Can I Do Anything Before The Birth To Help Me Avoid A Tear
Preventing a perineal tear that occurs during birth has been the subject of many research studies. Several studies have found that perineal massage during the last weeks of pregnancy can reduce tearing at birth for women giving birth for the first time. This massageâusing 2 fingers to stretch your perineal tissuesâis performed by you, in your home, once or twice a week, for the last 4 to 6 weeks of your pregnancy. The next page of this handout tells how to do this massage. For every 15 women who do perineal massage, one woman will avoid an episiotomy and perineal tearing that needs stitches. While you massage, you can practice relaxing the muscles in your perineum. This can help you prepare for the stretching, burning feeling you may have when your baby’s head is born. Relaxing this area during birth can help prevent tearing.
How To Perform Perineal Massage:
It is important that you only feel a slight burning or tingling sensation, you do not want to press too hard as it may cause bruising and swelling. Avoid putting pressure at the top of the vaginal opening. If you have any concerns, always speak to your healthcare provider prior to undertaking perineal massage.
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Your Partner Can Start Gently
Using both hands, your partner should gently insert their index finger and middle finger on either side into the vagina, up to about the second knuckle. Try starting with just the index fingers of each hand and move on to using two fingers once you feel comfortable.
Your partner may find it easiest to use their fingers rather than their thumbs but try both to see what works best for you.
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Relax And Start The Massage
Taking some deep breaths might help you relax.
Perineal massage shouldnt hurt, though you may feel pressure in the first few weeks of starting, which should ease.
Learn From Real Midwives
Book your place on our perineal massage webinar, where you’ll learn from an expert registered midwife how to perform a perineal massage and how to protect your perineum during labour. Plus, you’ll get the chance to ask any questions you might have.
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How Do I Perform Perineal Massage
The first thing is to make sure you have clean hands and short fingernails, that you have emptied your bladder and are relaxed in a place where you wont be disturbed. Some women find a mirror handy to help visualise the area, whilst incorporating it into the bedtime routine after a bath or shower is also popular as it brings warmth to the tissues surrounding the area which helps the process. Positioning can be how you feel youre most comfortable semi sitting, one foot up on the toilet, bath or stool, squatting against a wall.
Next place 1-2 drops of Down Below massage oil onto your fingers and apply to the outside of your perineum. Place your thumbs about 2 inches (5 cm] into your vagina.
Press downwards with your thumbs in the direction of your anus so that you can feel the stretch of the muscles surrounding the vagina and the vaginal tissues. Once you have this downward pressure, use your thumbs to sweep from side to side in a rhythmic U shape/hammock movement. Whilst massaging the perineum from the outside with your other fingers. When massaging, apply steady pressure towards the anus. This may tingle, but should not hurt! This will also help you to recognise the sensation that you experience when your babys head begins to crown.
All Midwives know about perineal massage and most will talk to you about it towards the end of your pregnancy so if youre still unsure if its right for you check with your midwife!
Perineal Massage Instructions And Tips
As you approach your 34th week of pregnancy, talk to your midwife or doctor about when you should begin your perineal massage routine. Once you have been given the go-ahead from your health care provider, start practicing perineal massage every day for up to 5 minutes until you give birth. You can perform perineal massage on yourself, or you can have your partner do the massage. Regular perineal massage is ideal to promote greater elasticity of the muscles in the perineum, but dont get discouraged if you miss a day or two- just pick up your routine the next day.1. Before beginning a perineal massage, wash your hands and trim your nails.
4. Perineal massage can be done with either or both thumbs, your index or middle ngers, or two ngers on each hand. Insert your thumbs or ngers about an inch inside the vagina , resting your palms against your inside leg.
6. Continue the massage for up to 5 minutes. Reapply massage gel as needed.
7. When performing perineal massage with your partner, sit facing your partner, with your legs draped over the outside of your partners legs. Your partner can use the same techniques above but should use his/her index fingers instead of thumbs.Just 5 Minutes of Perineal Massage Per Day Can Produce Life-Long Benefits
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Perineal Tearing Is Awful
The healing is slow and if you can do anything to prevent that lengthy agonizing pain you want to do it!
Five years later with my second pregnancy I was well aware of essential oils and their powers. I surfed the internet for hours learning new ways to naturally protect the perineum from tearing.
