Olive oil?

[Dadsoon423]

I've heard that olive oil can be used to help prevent tearing. Is this true? What is the best to use? What's the best way to use it ie. Massage? How often?

[abc123xyz]

I don't know if it's the olive oil that prevents tearing as much as it's the lubricating and massaging of the perineum. Tearing prevention come with low involvement/intervention from birth attendants. With my first, I had a transport in hospital birth and from all of the rough stretching of my perineum, I had 3-3rd degree tears. It was horrible! My second was a breech hands-off homebirth and not a single tear! I've never used the olive oil except while in labor and so I can't testify to it's efficacy, however, I know that the massage of the perineum is what you are looking to achieve to increase the pliability of it when birth comes along! You'd want to do it daily, probably at night.

[sunnymw]

Not sure it answers your question, but I used it in the crock pot with the warm wash cloths that dh used to support my perineum while I was pushing.