We discussed trying perineal massage that she started to do with Paul's help.

"I feel very intimidated at the thought of perineal massage.

Women in the experimental groups were requested to perform a 10-minute perineal massage daily from the 34th or 35th week of pregnancy until delivery.

Perineal massage beginning around the 34th week has been shown to reduce perineal damage by 6%.

Perform daily perineal massage in the last 6 - 8 weeks to nurture, condition and become familiar with the perineum.

One of the most apparent of these concerned the issue of perineal massage during pregnancy.

Is perineal massage and support practiced by the birth attendants (nurses and caregivers) here?

Many midwives practice perineal massage to promote stretching, ease birth, and minimize maternal trauma.

Perineal massage during labour helps to ease the tissues around the baby's head as it is crowning and obviously benefits both mother and child.

Antenatal Perineal Massage does not damage the pelvic floor, so protects against a prolapse.

Antenatal digital perineal massage is often advocated, and may reduce the risk of trauma only in nulliparous women. '

Perineal massage should commence in the last 6-8 weeks of pregnancy to stretch and condition the perineum in preparation for childbirth.

Perineal massage is well covered along with sound advice for a woman's support team on how they can help the birthing woman cope with each stage of labour.

Antenatal Perineal Massage affords mothers worldwide, irrespective of income, the opportunity to shorten the critical last 30 minutes of labour.

Pregnancy information Nutrition in pregnancy Benefits of labour massage Perineal massage Feature Article:

Randomized clinical trials of perineal massage have shown its effectiveness in reducing class two and three level tears to be around 5 to 7 percent, against not doing the massage.

Cochrane Collaborate Reports since 2006 have advised that women should be informed that episiotomy is avoidable if they employ digital Antenatal Perineal Massage.

Perineal massage in the preliminary phase of delivery is a common method of preparing for childbirth, and often recommended by midwives as a cautionary protection of the perineum.

Having decided to take a proactive approach towards minimising the risk of perineal tearing, or an episiotomy during labour, women wanted an alternative medium to oil for perineal massage and so this balm has been developed.

Perineal massage trial Randomized controlled trial of prevention of perineal trauma by perineal massage during pregnancy American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Antenatal Perineal Massage or Pre-birth Obstetric Massage (Birth Canal Widening) has been used for many generations both by Chukchi Eskimos in Siberia and by African tribal people.

The Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust Document "Antenatal Perineal Massage" 2011 describes the use of the pregnant mother's thumbs being placed just inside the birth canal, whilst she stands with one foot supported on the toilet.