If you’ve been wondering how to do perineal massage, you are in the right place. The object of perineal massage is to extend the elasticity of the perineal muscles to ease the process of childbirth. You can do this either with your fingers or with the help of tools such as a vaginal dilator.
Perineal Massage Using Fingers
It’s important to keep the end-game in mind while doing perineal massage. That way, there is less confusion about which method is right and which is wrong. As long as what you are doing is encouraging the perineum to stretch more, then you are on the right track.
That said, there is a standard way to go about perineal massage while using your fingers.
When to Start
You can start perineal massage between the 34th and 36th weeks of pregnancy. Do it at least three to four times a week for best results. You can also do it daily.
How to Do It
Ensure you are in a comfortable position and that you can easily reach your perineal area. If necessary, or if you feel like it, enlist the help of your partner.
Ensure that your hands are clean and apply perineal massage oil or other massage oils such as olive oil. Then, follow these steps:
- Start with circular movements on the skin and connective tissue surrounding the vagina. The movements should be clockwise, clitoris to clitoris.
- Introduce two fingers into your vagina, approximately 4cm deep.
- Using your fingers, perform internal massage, pushing the fingers down to your anus in repetitive, semicircular movements. Push down until you feel that you have reached the stretching limit. This can be indicated by pain in the form of a burning sensation.
- Once you reach the limit, hold that position for about two minutes.
- Repeat these movements. The process can take anywhere between ten and twenty minutes.
Perineal Massage With A Vaginal Dilator
The use of tools to aid in perineal massage dates back to the origin of the practice in Africa. Pregnant women in Africa used gourds of varying sizes to widen the birth canal in weeks leading to labor. The practice was highly effective, leading to the gradual dilation of the canal from 2cm to about 10cm.
When the practice was brought to the west, obstetricians replaced the gourd with silicone balls. Over the years, this has evolved into the vaginal dilator.
An introduction to the Vaginal Dilator
There are different types of vaginal dilators. Make sure to get a vaginal dilator that’s specially made for perineal massage. Such a dilator consists of a balloon-shaped part usually made of silicon. This part is inflatable and is the one you insert into your vagina. It also consists of an external part, which you use to pump air into the balloon and expand it.
The dilator should be used with perineal massage oil or some other water-based lubricant. It should be covered with a condom before being inserted into the vagina. It should be inserted such that the balloon is inside, two centimeters away from the opening of the vagina.
Using a condom is a better alternative to washing the vaginal dilator, which can take hours. It’s important to keep the dilator clean to prevent infections in your vaginal area.
The lubricant helps reduce irritation in your vagina.
How to Do Perineal Massage With a Vaginal Dilator
Before you begin, check whether the dilator is working. Do this by inflating the balloon a little, while ensuring that the tap is closed. Then open the tap and ensure that the balloon is deflating properly.
Once you’ve confirmed that it’s working, begin by inserting the balloon-shaped part into your vagina. You should then use the external pump to inflate the balloon until you feel pain or feel that your vagina has reached the stretching limit.
You can keep the dilator in for between fifteen and twenty minutes. As the minutes roll by, you may feel that you are more comfortable. Feel free to increase the size of the balloon by inflating it a little more.
Ideally, the dilator should be used daily. Every consecutive day, try to increase the pressure in the balloon. This ensures that the elastic limit of your perineal muscles is gradually growing. Recording the number of pushes you use to inflate the balloon can help a great deal. That way, you increment the number of pushes by 1 or 2 times every day.
Using the Vaginal Dilator to Practice for Labor
You can use the dilator to practice pushing your baby out. To do this:
- Inflate the balloon part of the dilator by pressing the pump up to 10 times. The balloon should be inside your vagina.
- Tilt your pelvis backward until you are touching the ground with your lower back.
- Pull out the dilator using the attached string. The dilator should already be pushing outward as a result of the contraction of your abs from bending backwards.
- Repeat this severally, around three times, increasing the pressure of the balloon every time.
