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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Perineum massage - did it make a difference?

25 replies

Mamabear04 · 27/06/2022 19:18

I was just wondering if perineum massage really did make a difference during birth and if you felt it reduced the risk of tearing? I've heard it's just really uncomfortable. Did it work for you? If so any tips?

OP posts:

margegunderson · 27/06/2022 21:36

I did it and had nothing worse than grazes with any birth - wasn't particularly uncomfortable as I recall. Can't tell you if it worked though - might have been genetics, home birth, luck, skilful midwives, small babies - who knows?

jewishmum · 27/06/2022 21:42

It did not make a difference. I even bought the very expensive oil from Boots. I still tore from my front to my anus, including tearing my labia, which I was surprised is even possible. I required being put to sleep and stitched up.

InTheNightWeWillWish · 27/06/2022 21:44

It’s not uncomfortable as in painful but it’s not comfortable as in you’re in an uncomfortable position when heavily pregnant and possibly requiring help from your partner. I had a second degree tear so didn’t stop me tearing but maybe I would have had a third degree tear. Or it might have worked if I’d been able to stop pushing when the midwife said to stop but my body took over. I took the view that it was worth doing because even if didn’t help, it wouldn’t do any harm and didn’t take particularly long.

gamerchick · 27/06/2022 21:44

No. How fast the baby comes out plays more of a part.

TheLittleLion · 28/06/2022 18:30

I’ve had 2 babies, didn’t do it with either of them. I only had a minor labial tear with DS1 and and a slight tear (no stitches needed) with DS2.

I planned to do it during both pregnancies but never actually did.. I think if you want to it’s worth doing on the basis that it could help and can’t really do any harm.

Upsideandundergarments · 28/06/2022 21:43

I didn't do it and apparently had a very minor graze on one side that I didn't feel at all. Agree with PP that it's more to do with how fast the baby comes, that's what my midwife said. I had a long pushing stage where he went up and down alot. Was fustrating at the time but gave everything a chance to stretch.

PermanentTemporary · 28/06/2022 21:50

I did it a bit and tore quite badly (hasn't been an issue, I was sewn up in theatre v well). I'm not aware of any real evidence it makes a difference tbh.

BrilloSolar · 28/06/2022 22:01

I think it's one of those things that you're never going to know if tears / no tears are a result of not doing it / doing it.

To add to the anecdotal... Didn't do it. First birth, 5 hours, pushing phase lasted about 3 contractions, water birth, just a couple of grazes (that absolutely hurt like f*ck when I went to the toilet for a week or so). Oh and baby came out with his hand to his face and ripped my pelvic floor from the bone on one side. 2nd birth, 2 hours, pushing for about 5 mins, no tears, graze that I never noticed. No pain whatsoever after the birth (in regards to birth injuries - had horrific piles though that I never knew could be so so painful). Child birth is just the gift that gives in so many different ways to different people.

Twizbe · 28/06/2022 22:07

Nope.

I didn't do it with either. Baby 1 was a third degree tear, baby 2 nothing.

With baby 2 I gave birth on all fours in water which I've since found out, reduces the chance of tearing.

Crowning felt exactly the same both times. I didn't think I'd torn with baby 1 and I just assumed I had with baby 2 ... shows how much I knew lol.

NewBrownMouse · 28/06/2022 22:10

Didn't do it with the first, did it with the second. Had the same degree tears in both deliveries.

BeeYellowMumma · 28/06/2022 22:13

I done it, still got grade 3 tear.

BeeYellowMumma · 28/06/2022 22:13

I done it, still got grade 3 tear.

powershowerforanhour · 28/06/2022 22:13

I don't know as no idea if the mild tear would've been any worse if didn't do it.
Can't see any good big randomised controlled prospective trials likely to happen.

Rovinonmars · 28/06/2022 22:18

I didn't do it with any baby and had nothing worse than a graze during my first birth, then zero injuries with the subsequent two.

Pregante · 28/06/2022 22:21

No I don't think it truly helps.

Got husband to help, he made me laugh and I peed on him (heavily preg, baby on bladder), mortifying.

Ended having an episiotomy so got a nice scar from that.

HorribleHerstory · 28/06/2022 22:24

Didn’t do it, no tears or stitches. Fast births, very fast pushing stages and gave birth standing up so one would assume a riskier position for tearing, but thankfully not.

again, can’t go back and have a do over so anecdata only. But the idea of the massage makes me cringe myself inside out - I can’t imagine doing it myself and I’m certainly not letting anyone else up close with that area.

Notajogger · 28/06/2022 22:26

All these anecdotal things are completely meaningless and have no bearing on whether it'll impact your body/birth. I did it for my first and the midwife at the birth said that she could tell I'd done it, so obviously to her she could see it had made a difference.
And it doesn't hurt, you take it a little bit at a time, that's the whole point really, to gradually get it used to stretching a bit.

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 28/06/2022 22:28

Did it religiously. 3rd degree tear!

bakewellbride · 28/06/2022 22:49

It did not work for me! I got a second degree tear with my first baby and that was despite giving birth in the pool in an optimum position... and religiously doing perennial massage from 13 weeks pregnant.

Needless to say I didn't bother much with the next baby! I did it from about 35 or 36 weeks that time. Got a second degree tear again.

If you're going to tear then you're going to tear and there's bugger all you can do about it imo!

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 28/06/2022 22:53

I didn't do it at all. I had a very minor tear with dc 1, didn't need stitches. The other 7 I didn't tear at all. My sister did a few times, she didn't tear at all with either of her dc.

EdgeOfACoin · 01/07/2022 13:05

I did it but the baby came quickly. Had second degree tear and episiotomy. (Both healed fine.) So no, in my case it didn't work.

Chasingclouds100 · 01/07/2022 13:12

I did this with my 2DC - I didn’t need any stitches and just had very slight grazing with both. Both my babies were quite small though at 5 pound and 6 pound. I would say definitely try it though as I do think it helped. All the best

Ihaveoflate · 01/07/2022 13:21

No. I did everything you're 'meant to' religiously including perineum massage and I still ended up with birth injuries. In the end it was all completely out of my control.

Geranium1984 · 01/07/2022 13:26

I did some massage and used the epino ball which I felt was really beneficial. I mich preferred using the epino as I was never sure the massage was being done right and is difficult to reach 🤣
Obviously there is no way of knowing what would have happened if I hadn't done these things but I didn't have any grazes/tears.
Another thing... my midwife pressed on my perineum as my baby was coming out which I've heard helps reduce the risk of tearing.

YorkshireTeaCup · 01/07/2022 13:31

I bought the expensive My Expert Midwife perineum massage oil. It gave me the worst thrush of my life and i still got a 2nd degree tear (very fast pushing stage) so next time i don't think I'll bother!

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