Prep against tearing during pregnancy

[LunaLovegood11]

Hey there, I’m currently 23 weeks pregnant and have heard that you can use oils and exercises to prepare the perineum against tearing.

Has anyone done this? Do you know of any resources that are available for more info?

Random question I know!

[Seb9]

I used almond oil for perineum massage, I wasn't doing it as much as advised. Your meant to do 10 minutes massage a day but I didn't have patience to do that. if you Google it there's lots of information about it. There's not much evidence to show it really helps but it was worth a go! I did have a small tear and a graze but nothing serious.

[LunaLovegood11 in reply to Seb9]

Thank you! I’ll see what (sensible) advice I can find 😊

[MissSaoPaulo]

Look into the Epi-No device. I posted about it on here a while back when I was pregnant but ended up having a c-section so can't testify first-hand to it's effectiveness but it definitely helped me feel more confident going into the birth. I also did perineal massage, just with KY jelly, during the last 5 weeks or so. There are plenty of resources on the internet about it but maybe also ask your midwife about it at your next appointment. You've got plenty of time yet to get all the information you need. Good luck, hope it all goes smoothly!!

[LunaLovegood11]

Fab thank you!! X

[MissAP]

An alternative to Epi-No and much cheaper is Ani-Ball. I started using it quite late (38w1d) and only managed few days and gradually went from 18cm diameter to 23cm - you are meant to use it from week 37 and in three weeks get to 30 cm which is roughly what newborn babies heads measure. But even if you don’t get to 30cm or only use it briefly the biggest advantage for me during my labour was getting a grip on how to deliver that Ani-Ball slowly as this prevents tearing more than anything - a controlled slow delivery (you will be surprised how easy it is for the Ani-Ball just to slip out if you have less control of your pushing - and that can be rather painful if done too quick). When i got to my real pushing stage everyone in the room was surprised how much control i had over it and my gorgeous boy was delivered in less than 15 minutes with just a tiny tear for a rather big baby of 8.2lbs. This didn’t cause me any discomfort post-delivery and I am currently 4 days after giving birth to my first baby and feeling absolutely fine. I definitely recommend it especially to first time mums. Xx

[Sevy571 in reply to MissAP]

Thank you SO much for posting this! About the Aniball. Just looked into it, it is very reassuring. May I ask please, how unpleasant is it to practice as recommended (daily from the end of the 36th week)? I hear that the perineum massage is quite intensive and unpleasant, so I wonder how it is with the Aniball?

I also wonder if it could be used outside of pregnancy, just as a way to have some feedback when practicing Kegels for general perineal health - but this is out of topic I suppose.

Thanks in advance!

[MissAP in reply to Sevy571]

it says to practice 15-30 min a day and so I was doing 15 min jn the morning and 15 min in the evening. You have to find the best position for yourself - just think about it as your labour positions practice. I honestly couldn’t find one that was comfortable due to my humongous bump so my back was aching when i was doing it. But then it’s only 15 minutes and worth doing the whole length as what may seem uncomfortable size to start with is much easier to handle after 15 minutes and this is when the main exercise comes in which is to push it out slowly and not in one go. My first one slipped out too quickly and that was a little painful but the second one was much easier as i knew what to expect. It definitely prepares you mentally for labour. X

[Sevy571 in reply to MissAP]

Thank you. I appreciate your reply - gives me a realistic idea of what to expect. Take care

[LunaLovegood11]

Ah thank you I’ll definitely check it out! X

[precioce]

I used a Weleda oil and didn't do it as early as I should but only had a small tear even though my little girl was born really quickly.x

[Tugsgirl]

I used Weleda oil, or rather got my Hubby to do it. It wasn’t painful but it was uncomfortable and intense. Used it for weeks and ended up with an emergency c section so I don’t know whether it would have helped or not! Lol xx

[LunaLovegood11 in reply to Tugsgirl]

Haha thank you! I think I remember you from the other forum? Big congrats on your gorgeous girl!!!! Xx

[Tugsgirl in reply to LunaLovegood11]

Yes I’m from the fertility network forum xx Thank you ☺️