Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Perenial Massage to avoid episiotomy

If you wish to prepare your perineum for birth, we recommend that you start the perineal massage around your 36th week, every day for around 5 minutes.

What you need

You will need to use wheat germ oil or any natural vegetable oil, preferable cold pressed (not for cooking la) and rich in Vit E and F (essential to ensure and improve tissue elasticity). Linseed oil is a good choice.

There is an oil in the market specially made for this massage and manufacted by Weleda (refer to product link here - in French, unfortunately).

The massage

1) Wash your hands carefully with soap. Scrub under the nails and up till the wrists.

2) Sit yourself down somewhere and make sure that your back is supported with pillows. Lean back.

3) Rub your fingers well with oil; put the thumb in the vagina and massaged the region between the opening of the vagina and anus with the forefinger.

4) Then, with the thumb, still in the vagina, exert some pressure downward toward the rectum slowly.

5) While still exerting pressure, slide your thumb/finger along the vaginal walls, along muscles of the vagina and the perineum. Repeat this a few times.

6) You may feel muscle tension in the beginning, but with time and practice, the tissue will loosen gradually.

7) Be careful to relax your muscles and breath out when you exert pressure.

8) To end, massage the labia minora and majora as well (big and small "lips" - opening of the vagina la).

9) As you go on with the massage (after a few times), gradually increase the pressure (widening the vaginal opening) until you start to experience tingling in the perineum. You will recognize this tingling feeling at the time of labour when the perineum extends around the head of your newborn child.

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