As you head into the third trimester of pregnancy your attention starts to move towards the impending birth. If this is your first baby, birth may be a relatively unknown quantity, however there are things that you can do to help prepare your body for labour and vaginal delivery.
For the vaginal opening to go from the size of a 10-cent piece to one that can allow a baby’s head to pass through it the tissues in this area need to stretch significantly beyond their normal resting state. The area where most of this stretch will occur (don’t worry - it is designed for this purpose) is called the perineum. The perineum is located between the vagina and the back passage. These muscles that make up the perineum are part of the ‘pelvic floor’.This tissue is also used to experiencing a degree of stretch which occurs when you have sex.
We often see athletes preparing for a race by stretching their muscles to avoid tearing. Well, why not take a leaf out of their book and do the same to prepare for birth? Massaging the perineum at the end of pregnancy can help you prepare these muscles for the sensations of stretch and pressure which will be experienced during a vaginal birth. Some studies have found that perineal massage may reduce the risk of tearing in first time mothers.
It is important that you discuss your suitability to perform perineal massage with your maternity care giver before going ahead. Women can generally perform perineal massage from the 34th week of pregnancy. The massage should not be painful, you must have clean hands (and do NOT massage if you have any active infection). Some women perform this themselves with a mirror or get their partner to help.
If this is something you would like to do, we recommend speaking to your maternity caregiver or Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist to show you in more detail how you might perform this.
And if you think this is not for you - no problem - each and every one of us has our own ways of preparing the mind and body for such a momentous occasion and there is no right or wrong.