Perineal massage

[SweetSunflowerBoo]

How many weeks would you start perineal massage?

Is 32 weeks too soon?

Any advice and tips form people who have done it?

Also what oil or lube did you use?

Thanks!

I started at 34 weeks and did it around 3x weekly. I used expert midwife “prep your bits”. It was easy to use and has a pleasant smell. I found position-wise, it was easiest to lie on my side and do it from behind 🙈 there was no way I’d get 2 thumbs in from the front which is what the instructions said! Also never in a million years would I get DH to do it!
After all that I couldn’t say if it actually worked as I ended up having an EMCS!

I get DH to do it but he is a HCP so no stranger to medical examinations of vaginas.

NHS trusts recommend to begin at 34w, so I would hold off for now. I think we used a very basic, cheap plain lube in my first pregnancy and this time we are using olive oil which I much prefer. I don't have tips or advice but I would say that sources online always say it may be 'uncomfortable' but shouldnt be painful and I think that's bollocks. If you look online, loads of people find it painful, which makes sense when something is applying pressure and stretching tissue out! I find it painful both times but start with a very small amount of time, 1 minute and then build up the time and pressure over time, we try to do it every other night but sometimes it is less. I'm 38 weeks now and up to 8 mins. With my first I dont know if it worked - I didn't tear but I did have an episiotomy but that was mostly because I had an instrumental delivery, so perhaps I would also have torn on top if we'd not been doing it, who knows?