Pereneal massage: how does a very pregnant woman REACH?

[squizita]

I feel like I have little T rex arms and it's really hard to reach using my thumbs like on the diagram the MW gave me.
I can manage OK using my fingers for the 2 min 'stretch' part but it's not just my fanjo it's my arms burning/stretching by then, I'm all contorted ... and the leaflet suggests 10 min of massage. Which I'm doing like a good girl but...

...am I missing something obvious about how to sit/stand/squat and reach when doing the exercise?

Do you have a DP??!!

He's a bit reluctant after reading the instructions - said it sounds painful and he wouldn't feel comfortable in case he made it hurt too much or injured me. :)

Getting a DP to do it is the only way really. Unless you are unusually flexible or long in the arm. He's probably just being a wuss and doesn't like the idea of fannying about down there in a nonsexual context the mechanics of what needs doing, but really it's a teeny tiny thing you are asking of him compared to what you are going to be doing yourself in not-very-many days.

DP did it for me - once. But I put the kibosh on it because he got a bit ahem excited

Fish he's really not usually squeamish about that kind of thing at all in non sexual/medical contexts! I think it's because of him directly causing pain down there, it worries him deeply due to it being something that is so 'wrong' and 'brutal' normally (especially as the leaflet is slightly scary with warnings to DPs who help that they could hurt or scratch the partner!). In fact it might be the leaflet that's put him off.

We'll explain the benefits?

That should say "well" not "we'll"!!!

Also finding it IMPOSSIBLE. Having to use fingers only and suspect I'm not doing it effectively at all so it's all kind of pointless... After experiencing how, well, grim, it is, I just can't ask DH to help, even though he's offered. Just hoping what I'm doing is better than nothing.

Get your husband to do it. Mine was grumpy but said after a few days he could tell it was helping 'soften' the area. Completely anecdotal but I didn't have any tearing in my first labour. I'm preg again now and will certainly be enlisting dh for perineal massage again. When I tried myself I couldn't reach, rushed and it wouldn't have helped at all.

Get your husband to do it. Mine was grumpy but said after a few days he could tell it was helping 'soften' the area. Completely anecdotal but I didn't have any tearing in my first labour. I'm preg again now and will certainly be enlisting dh for perineal massage again. When I tried myself I couldn't reach, rushed and it wouldn't have helped at all.

Get your husband to do it. Mine was grumpy but said after a few days he could tell it was helping 'soften' the area. Completely anecdotal but I didn't have any tearing in my first labour. I'm preg again now and will certainly be enlisting dh for perineal massage again. When I tried myself I couldn't reach, rushed and it wouldn't have helped at all.

Get your husband to do it. Mine was grumpy but said after a few days he could tell it was helping 'soften' the area. Completely anecdotal but I didn't have any tearing in my first labour. I'm preg again now and will certainly be enlisting dh for perineal massage again. When I tried myself I couldn't reach, rushed and it wouldn't have helped at all.

Sorry, phone glitch, only pressed post once!

Ha ha I know, it's ridiculous. If it makes you feel any better, whatever small amount you're managing to do is probably helping a little. I'm sure I never even managed 5 minutes last time around (and definitely gave up around week 38.5), but something must have worked because I didn't need stitches.

I'm not doing it for DC2 though. What's stretched is stretched!