Someone talk to me about perennial massage...

[ellesabe]

!

I had an emcs with dd1 and am hoping for a vbac this time but am worried about tearing. Today (at nearly 36 weeks!) I have suddenly remembered about perennial massage. No midwives have mentioned it this pg and I wonder if I'm too late to start now. How do I do it? I seem to recall using olive oil or something similar last time...

Just massage it!

You dont need to be massaged perennially, just for the next few weeks!
Could you massage olive oil into your perineum? I'm not sure how much difference massage makes though?

Sounds like it could go on a long time...

Just type perineum massage into google or look on babycentre and you will find instructions. I am convinced it is worth doing. I did it (or rather my husband did as i just couldnt reach properly!!!) every day from 36 weeks. It was pretty uncomfortable to start with but could tell the difference as time went on. I had a horrible birth experience, was induced and it went on for a few days with 3 failed epidurals and ended up with a ventouse delivery after 3 hours of pushing. I had a private midwife who convinced them not to give me an episiotomy (was my biggest fear!!). And I didnt need to have one stitch. Convinced that perineum massage helped. Although also used an epino which i could recommend more highly. Its a device which you can use which does the same as perineum massage (but more effectively) but also enables you to experience the sensation of crowning. Sounds strange i know but by the time i got to this stage when giving birth i was so familiar with the feeling that no panic set in and I was able to very slowly control pushing my DD out. Its not cheap but I would have paid 10 times that to avoid tearing and stitches.

I meant "couldnt" recommend more highly!!

In my hypnobirthing sessions, my instructor has told me to do this using organic olive oil.

Don't know if I'll be able to describe it but I'll try! She said to think of your vaginal opening as a 0 with the top of the circle being the end nearest the clitoris and bottom of the circle being the bit nearest your anus. Use the olive oil to massage into the bottom of the circle and very, VERY gently push it towards your anus (to make it a bit more stretchy).

I hope that I've understood it correctly myself and that this helps you too!

Check out the above link - DH and I weren't sure to begin really and then having seen this, made it a lot clearer

I didn't bother in either of my pregnancies, and didn't tear at all. Guess I have a very stretchy fanjo!

I bought KY jelly to do it with in 1st pregnancy, but didn't bother with it in the end. I'm sure olive oil will be fine, and tasty too.

I've heard perineal massage being recommended, but my MW didn't seem to think it was necessary and I only had a 1st degree tear with both babies so won't be bothering this time either.