I wanted the option to stand up and walk around, to labor in a bath tub, or even turn onto all fours. An epidural, I knew, would keep me confined to a bed. It was with this logic that at my week mark, Sam and I began the massages. She washed her hands and I lie pantsless on our bed with my knees bent and legs spread open. I stuck my tongue out at her. By now I was big, bloated, and moody. When she hooked her fingers inside of me my instinct was to kick her in the face.
This was not the former intimacy my marriage had known. For five full minutes she stretched and kneaded my perineum as I practiced the deep breathing and slow exhale I'd learned in prenatal yoga, counting down the seconds until it ended. Perineal massage was not enjoyable for either one of us. I know that Sam took no pleasure in kneading her fingers around in my vagina while I reprimanded her for going too hard or not hard enough.
By the final days of my pregnancy, I was sick of the downward dogs and the kegel exercises and the massages. I wanted this baby out. I compared it to a long uncomfortable flight that led to a trip somewhere exotic. I'd been warned that birth plans — like best laid plans — often go awry. This was true of mine.
You may become more comfortable with the sensations as your tissues stretch over time. Regardless, keep your eye on the time. Your partner may help you if you prefer not to massage yourself or find the position uncomfortable. Instruct your partner to follow the same directions as personal massage, but have them use index fingers instead of thumbs.
Speak with your midwife or doctor if you experience pain beyond the slight discomfort of your tissues stretching. As well, you should speak with your healthcare provider before performing massage if you have vaginal herpes, yeast infection, or any other vaginal infections.
Regular perineal massage is a good method to add to your toolbox as you prepare for labor and delivery. A new study finds that epidurals do not affect child development in their later years. A fetal arrhythmia is an irregular heart rate — too fast, too slow, or otherwise outside the norm. It's often benign.
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When to start perineal massage during pregnancy. Oils to use for perineal massage. Step-by-step how-to. 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.
Before beginning a perineal massage, wash your hands and trim your nails. Find a comfortable position that allows you to reach your perineum, either by reaching your hands in front of you or behind you. For example, a Sitting propped up in bed with your knees bent, b squatting against a wall for support with or without the aid of a stack of books or stool, and c raising one leg such as in the shower or on the toilet.
Using a massage gel serves two important purposes: it makes the massage more comfortable and also helps hydrate the tissues of the perineum. Avoid using natural oils, like coconut or almond oil, as these products contain oxidative, inflammatory chemicals and are linked to an increase in vaginal infections.
For best softening and stretching, ensure that you use enough gel to keep your tissues moist throughout the massage — the amount required, and the need to re-apply will vary for each woman.
The goal is to stretch and massage the back portion of the birth canal, down towards the anus and then apart side to side, using more and more pressure over time. Several times during your massage, hold this stretched position and consciously relax your muscles in this region. Keep massaging down and out to stretch and relax these tissues. Pressure should not be painful, but during the first couple of weeks, it is normal to feel a slight burning or stretching sensation.
Practicing awareness and breathing when you feel this pressure, will help you feel more in control when you feel these same sensations during delivery! Perineal massage will feel awkward, even painful, at first.
But, the more you practice, the easier and more comfortable it will become.
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