Does perineal massage, uhh, help?

[PipPipPip]

I'm pregnant with my first child and have been hearing about "perineal massage".

Has anyone out there done it, and believe it helped with their birth? Or any midwives who really believe it makes a difference?

I'll do it if it genuinely helps in labour. But if not, it sounds like a bit too, ahem, fiddly to bother with!!

(Ps. if you don't know what this term means, have a google. It saves me the embarrassment of explaining it! haha)

Also, I did get pretty big but could still manage to reach myself! Dont think DH would have had a clue what to do!

I did this with DS and had an intact, albeit pretty bruised perineum (DS shot out in two breaths with contractions, no pushing).
I always managed to reach myself.

I was just wondering, for those who have done it for more than one pregnancy, is it normal that the massage bit hurts quite a bit with subsequent pregnancies? ahem.. it just ahem.. doesn't quite feel as stretchy or giving, if you know what I mean....