2nd Trimester
Jbosarge85
member
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I think this is weird.
Jbosarge85
member
My sister just told me that she heard if, when you're closer to giving birth, you have your husband stretch out your vagina as far as possible and hold it for 20 second and it will help prevent tearing. Have any of you heard of this? It may just be me but I just think it's a little strange, I'm not going to ask my husband to stretch out my vagina....
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Re: I think this is weird.
It's called 'perineal massage' and yes, some people do it (or have their partners do it for them) in preparation for childbirth. Some nurses/midwives will also do it for you while you are in labor to help avoid tearing.
Perineal massage
I've heard of perineal massage. I wanted to do it but we didn't. If the tearing and episiotomy I still needed during birth is any indication, I chose UNwisely.
ETA UNwisely
The way your sister explained it to you makes it sound a little barbaric.. but yes, it's perineal massage and it is normal.
I do it the closer I get to delivery. I don't cause myself discomfort, though. And I have pretty good faith in it as I have delivered 5 babies vaginally without tearing, including a 9lber.
This is a pretty detailed explaination of how it's done.
https://www.babycenter.com/404_can-perineal-massage-help-me-avoid-an-episiotomy_1955.bc
I do it myself while pregnant.
And then my midwife does it here & there while I am in labor.
Wow! 5 with no tearing I might do it myself like another poster said but not my husband.
Wow! I have also heard about perineal massage, and thought it should work, in theory. I'm glad you posted this! I'm definitely going to give it a shot, because an episiotomy sounds much more barbaric to me...
https://m.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/ShowThread.aspx?PostID=59884800
YWIA! I can't make it clicky on my phone though.
Isn't creating a child also intimate?
Clicky: https://m.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/ShowThread.aspx?PostID=59884800
And thank you!!
I agree with you!!
You won't be able to reach
Yeah, I would love to just be able to see my pikachu without using a mirror. I can barely reach my legs to shave. I don't think I'll be doing this myself. DH may take it as an opportunity or invitation to try to sex me up, so I'll just pass.
Perhaps I'm an exception to the rule, but I am able to reach my lady bits well enough to massage my own perineum, even at the end when I have the full beach ball belly going on. You sit wherever is comfortable to you (I prefer the side of the bath tub) and go around the side of your belly. It's hard to do it for long periods of time as it can get uncomfortable for your back, stomach, and arms to be curled up like that.. but it's doable. You can also get on your knees in a squatting position, if that position is more comfortable for you.
Around 32ish weeks I started to do the perineal massage... I didn't have my ex-husband do it for me. I also inserted fish oil tablets because there was a concern that my cervix wouldn't properly dilate due to a procedure in the past. The perineal massage is also to be used with oil, and you aren't just shoving fingers up there. The link that was posted is probably a lot more informational than what you really think it is.
FWIW, I still had a 2nd degree tear, so... a lot of good that did.
haha you are probably right I'm already having some issues grooming, hopefully that's not TMI. After each time I have to ask DH if I missed a bunch.....
BAHAHAHAHA!!!! This is my favorite part of the post
"The stretching that goes on during childbirth is infinity-times more preferred than living a life walking around with a saggy vagina. Like, stop stretching it out. Please.
Her vagina is going to hang like sleeve of wizard."
I have actually heard of this too!