Id been using essential oils already for about 3 years and was anxious to use them to save my perineum this time!
A Good Oil Is Your Companion For A Successful Perineal Massage
Natural childbirth has huge benefits for both mother and baby. You want to reduce the chance of perineal trauma and aid your babys smooth passage down the birth canal and out into the world.
If you plan on starting a perineal massage session in the last 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy, the correct selection of a perineal massage oil that is right for you is crucial.
All the perineal massage oils listed above have multifaceted benefits. You dont have to settle on just one type. Experiment with them to see what works best for you in your attempts to improve your chances of having a birth with minimal perineal tears.
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What Is A Perineal Massage
Quick anatomy lesson: Your perineum is the area of tissue between the opening of the vagina and the anus. It attaches to the muscles that support your reproductive organs, bowels, and bladder the pelvic floor.
Perineal massage is the act of stretching and manipulating the perineal tissue using one or two fingers. Its goal is to prepare these tissues to stretch over your babys head and body during vaginal delivery. You can perform this massage at home by yourself or with the help of your partner.
of tears will require stitches. Damage to the perineum can lead to issues with the pelvic floor, like urinary or fecal incontinence, uterine prolapse, or sexual discomfort.
Some benefits of perineal massage:
You may even want to ask your healthcare provider about perineal massage during labor itself. In a recent
Why You Should Try Perineal Massage
Research shows that during birth, around 9 out of 10 first-time mums and 7 out of 10 mums having subsequent births will have some form of damage to their perineum, such as tearing.
Performing regular perineal massage from week 34 of pregnancy is proven to encourage the skin and muscles around the perineum to stretch more easily during childbirth, reducing the severity of tearing or the need for an episiotomy – a cut made to the perineum to widen the vaginal opening for the baby to be born.
To help encourage the skin around your perineum to stretch more easily during childbirth, our expert midwives have developed an award-winning perineal massage oil called Peri Prep Your Bits. It contains a unique blend of essential oils to help nourish, protect, and promote skin elasticity. When you buy Peri Prep Your Bits, you also get access to free perineal massage webinar hosted by an expert registered midwife.
Learning how to stretch the perineum through perineal massage gives you the best chance of a better birth experience and a smoother recovery. So, let’s delve into how to do it.
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How Should I Clean My Pubic Hair Before Delivery
Shaving: This is the most preferred method adopted by doctors and midwives before preparing a woman for delivery. If you still have full hair growth over your privates before delivery, your doctor is likely to recommend it. If you plan to shave at home, do it 48 hours prior to going to the hospital.
Clare’s Tips For The First 6 Weeks
During the first 6 weeks you want to keep the vulva clean with water, either in the shower or bath, but it doesnt need cleaning with lots of soaps and scented products.
Pouring warm water over the outer area of your vagina as you pee may also help ease the discomfort.
The vagina is very good at healing and cleaning itself, sometimes when we try to interfere and over clean we can cause more problems.
Regular pad changes help but stick away from scented pads for the same reason.
Placing an ice pack or ice cubes wrapped in a towel on the cut. Avoid placing ice directly on your skin as this could cause damage
Painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can help relieve pain and is safe to use if you’re breastfeeding.
Exposing the stitches to fresh air can help the healing process. Taking off your underwear and lying on a towel on your bed for around 10 minutes once or twice a day may help.
It’s unusual for pain after an episiotomy to last longer than 2 to 3 weeks. If the pain lasts longer than this, speak to a doctor, health visitor, or another health professional.
Pelvic floor exercises are key and safe in this initial time, it might feel difficult to contract due to swelling but exercises can actually help reduce this swelling and reduce pain.
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Find A Comfortable Position
Set yourself up in a space thats both private and comfortable. You may want to perform the massage while lying in your bed or on a sofa with your legs open and your knees bent. Consider using pillows or a dedicated pregnancy pillow to support your upper body if youd like to sit upright.
Other options include massage while in the bath, while standing with one leg on a stool in the shower , or possibly while sitting on the toilet. Its up to you, but make sure whatever area you choose is clean, private, and that youre safe from falls.
