perinium massage - is it worth it? tips on how to?

[kelbel]

Hi all, tried this last night and can't say it was the most comforable thing I've ever done. What's your thoughts? Happy to persevere if it's worth it. I'm 37+2, also started the raspberry leaf capsules and pelvic floor exercises. Finished work so may aswell do all I can. How often should you do the massage?

HI

I did it and know a few of my friends did it every day. I found it to be the most revolting thing in the world!!I ended up haveing and emergency c so made no difference to me and one of my friends had 3rd degree and had to have loads of stitches.

I do think some of the things they tell you to do are slightly odd but hay you never know it might work for you.

Good luck.

TMI alert - I could not reach, so DH tried, but always ended up getting a bit too excited

I ended up with two emergency sections anyway - so not much help

kelbel - I read that recent research has shown a small decrease in the possibility of tearing in first time mothers but not in second time mothers (presumably giving birth stretches things rather more substantially than your fingers and thumbs!) so if you are a first timer it might be worth doing.

I tried it a few times last time round and found it really painful and upsetting - ended up with a third degree tear after a ventouse delivery..

It certainly won't do any harm so if you happy to carry on then you might as well... think you're supposed to do it every day from about 36 weeks

Not to put you off all your good work , I hope this works for you. I did the massage and took the raspberry tealeaf tablets as I thought quicker has to be better, right?

What I couldn't know in advance is that I move to stage 3 (the pushing stage) fast.

The massage may well have been useful at the exit point, as I didn't tear there, but unfortunately I did tear high up and no massaging can stop that (not unless you're very dexterous!)

The raspberry tealeaf made the contractions very intense (ie agonising), very quickly and once you're pushing you don't get much in the way of pain relief, so a more measured, gentle delivery would have been better in my case.

I didnt do it...and got a 3rd deg tear, so I would say - give it a go!!

thanks all

Heated - sounds painful, all ok now? i take it you wouldn't do either again?

Kelbel - I did it with dd and avoided an episiotomy, but tore a teeny bit - one stitch. The m/w kept telling me "Right I'll need to make a cut...oh no...you're stretching...right I'll cut this time...oh no,, that's fine...etc" This went on for ages until dd eventually slithered out!

I'm assuming it was the wheatgerm oil, but can't prove it .

I didn't take raspberry leaf capsules with dd (4 day's late) as I'd I'd had ds at 38 weeks. I was on the high dose tablets rather than the lower dose capsules. M/w at the time said that was why ds has come early. I think 2 weeks early is unusual for a first time baby.

bobsmum - do you rechon rasp leaf is a no no then? think i'll persevere with the massage, not the most pleasant but suppose it can't harm - thanks x

I took raspberry leaf capsules and did perineal massage in the last couple of weeks, but not that religiously. For me it just helped me to feel more confident that everything was meant to stretch...

Anyway, DS was born 3 days after my due date, tiny graze, no stitches (yay!). But I think a major contributory factor was that 2nd stage was over an hour, pushing slowly and I was upright. Tearing was one thing I was really frightened of, so wanted to do anything I could think of to avoid.

WEll I took it with ds (first baby) in the hope of a shorter labour - ha ha.

But contractions started on Friday teatime and he was eventually born by emergency section on Sunday lunchtime, due to "failure to progress". It was a long, long, long time!!

So I didn't take it with dd and labour was only from teatime Saturday until lunchtime Sunday (still v v long for a second baby apparently).

But I know of other women who swear by it. But maybe they would have had short labours anyway? Who knows?

Pelvic floors - definitely! Lots and lots! And after the birth too!
Perineal massage - can't see why not
Raspberry Leaf - jury's out for me

I'm pg with no3 now and I'll definitely do the massage again, but personally not convinced by the RLT. Brings on labour, but doesn't necessarily make it shorter.

thanks Bobsmum, voice of experience sounds good...although i don't envy your labours!

thanks Bobsmum, voice of experience sounds good...although i don't envy your labours!

Hi Kelbel

In answer to your question, no I didn't do either for no2.

My first labour took 9 hours, but got to the pushing stage in 4 hours (maybe due to the raspberry tealeaf) which sounds great but actually contractions too intense and painful even with tens. Friends have had a gentler time with a longer, less intense labour.

Maybe the perenium massage worked, but I had a 3rd degree tear high up so not preventable by massage.

My 2nd labour 5 hours but that was with me flat on my back, with an epidural - hate to think how fast it would have been otherwise!

Hi,
I did the massage, (or rather my DH did and it got him all hot and bothered too...)and I think it helped. I had to have forceps and refused an episiotomy, and I didn't tear. Then again the baby didn't come out either and I had to have an emergency CS!! (But that was because his head was at a funny angle and he was a big'un, too.)
I never had raspberry tea capsules, but I did drink gallons of the tea and still went over my due date by 9 days.

Er, can somebody please explain to me exactly what you're meant to do...? Yours in (blissful) ignorance x

thanks threestars - how long did you do the massage for at one time? DH is doing it everyy night at the moment, but we not sure how long we should do it for a one time??x

I drank loads of rasberry leaf tea from 35 weeks, and when my contractions started, they carried on for 40 hours before I had ds1. But i was only pushing for ten minutes and didnt tear at all. I swear by RLT but not many people do.
As for the massage....no idea, sorry. \it sounds a bit gory.

i second 3stars! how's it done?

massage with wheatgerm oil. It worked for me twice. no cuts, tears or grazing. I massaged the oil in whenever i had been to the loo. Just rubbed the area between the anus and vagina. I'm convinced it was due to the wheatgerm oil though.

you insert your clean, and short nailed thumbs a little way into the vagina and stretch gently until you feel the stretch.. gets you used to the sensation of crowning and also gets the tissues elastic
link here

sixer - did you massage the outside as well then? sounds like it really worked for you. DH has been doing it for me on a night,doing as stated by Camilla, not most pleasant but will stick with it.

You can also use Almond oil