Perineum massage - specific questions

[VanillaSliceSliceBaby]

It may be me being fick but I still can't work out what I am supposed to be doing. I was going to just leave it but then had a bit of a feel this morning in the shower - one finger, up to first knuckle, reached up from via the back - and pushed slightly bum-wards, and it stung like hell so now think that i need to get stretching big time - do not have long to go at all.

So my specific questions are how the hell do you do it. with one finger? up to one knuckle? do you just press? do you rub? can you actually hold that for more than 1 minute? do you approach from the back, if so then how could you do it lying down?

I am planning on having a home waterbirth, I have my head totally round dealing with 'intense' 'surges' - no fear there - but am starting to worry a lot about what might happen to my currently untarnished downstairs. I would dearly love to avoid having someone stitching down there if at all poss! [wince emoticon]

keep trying to put that johnny cash song out of my mind...

Thanks in advance.

A how-to guide here

This is what I was given at my local hospital.

Hope it helps!

Thanks that hospital one is actually quite good - still not sure i that at this stage i will be able to reach as per their illustration but will give it another go!

Am SO glad you asked this, as it is exactly what I've been thinking - tried it once, hurt like hell, but need to persevere... In fact, mine feels permanently sore - I think I may have torn it a little during sex in the past and am worried it may be too tight to accommodate a baby!

Thanks also for the guides- they should help no end...

One final question though - once massaged, am I aiming for the skin to be loose (i.e. flappy loose) or just that it is able to stretch when needed?

Bump!

I asked MW at antenatal class about this and she said not to bother with internal massage...just the bit between vaginal opening and anus, use olive oil and massage daily. She also said that if you are having a waterbirth that after sitting in the water for an hour or 2 you skin there will be really soft and stretchy anyway (think pruning in the bath!).