Perineal Massage During Labor and

Other Ways to Make Labor and Delivery Easier

Perineal massage during labor and delivery helps to possibly avoid an episiotomy. Pregnancy brings on a lot of changes in your body.

You are excited to be pregnant, especially if you tried to conceive for a long time. You will no doubt want to start preparing for the day your baby will be placed into your loving arms. Learning to do the practice for the perineal massage during labor and delivery early on is a good idea.

Labor day can bring on certain fears especially if you've never experienced giving birth before. Relax because there are things you can do ahead of time to prepare for that wonderful day whether you are planning for a home birth, a hospital birth, going all natural with no drugs or going for an epidural or even a planned cesarean.  Childbirth education is the best piece of advice I can give to help you prepare.

Read books and magazines and websites that detail the process of labor and birth. Approach your delivery day armed with knowledge about how your body works and you will alleviate many fears and stress.

Taking a childbirth education class will give you an opportunity to ask questions and to hear first hand what you will be going through. You can choose which childbirth class to take - one that will agree with the type of birth experience you wish to have.

Exercising is very beneficial - if you are healthy and have cleared it with your healthcare provider. It will help to prepare your body for labor and delivery. It's also perfect to help to loose those pregnancy pounds afterwards too. It will help labor and birth to be easier and possibly quicker.

Let's talk some about the perineal massage during labor and delivery. If you learn to do this or have it done it can greatly help you to possibly avoid an episiotomy. About 6 weeks prior to your due date take some oil (olive, vegetable or vitamin E) or some type of lubrication on two clean thumbs (with trimmed nails) and put pressure toward your rectum. This is at the perineum, use the first knuckle of your finger until it burns, for about 2 minutes. Gently massage and stretch the area about one to five minutes. You will build up to this, as it strengthens and conditions the perineum for birth. Then gently massage the tissues between your thumb and forefinger back and forth for about one minute. Do this nightly, or have your partner to do this.

You can apply these methods to help move labor along. I wish I had known all this with my first pregnancy. I'm convinced if I had, I might have avoided being induced. I laid there in the hospital bed, not realizing or encouraged to move around to get labor going. If you are able, moving around during labor greatly helps to precipitate it. Even just changing positions in the hospital bed will help.

During your childbirth education classes you may learn breathing exercises. I cannot stress how important these are, especially for those planning to go without any medication. You will use these breathing techniques. It would even be helpful if you're having a cesarean. I've had it both ways, and I'm thankful for the breathing exercises (Bradley Method).

Just being armed with the knowledge of what's happening and how to deal with it will make labor and delivery go a lot better. Plan for things to change, and be flexible. No birth plan goes off without some hitches.

Write a good birth plan and go over it with your healthcare provider. Make sure you allow for room to change things. Maybe even take your birth plan to the hospital or birthing center and go over it with the staff. This way you will know for sure what actions will be taken once labor hits and there will be no surprises. Always leave room for the unexpected such as emergency cesareans.

Give all this advice some thought and try to relax. Mentally go over your big day in your mind, going over all possible situations. This will help you to prepare for the "what-ifs." If you haven't done so, go tour your hospital and go over the procedures so you'll be prepared when you go into labor. Familiarize yourself for the big even and visualize the big day.

Above all, talk with your healthcare provider at length about any concerns you may have. Find out all you can. Discuss with them down to the detail of how you are doing perineal massage during labor and delivery and leave nothing out. My own OB took the time during the birth of my fifth baby to do a perineal massage during labor and delivery. It helped me to avoid an episitomy! Go over anything you think may cause you stress. Stress and fear can cause labor and birth to be hard when it doesn't need to be. Look forward to your big day with confidence and assurance that you are as ready as you can be. Go now and start to practice for the perineal massage during labor and delivery!