Perineal Massage?????

[MumToBe2015R]

I'm 30wks, first pregnancy. Got a email from Emma's Diary & Mothercare today both suggesting to massage Perineal. How the hell am I supposed to do that! Can just about reach over my stomache down there!!

They say apparently it can stop Tearing from happening during giving birth.

Anyone else been there done that? Did it help?

How did u manage to do it?

Its something i read about earlier on in pregnancy. I'm 30 +3 now and your thread had reminded me. There is 'special' oil available, and some people get the partner to do it.......

Wonder if there are YouTube tutorials?!?!

There are you tube tutorials, just using a model version of the area not and actual person

I did it towards the end of my first pregnancy but found the easiest way was to do it in the bath. Ended up with an EMCS in the end so can't say whether it made a difference!

The antenatal class said to use almond oil...

I spoke at length to these ladies at the baby show, bought some oils (you can get cheaper but it was a mummy treat!). OH and I will be massaging like billio if it has a chance of working!!

naturalbirthingcompany.co.uk/

I mentioned this to DH but in his head its managed to translate to anal sex
I say perineum massage...he hears bum sex.
I say take the bins out...he hears...bum sex.

I thought that 'massage' was a bit of a misnomer actually.

Did you think it was bum sex too zebra

DH is against sex during pregnancy he says it might hurt the baby. Also may have something do go with a bleed early on in pregnancy.
Although when I mentioned this to him last night, he suggested he should get me a vibrator! What goes on in these mens head I don't know!

Will be trying in the bath, hopefully will be able to do so.

I did it and despite a decent sized baby with a huge head I didn't need stitches although did have a few grazes (which still hurt!) so I didn't need stitches.

I had to get DH to do it. He put it in there, he can help getting it out. Worth it!

I did it with ds1. Total labour about 90 mins so not much time for stretching (or getting to hospital!) and had no tear. Might be coincidence but certainly cant hurt to try.

With DD I tried this once, with DH doing it, cried and said never again!

Does it hurt badger? I've never tried it.

I didn't think it was bum sex, I thought it sounded like a nice relaxing experience. And actually it's some very vigorous stretching.

5years ellie do u mean bum sex or vibrator?

Gaggia lol lol lol love it!

m.wikihow.com/Do-Perineal-Massage

No it's not bum sex, and yes partners are probably gonna have to help!!

I did it and no tears at all on perineum, worth a shot surely. We were told for self massage the best way is stood up with one foot on the toilet seat, like the instructions in tampon packets. But I got DH to do it for me.
I did get some labia grazes still though and they hurt but I'm sure not as much as stitches would have!

I did it too and no tearing, though one graze. Just used oil from kitchen - olive or sunflower or whatever. Can't now remember how I did it, but it was always on bed cos my routine was to do it first thing in morning and last thing at night. Maybe sort of on my side and massaging from behind. I do remember it being bit awkward and very boring.

Lol gaggia!! Did you put him right?!

Notta no! He looked so keep and happy to help!

My doctor did it for me as her head was coming out and I didn't have any bad tears but it was really painful! Didn't do it in advance though.

Bum sex? Vibrators?? What?

No perineal massage with thumbs or fingers. Sat on bed to do it and used olive oil, started at 32 weeks and found it pretty uncomfortable so asked DH to take over. 5 mins a day for 8 weeks for an intact perineum is so worth it.

Hello,
I had my first in France last year, they're very pro perineal massage here, it's included in antenatal classes (although not actually doing it there!).

You can't know if it would have made a difference or not to tearing afterwards, but I think it's definitely worth doing as it really helps to teach you to cope with unfamiliar physical discomfort (breathing through it, relaxing), and to know what the sensation that you will feel in crowning is like, and know that you can deal with it. It really gave me confidence that yes I could fit a baby's head out of there
It's not really a massage, as it's more about stretching (gently and slowly) the area, so it's not pleasurable (but it shouldn't make you scream!).
This leaflet (pdf) we got given is very helpful in showing several ways to do it, definitely get partner to do it, lie on bed and use base oil like almond.
www.weleda.hosting.onehippo.com/binaries/content/assets/pdf/france/guide_maternite_weleda.pdf
You can't do it till you're quite far along as the muscles aren't stretchy enough yet.

Good luck!

p.s. the doctor did a tiny episiotomy as she said it looked like I might tear, who knows if I would have, but I re-iterate about the benefits of doing it for practicing crowning sensations and coping with the whole idea!