After birth/perineal massage

[irrelevance]

I was reading the post about your experiences with cuts and tears and stitches down there after you gave birth vaginally.. I was curious how many of you did the perineal massage thing that you are supposed to do a few weeks before giving birth.. or have any of you tried it? and did it make any difference at all in healing time or tearing?

[jesslee83]

i just now researched this! i'd never heard of it, but now i just emailed df, and told him in a couple months, i want daily massages lol.....my nails are long, so it's not something i can do myself, but hey at least he'll have fun haha......

[NikiNoo]

Having said that...I had a lovely labour, without a doubt the worst part is having the stitches (I mean, you get through it, it's not torture - but you've had enough by then) So maybe it is worth it, just in case? Maybe you'll always wonder if you wouldn't have torn if had done your perineum massage?

[irrelevance]

Thanks for that, I guess it doesn't really make a huge difference, then.. And I know it does seem unpleasant, I wasn't sure if I should do it or if what happens will just happen..

[NikiNoo]

Hubby did it for me. I still tore. And I hated having it done, not in the slightest bit nice - although Hubby seemed to enjoy it. We started at about 34 weeks i think, every night. Not sure i'll bother this time.

[blueeyedtabbycat]

I am on my 3rd baby and I have never heard of doing this yourself....where have I been? LOL! With both my previous boys my doctor did it for me while I was pushing.....I only got a few cuts and needed no stiches. Both my boys have big heads too, they measured in the 90th percentile!!! I guess every woman is diffrent,   but I really dont want to chance stiches or having them cut me....so I think I might doit myself this time, just to be safe:)
Is there a certain way your suppose to do it? Just get some oil and rub? That sounds like way too much fun to do without my hubby!!

[wild.blue]

It has always confused me... how do kegels helps not to tear???

kegels tighten the muscles down there, but don't we want them to be nice and loose and stretchy for birth?

[JoyRenee]

Do your Kegels, too! Basically tightening the muscles "down there" as if holding in urine. This will hopefully keep things from becoming too loose and disorderly down there, if you catch my drift!

[Kelly87]

http://www.umich.edu/~umperl/massage.htm   I found this website about it. Im 28 weeks now and im probably going to have my boyfriend start doing it when im 30 weeks even though it says to start around 34 weeks. Just to make sure...

[precious03]

If you don't have the book, you can always see if it is on the website!!

[irrelevance]

Well I read in a book that you should start doing it, or having your partner do it, like a certain number of times a week, so many weeks before your due date.. I don't remember the numbers right now, obviously... But they say it gradually stretches it and I was wondering if anyone had tried this and had any better experiences than those who ripped really bad or needed episiotomies [which I'm really terrified of. :( ] I'd do anything to avoid either. So no one has actually tried this? I think it may be in the infamous "What to Expect" book....

[JoyRenee]

You can start before you go into labor. Also, while you're in labor you can ask a nurse or your husband/partner to do it. More than likely your doctor will be doing it and you won't feel it or realize it.

I am not sure if anyone did it with me... I think a nurse/doctor did. I got one tiny tear and just a few stitches! DEFINITELY worth having them do!

[precious03]

I never did this massage, but am thinking about starting this now.  With my 1st child I had an episiotomy and then ripped - got 18 stitches.  With my second, I also had to get an episiotomy, still ripped a lot, and got 25 stitches.  I will try anything to be able to have that area stretch instead of rip!!

[wild.blue]

I'm gonna bump this up.. I'm wondering about it too!