Perineal Massage!

[HaggisNeepsTatties]

So, at 34 weeks thinking I should bite the bullet and start massaging.
Don't really want DH to get involved, so ladies who've been there...how on earth do you comfortably reach where you supposed to???
And did it actually make a difference?

I'm 39 weeks so can't tell you if it has made a difference, but I reach by standing with one leg on the toilet seat, like I used to when learning to put tampons in. I also put an old towel on the floor so I don't have to wipe up any oil drips.

It's not nice, but I figure it is worth a try!

did it with DS 1 and i tore and needed sstitches.
didn't do it with DS2 and had him fine!
personally, i don't think it works. but worth a try I suppose...

I did the same as Enelya.
Had very fast labours and just grazed a little, no stitches. I used baby oil. I think I was doing it from 32 weeks after false labour scared me into it.lol

I never really 'comfortably' reached it myself and like you, neither me or dh were keen on sharing the job! I found the best way was to lay on the bed semi prone but I did make me feel a bit breathless as I had to lean forward, over the top of the bump if you know what I mean. did it religiously from about 32 weeks, with almond oil
and still tore really badly. Having said that, ds was 9 and a half pounds and back to back, pushing for just over 2 hrs so I guess it could have been worse if I hadn't of done it. Who knows.
I trained as a midwife some years ago and it was raved about then so I think if you can manage it, then it won't hurt to do it.
Good luck

I didn't do it at all and didn't tear with either.

I'm currently 33 weeks and thinking I should be doing this...

Not got a huge appetite for it and who knows if it works but figure it has to be worth a go if there is any likelihood of it reducing tearing...

Any words of wisdom from those ladies who have tried it?

Thanks all - sounds like it might be a bit of trial and error to find a feasible position!

Did it very regularly from 34 weeks. Found it uncomfortable and could be painful if too vigorous but did it anyway. Still got 2nd degree tear and while consultant was sewing me up in told her I had massaged. She said it's an uncomfortable waste of time, in her opinion!
So in my case, yes it was! I used almond oil.

I didn't do it with either of mine and i never needed any stitches, everyone is different.

I am trying to do it on the basis that if it does prevent me tearing, it's worth it, but I hate it! I have really short arms, so can barely reach with one thumb and swear I am developing RSI from it.
There is some evidence to say it can work but loads of anecdotal evidence, like this thread, that says it's a waste of time. But I dunno, that tiny chance it's not is enough for me to carry on I think.

I did it woth oh's help and got thrush. I tore and ripped a blood vessel...

I did it once with DD1, it hurt so I didn't do it again. It turned out the second degree tear and 8 stitches hurt more.
So for DD2 I did it daily for about the last 6 weeks (I think I put one foot up on the loo, and put my hands behind me, using my thumbs) and didn't tear or graze at all. But, I also had a water birth second time round, which apparently softens the skin, with no pain relief (epidural first time, so couldn't feel a thing with regards to sensible pushing), gave birth on my side (rather than flat on my back) and DD2s head was 3cm smaller than DD1s. So the no tearing could be down to any of these factors, or even just luck. That said, I'd massage again, just in case. The stitches were blimming painful. Good luck

This is way TMI but I can imagine it would be useful imemdiately prior to birth if that was at all possible (in the way gay men prep before anal sex - sorry, I did say TMI!) but I can't honestly imagine it does any good in the weeks before labour.

Otherwise everything would remain permenantly bigger/stretchier down there, and thats what pelvic floor exercises are trying to prevent...

Pelvic floor has nothing to do with your perineum. The massage is to make the skin more supple,same as you put oil on your belly to reduce stretch marks.

Don't get me wrong, I do use oil to try and prevent stretchnarks but in my heart of hearts I don't think it does anything - I thought the general evidence was it helped lessen them once you've got them but the rest is luck?

I stand corrected on the stretching thing though.

The Cochrane reviews are big studies looking at medical evidence for treatments, and they recommend massage for first time mums. They concluded it reduces the risk of tearing. Unfortunately only reduces the risk so some people will do it and still tear. I don't know how to link, but have copied the summary below:

Antenatal perineal massage helps reduce both perineal trauma during birth and pain afterwards.

Most women are keen to give birth without perineal tears, cuts and stitches, as these often cause pain and discomfort afterwards, and this can impact negatively on sexual functioning. Perineal massage during the last month of pregnancy has been suggested as a possible way of enabling the perineal tissue to expand more easily during birth. The review of four trials (2497 women) showed that perineal massage, undertaken by the woman or her partner (for as little as once or twice a week from 35 weeks), reduced the likelihood of perineal trauma (mainly episiotomies) and ongoing perineal pain. The impact was clear for women who had not given birth vaginally before, but was less clear for women who had. There were no randomised trials on the use of massage devices. Women should be informed about the benefits of antenatal perineal massage.

I did for about 3 months before and i didn't tear.

I did do perineal massage as my opinion was anything that might prevent me tearing or having to be cut had to be worth the effort. I got my dh to do it as I found it difficult and think he was just chuffed to be useful for the first time in 7 months!! However, I also went one stage further and wanted to share this as really feel it made a huge difference. In my pregnancy yoga class the teacher told us about a device called an Epino. I had never heard of one. It is a German invention apparently and really not cheap. However, it is a device that is designed to help prevent tearing/episiotomies and also to prepare you for the birthing experience. It is like a deflated balloon that you insert into yourself a bit like a tampon. It is attached to a small hand pump which then inflates the balloon inside you. You start off inflating it only to a couple of centimeters and then slowly pushing it out still inflated. After you've done that for a few days you can slowly begin to inflate it a bit more and a bit more until you can inflate it to around 8cm or so and very slowly "birth" it out. I know it sounds ridiculous and it took a couple of days to get the hang of, but I thought it was brilliant. The first benefit is that it does what perineal massage does and stretches you and makes you more pliable. But for me the main added benefit was you get to experience that birthing feeling and learn each day to really control releasing the epino out. I've read a lot of comments on here of people saying they weren't expecting the crowning to be so bad and that it freaked them out a bit. There can be a tendency to panic at this point and try and quickly push the baby out. However, because I had used the epino, when my dd crowned, I was completely familiar with the feeling and was very controlled in pushing her out slowly. I had a pretty awful long labour and birth and after 42 hours she was delivered by ventouse. As they went to do the ventouse I was told I would be having an episiotomy as that is standard with ventouse deliveries - or was in my hospital. However I had a private midwife who knew exactly how terrified I was of being cut, so she asked them to try without. I was told that it would be a longer process and i'd have to do everything they told me. I did exactly that - I had to stop a lot and wait while the baby was crowning but I didnt have that panic because it felt very familiar. I didn't end up being cut and I didn't tear and I didn't need one stitch. The doctor who delivered her said it was virtually unheard of after the labour and birth I had.

Anyway, I'm sorry for the very long post, but I honestly think that the epino saved me from an episiotomy and stitches and after such an awful birth it was the one saving grace! And after you've had your baby it can also be used to do pelvic floor exercises to re-strengthen everything. I would highly recommend it and will definitely be using it again prior to my next birth.

That sounds really interesting SW11 - will definitely look into it...when did you start using the epino?

If I remember rightly around 34 weeks. But the website has more info (www.epi-no.co.uk) and comes with an instruction manual. Can't recommend highly enough. I found it quite stressful at first as balloon inflated bigger and bigger but made me realise that I'd rather practice at home and have that panic diminish than discover that feeling for the first time when giving birth.

Gosh I feel very lazy. I didn't bother last time and had a little tear that healed itself, and this time I just can't be bothered!