Easy Steps to a Safer Pregnancy - View e-book or Download PDF - FREE!
An interactive resource for moms on easy steps they can take to reduce exposure to chemical toxins during pregnancy.
These are easy to read and understand and are beautifully presented.
This is for the woman who wrote and wanted to know more about Perineal
Message.
Note: I had a 9# baby (first born), born at home with no tear and no
episiotomy- thanks to perineal message and a wonderful midwife- my mom!
Prenatal Perineal Message
Prenatal perineal message is a technique which slowly and gently stretches
the skin and tissues around the vagina and perineum. The perineum is the
area between your vagina and rectum. Perineal message helps reduce the
risk of tearing during birth and the need for and episiotomy.
Directions:
Wash your hands
Find a private, comfortable place and sit or lean back in a comfortable
position.
Put a lubricant such as KY jelly, cocoa butter, vitamin E oil or pure vegetable
oil on your thumbs and around the perineum. ( I used vitamin E oil)
Place your thumbs about 1-11/2 inches (3-4 cm) inside your vagina. Press
downwards and to the sides at the same time. Gently and firmly keep stretching
until you feel a slight burning, tingling or stinging sensation.
Hold the pressure steady at that point with your thumbs for about 2 minutes
or until the area becomes a little numb and you don't feel the tingling
as much.
keep pressing with your thumbs. Slowly and gently message back and forth
over the lower half of your vagina, working the lubricant into the tissues.
Keep this up for 3-4 minutes. Remember to avoid the urinary opening.
As you massage, pull gently outwards (forwards) on the lower part of the
vagina with your thumbs hooked inside. This helps stretch the skin as the
baby's head will stretch it during birth.
Do this message once a day, starting around the 34th week of pregnancy.
After about a week you should notice an increase in flexibility and stretchiness.
I wrote this down from a pamphlet I have on Perineal message. It has more
info and drawings. It also has directions for a partner message. (I found
this much more successful for me.)
