Massaging perenium - does it really help prevent tearing?

[33goingon64]

Just that really. Didn't do it with DC1 and tore quite badly. Sounds a bit tricky and the kind of thing I won't remember to do often enough to make a difference. Anyone swear by it?

I'm hoping it helps. DP has been doing it to me every night since 36 weeks, and definitely could tell there was an improvement in my stretchy-ness down there by the 3rd day.

Have heard nothing but good things, and given how much more flexibility it has given me I'm inclined to believe that even if I do still tear it won't be half as bad as it could have potentially been because of the massage :)

I've done it with all of my previous DCs and I've never needed stitches. I used almond oil xx

I did it every day and tore very badly...

I did it with DD1 and tore.

I had resigned myself to tearing again with my DC2 but our health authority does something called second stage hot compress and I'm certain it helped me not to tear. It's essentially a very hot flannel pressed against your perineum during the pushing stage. May be worth asking about that at your next ante natal appointment.

After DS was born I did Google to find some research about it but don't recall there being an awful lot.

Never did it for dc1 or dc2 and I got no tears or grazing or anything. Dc2 was 11lbs!!
I think it might be like stretch marks... Either you'll get them or you won't no matter what you try to do to prevent... But that's just based on my experience.

NHS says yes:

Research suggests that massaging the perineum in the last few weeks of pregnancy can reduce the chance of having an episiotomy during birth. A review of four trials showed that in women who had not given birth vaginally before, massaging the perineum from 35 weeks of pregnancy reduced the likelihood of perineal trauma (mainly episiotomies) and ongoing perineal pain. The benefit was less clear for women who had given birth before.

Link: www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/episiotomy.aspx#Preventing

I did it and didn't tear. No idea if it worked our it was just luck, but I figured no harm in giving it a try!

Hmm sounds worth a try. Those of you whose partners did it for you, was it in any way a sexual stimulus or were you able to keep it separate? If you don't mind me asking...

...and... how do you actually do it? -'Two fingers in the vagina and a downwards sweeping motion' isn't very specific.

It was in NO WAY pleasurable. For either of us.

Poor dh, have just had a bfp and the first thing he said was 'oh, I'm looking forward to that massage..' (very sarcastic btw)