Anyone heard of or used epi-no?

[dal21]

here is the website. one of the ladies in my class mentioned it today - tons of women in her NCT class were raving about it. look at epi-no

hadn't heard of it before today, suppose it works on the same principle as massaging daily (which i never did either)

i must say i liked this bit: 'This will familiarise you with the sensation of delivering the baby?s head. ' eerm, i hope not, it was like pushing out a watermelon, once per baby is enough for me i dont fancy that every day!!!!!!!!

no neither had I, and at £75 it isnt a cheap piece of kit! But apparently lots of these womens friends who used it didnt tear!

I ran the same thread a while back, have since bought one as they are supposed to be very good - can't start using it til the weekend tho so can let you know!!

Nath - please definitely come back online and tell me how you get on with it!

bit gimmicky no?
Plenty of women push out babies with no tearing without even massaging I think?

this small study would suggest it is helpful

but i think that simply being familiar with your pelvic floor & perineum can help

other factors, such as speed of delivery, position of the baby, compound presentation, delivery position and sheer good luck have a bearing on it too.....

perineal massage will cost you nothing, where as this is around £66...

thanks lulumama for that - am defo planning on perenium massage with DH's assistance, on my midwifes recommendation but am still very keen to see how nath gets on!

am a curious little soul!

hey dal do the women in your nct class know how long they take to order? I was only thinking because I read somewhere you should start perineal massage at 34 weeks, I suppose if you didn't get on with the massage then you could order one in time for week 36/37.

dur! just checked the website... says 28 days for delivery but it looks like they have a rapid dispatch as they have a number you can call if you are over 34 weeks..... Hmmm I want to try anything to help, but I'm baulking at the price.

I ordered mine at 34 weeks and it arrived in a week so it can be dispatched quickly......

I too was very very sceptical but then spoke to a couple of women that used it and found it helpful as they knew which muscles to use to push and also recognised the sensations when they were in labour so were less scared.

Obviously I have no idea whether it will work but at the end of the day am willing to give anything a go that will ease my labour and lessen my chances of tearing (or tearing badly!!).....my midwife used it herself when she had her baby and said it was great so am giving it a go!!

Also I don't know one woman who hasn't torn or been cut when giving birth!!!

so mrs mars what do you think you will do? it was the price that made me think twice....

I can say, I tried perineum massage and that was f...ing painful, I would not even consider inflating my fanjo with that. I thought your perineum stretched at birth and returned almost straight away, how can this thing help? Does it make you used to the pain?

I can't make my mind up dal... I'm thinking that I'll stick with my plan to try the perineum massage. I can't help thinking that £70 for something that just inflates inside you is a lot of money, surely it can't cost more than a few pennies to make. Mind you, if PM is as painful as spacepuppy says, perhaps I'll be on that emergency line!! (or I could just wimp out and have a great big fat epidural and worry about the after effects of the birth later )

Am LOL mrs mars. had visions of us budgeting and trying with normal balloons. . Ohh, think it has been a very long day if I am entertaining myself with something as poor as that!
I may hold tight until nath reports back. i am only just entering 3rd trimester this week so have time.

SpaceP - yes I think it is meant to assist with feeling and also help the muscles practice. makes sense. lulu mamas link is very very interesting.

Right, I have tried it for the first time as am now 37 weeks!!
It doesn't hurt, its just uncomfortable and a bit fiddly as wants to slip out (sorry if tmi!!) but not painful at all.....
To be honest its not as bad as I thought it would be and reckon with a few more practice sessions it will be alot easier......
Lets hope it does ease the birth tho!!

thanks Nath. how long do you have to leave it in for? so i guess you are doing this instead of the perenium massage?

Dal21 - you leave it in for 10 minutes uninflated while you do pelvic floor exercises then you inflate it to a level that is uncomfortable (not painful) and leave it in for a further 10 minutes.....

I just laid on the bed reading a book, wasn't that bad at all.....certainly something I would rather do in private tho!!!

Sorry - yes I am doing this instead of perineal massage....

I am too damn lazy to remember to do massage but as I paid a goddamn lot of money for this I WILL use it!!!