Babyit Perineal Massage And Postpartum Recovery Gel
BabyIt isnt an oil but a soothing gel made without parabens or other preservatives. The gel is also isotonic which means it has a salt concentration the same as the cells in the perineum. BabyIt simply provides balanced hydration of your cells during perineal massage. Each woman is different but the amount of BabyIt required is usually a full teaspoon.
This product is designed specifically for use during perineal massage. It is pH balanced for pregnancy. This hydrating formula is also soothing for postpartum recovery. It becomes a soothing balm on painful tissue.
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Nourish And Prepare The Delicate Perineal Skin In Preparation For Birth With Regular Massage With This Perineal Massage Oil
The sweet almond oil combined with calendula and hypericum infused oils keep skin soft, flexible, relaxed and ready for childbirth.This oil can also be used as a baby oil and for cradle cap, what a multi-tasker!
Free from silicones, parabens, PEGs, sulfates , GMOs, mineral oils, petrolatum, synthetic colours and fragrances, or animal testing. This product contains nut oils.
As always, because we are all about safety, please read ingredients, instructions, our safety disclaimer and any special disclaimers before purchasing.
Made from: Amygdalus Dulcis oil, Organic Calendula officinalis oil, Hypericum perforatum oil, Natural Rosemary antioxdidant.Instructions: Use from 34 weeks, 3-4 times per week for 5-10 minutes. Ideally use in the shower or after a bath. Pour a small amount of oil into your hand and cover your thumb and index finger and massage the perinuem, vaginal opening and wall gently.
Stage of pregnancy: Third Trimester.Symptoms/Tags: pudenda, perineal massage, perineal stretch, natural birth.Special disclaimer: This should not be painful. Do not ingest. Always perform a patch test before use. If reaction occurs, seek medical attention. Store in a dry and cold area. Avoid direct sunlight. Please be careful when doing anything around your vagina in your Third Trimester. Take this slowly and gently. Do not use if you have a nut allergy due to almond oil.
Exactly How To Save Your Perineum And Not Tear During Childbirth Using Essential Oils:
Rub this mixture on your perineum daily. Its really easy to just apply before bed. You will want to use two fingers to do a perineal massage and rub it around the vaginal opening as well as the entire perineum. Though it may sound weird to do, for the best application to save the perineum, use both hands . Begin at the bottom of the vaginal opening, and rub the oil with mild stretching up along the sides of the opening. Then dont forget the entire perineum as well.
- Mix 1 oz. of Almond Oil
- 8 Drops of Geranium
- 5 Drops of Lavender
Massage this oil around vaginal opening and perineum 3 times daily. It is simplest to keep it on the back of the toilet seat. Massage into that area every night the same way as the previous blend.
After a few weeks of using these two oil blends I could actually feel my skin noticeably changing and softening. Theyre amazing!
- Apply Clary Sage directly onto ankles every 15 minutes. Some people like to take it internally in warm milk or capsules, personally I dont take essential oils orally. My labor progressed extremely fast using clary sage throughout it last time. Im not sure if thats why my labor progressed to quickly, but it is well known for speeding contractions.
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When Should I Start And How Often Should I Massage
It is recommended that you start massaging any time from 35 weeks of pregnancy and massage at least three to four times a week for at least five minutes each time. However, even undertaking perineal massage for as little as once or twice a week from 35 weeks may be of benefit.
The first few times, take a mirror and look and your perineum.
Wash your hands before beginning, make sure your bladder is empty, and position yourself comfortably. You can do the massage in several positions semi-sitting, squatting against a wall, or standing with one foot raised and resting on the bath, toilet or a chair.
It is probably more comfortable to do the massage after a bath, as the warmth of the water can help soften the surrounding tissues.
4. Use more oil if required to reduce friction.
5. In the beginning your perineum may feel tight, but with time and practice the tissues will relax and stretch.
Weleda Perineum Massage Oil
Weleda recommends using its massage oil, starting the 34th week of pregnancy in preparation for vaginal delivery. This massage product for pregnancy is 100% certified natural, containing almond oil, vitamin E and wheat germ oil. These ingredients work to increase the elasticity and stretchability of the perineum.
Easy to apply, the Weleda pregnancy range of products has been designed to help future moms prepare for birthing trauma. Massaging the perineum with a quality oil like this keeps the connective tissue elastic to guard against tearing.
Read more about Weledas massage oil
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