some people who swear by it. There's a demonstration by a midwife on YouTube (with a manakin, not a pregnant lady!)

If you google it there is also a leaflet from John Radcliffe in Oxford that comes up as a top hit. That advises same approach but suggests just stretching for about 2 minutes before massaging to let it numb a bit. This has made it more comfortable for me.

The studies show it is most effective in first time mums over 30 but who knows? If I don't do it and tear I won't know if massage would have helped. If I do do it and tear I'll never know if the tear would have been worse had I not done it..... So, back to the it can't hurt philosophy!

I can't reach from the front with my thumbs, but i can reach round my back (one hand at a time) with my fingers - then pull back towards my bum. I still put one foot at a time on the edge of the bath. If you wipe your bum front to back by reaching round the back - its a bit like that.