Anyone heard of doing/done perineum massage to prevent tears?

[Hotmad]

I read that this a good idea and can help prevent tears etc. I use coconut oil to massage and try to stretch that area every day after a bath, any one have a view on this? I'm 39 weeks and the thought of tearing down there really freaks me out!

Yes I did it with almond oil. I didn't find our if it worked as had forceps and had to be cut! My midwife actually recommended I try it.

Yes, my midwife recommended it during my second and third pregnancies. I used olive oil. I did not tear with either deliveries.

I did it religiously from about 30 weeks, on the day I needed an episiotomy as the midwife said I was very tight down there and would have torn incredibly badly!! Will probably do it again this time even though it didn't work at all for me last time, it can't hurt just in case!

There was a thread on this a while back and I think the consensus was that it is all down to natural stretchiness and that there is not much you can do. However it won't do any harm so massage away. Bit late for me now otherwise (39 weeks) I would be joining in.

I did with dd1 and 2, but tore both times - more about position than stretchyness or size, in my case.

Can anyone explain how this is done?

32 weeks and wondering if I should start doing this too. Also terrified of tears.

Can you use any oils? Or almond oil only?

Wheatgerm oil is meant to be best I think. I bought some but haven't actually been using it (also 39 weeks)! Tried it once, massive faff!

Our NCT teacher showed us how to and did do it a few times but not religiously.
I did tear so probably didn't work for me

I tore with both births (despite having attempted massage). It wasn't frightening - I didn't know it had happened until after the event when I got stitched up (although with hindsight I did hear the "pop" as I tore when DC2 came out fast).

I healed quickly and found it easy to look after. So please don't panic about the possibility of tearing. My sore BFing nipples were much harder to cope with .

Some good points made here, now I'm on maternity leave I might as well give it a go, I got nothing much else to do! Lol. But I'm of an opinion now that I think if it can't harm then I'll try..... U never know what's gonna happen I suppose. Wish I never read that there is a 'pop' though!!
I also keep telling myself.... The baby will come out one way or another so I just gotta suck it up and deal with it!

I've heard that to do it properly you've got to get someone else to do it for you - obviously at say, 36 weeks you won't be able to reach around! And the sign that it's being done properly is that it should sting a bit. I would think a little bit of stinging is worth not tearing...

i did it daily from 32 weeks with dd (dc1) and i still tore quite badly and lost loads of blood as a result. dd was just a big baby in a slightly awkward position. I healed very quickly. i don't think I'll bother this time much because it wasn't much use. Though the possibility of the blood loss does scare me a bit.

"pop" is good think of the baby being a cork coming out a champagne bottle.

Ha ha MrsCakes, I like that! So I wonder if any one has any tips on how to do it?? And how long for etc

massage NCT tips on perineal massage.

I have never got round to do this.

I've had a third degree tear so appreciate how long it takes to recover.

My last 2 were water births- im convinced that was the reason I didn't tear.