TMI massage?

I've been doing it for the last 2 1/2 weeks using EPO. I'm scared of having a bad tear along the scar from the episiotomy that I had with dd so I want to try whatever I can to prevent it. The first couple times it was mildy uncomfortable and a bit awkward. Are you using the pad of your thumb? Thats the only way I can reach myself. I'm very swollen down there too, so I do understand its a little weird I wouldn't want Dh doing it because like I said it was uncomfortable at first and I can tell what pressure is okay for me. Now after doing it for the last 2 1/2 weeks I can tell a big difference surprisingly. I think that if you are just super gentle then you can work up to a bit more pressure during your perineal massage.

My DH does it every few days for me when I "remember" to ask him. We put on a relaxing playlist in our bedroom, light candles, I prop myself up on pillows and cover my chest with a blanket to stay warm He is nice & always starts by stimulating my clitoris as in foreplay. That helps me relax He's also really good at reading my body cues & of course, I let him know when it's enough pressure or when he needs to increase it. We use grapeseed oil, just because that is what we use. I read any oil works.

I'm also swollen. Last night he couldn't "find" the opening to my vagina! As in he was actually prodding my urethra! As in I had to help him find it! Pretty hillarious in that "OMFG not even funny!" kind of way Nothing like pregnancy and birth to truly humble a person

To me it feels like stretching, burning & hardness on my pubic bones, IOW like something large twisting out. Though I'm reluctant to do it every day, I'm glad we're practicing so I can work on relaxing through the very uncomfortable odd sensations.

We have only tried it a couple of times...just ends up in sex.

Which is fine too!

I had my partner do the massage with #1 and #2 and it always ended up in sex, like Adina. Woohoo! Those were both hospital births - 1 small tear with #1 and a larger one with #2 - keep in mind these were extremely fast births with really fast pushing phases (each approx. 3 pushes to baby completely born).

I asked my midwife about it this time and this is what she had to say:

"MANA (midwives alliance of NA) did a study which showed that perineal massage possibly causes more tearing. You are essentially stretching the outside area. The baby's head is doing the stretching from the other direction.

Firm and healthy perineal muscle has good integrity allowing it to stretch without tearing or too much tearing. If you loosen that it may not be beneficial.

Early in my midwifery training we used to do alot of perineal stretching pre- and during crowning, I found it rather invasive and though many of the women didn't complain about it I'm not sure that it feels that soothing. I moved away from that technique and now use warm-hot cloths on the perineum during crowning (most women say that it feels good) coupled with slow gentle pushing if possible (some babies just seem to be on a speed track though) because that allows for the muscle to be stretched incrementally as opposed to long, hard, aggressive pushing as often witnessed at hospital births."

So, based on what she had to say, I'm not doing it this time and will trust that a better birth position, more controlled/slower pushing on my part and my fabulous midwife will help.

But... the horizontal mambo 'side-effects' of the massage are always good!

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I can't find that study online! Darn!

These are the studies I've found re: Perineal Massage

"Perineal massage during pregnancy neither impairs nor substantially protects perineal function at 3 months post partum."

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2000 Jan;182(1 Pt 1):76-80. Labrecque M, Eason E, Marcoux S. Department of Family Medicine and Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

"This study supports the conclusion that teaching perineal massage to primiparous women and multiparae who had episiotomies with their previous births is a useful intervention. It suggests that further study may help clarify the optimum frequency, timing, and technique of massage."

J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2000 Sep-Oct;29(5):474-9. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2000 Sep-Oct;29(5):474-9.

"Intervention
Massage and stretching of the perineum during the second stage of labour with a water soluble lubricant. Conclusions
The practice of perineal massage in labour does not increase the likelihood of an intact perineum or reduce the risk of pain, dyspareunia, or urinary and faecal problems."

BMJ. 2001 May 36; 322(7297): 1277-1280. Stamp G, Kruzins G, Crowther C. Centre for Research into Nursing and Health Care, University of South Australia and North Western Adelaide Health Service, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

They all seem inconclusive with no evidence whether it really helps or hurts, which is what most literature on Perineal Massage reads... "This is how to do it, but..." I'm interested in reading the MANA study when it's available to see how it's different.

We use it as a way to practice relaxing through the sensations... and of course....

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