Getting ready to be a new mum or a mum again for that matter involves much more than buying baby stuff and attending Lamaze classes. As your due date nears, you start getting ready for the big day.
Getting ready involves tons of stuff, from packing a hospital bag to getting your body ready for childbirth. Perineal tears occur quite often and when it comes to minimizing the risk of them occurring, a perineum massage is top of the list. Research shows perineal massage in the third trimester is likely to reduce your chances of perineal trauma.
What Is Perineal Massage?
A perineal massage is a surefire way to prevent tearing in childbirth. It involves massaging the perineum during pregnancy to prepare your body for giving birth. This is done by loosening the muscles that stretch as you bring a newborn into this realm. The perineum is the area between your vagina and anus. Perineal massage could be done before and after birth.
Perineum massage before birth is done to prevent tearing in childbirth. The gentle, manual stretching of the muscles and skin prepares your body and minimizes the risk of tearing and scarring during delivery.
Perineal massage after birth goes a long way in helping reduce discomfort and relieve scarring in the months or weeks after delivery.
Why Do It?
On top of preventing tearing in childbirth, perineal massage has some more benefits to your body;
Reduces Postpartum Pain
After delivery, tears and trauma are a common occurrence and this massage may be helpful with ongoing postpartum perineal pain.
It is particularly helpful for first time mums (first normal delivery that is) and women with tight, rigid pelvic floors.
Helps With Scarring
On both ends of childbirth, this massage helps in softening scarred tissue and preventing scarring. Post delivery for the former and pre-delivery for the former.
Reduces the Risk of Episiotomy
An episiotomy is a procedure that involves making an incision to the perineum in childbirth to make a larger vaginal opening for childbirth.
Perineal massage before birth reduces the need for an episiotomy.
The Flaws
Even the best of procedures has some flaws and downsides.
The first one is that it might not work – although the statistics suggest otherwise.
Massaging too hard may boost blood flow to the area. I’ll tell you why that’s not good; As it is, the area is already engorged with blood and adding more blood can increase inflammation leading to irritation, discomfort and even pain.
It takes time and persistence. Perineal massage before birth is almost guaranteed to give results eventually. Be that as it may, it takes time and persistence to experience the benefits. For potentially optimal results, you should do perineum massage regularly for the last 4-6 weeks of pregnancy.
The massage may be accompanied by some discomfort and pain. Some of the sensations are totally normal. When that is not the case, you should see your medical practitioner or physical therapist.
If you have herpes, yeast infection or any other vaginal infection, a perineal massage may cause them to spread. If you have had placenta or vaginal bleeding in your second and third trimesters, perineal massage is not recommended.
Performing a Perineal Massage
A perineal massage is not rocket science and can be performed or is performed I should say right from the comfort of your home. You can perform it yourself or ask your partner to do it for you. In the latter stages of your pregnancy when it’s hard to get down there, consider the latter.
Begin by washing your hands, preferably with short nails, well using soap that is not bound to cause irritation. Find a comfortable position for you, seated perhaps with your legs spread apart and your knees bent. To see what is going on, you can use a mirror. Apply some lubricant like coconut oil to your fingertips and insert about 2 inches (5 centimeters) into your vagina.
Gently press the right side of your vaginal wall towards the right and hold for a few breaths. Slowly sweep and press downward holding pressure down towards your rectum. Now move to the left and retrace this ‘U’ shape a couple of times.
Start with a gentle touch and gradually increase pressure over time while breathing deeply and slowly to keep your muscles relaxed. Find the sweet spot between pain and a slight burning, stinging or tingling sensation – that is how much pressure is needed.
