Childbirth is powerful, transformative, and yes, often unpredictable. But what if there was a gentle, natural way to prepare your body for that long-awaited moment? Perineal massage is one of those quietly effective practices that more and more moms-to-be are turning to. This simple technique helps soften and stretch the perineal tissues, potentially reducing tears, discomfort, and the need for interventions during delivery.
In India, maternal health is still a big concern. Even though maternal mortality has decreased, many women still face perineal trauma. Curious to know how a simple self-care routine like this can make labour easier and more comfortable? Let’s find out more from this blog.
Perineal Massage: What Is It and Why Do It?
The perineal massage is a gentle way of stretching the perineal muscle and skin, and it’s normally done by a pregnant woman herself (or her partner) in the weeks before going into labour. At times, the massage is also performed by a healthcare provider during the 2nd stage of labour. The primary objective of the perineal massage during pregnancy is to make the tissue a lot more elastic. That way, when the baby passes through, there is a low chance of deep tears.
What Does the Research Say About Perineal Massage?
In India, it has been reported that perineal trauma is pretty common. In several centres, the 2nd-degree perineal tears (that involve deeper layers) were seen in roughly 1.6% of women, even when an episiotomy was used. Apart from that, in another study, around 15.34% of women experienced perineal tears (lacerations, and 4.67% of them experienced anal sphincter tears, despite episiotomy. All these figures clearly show that even with episiotomy, tears are common, and perineal massage during pregnancy is a helpful tool in lowering severe trauma.
How Can Perineal Massage Help?
Now that you know what is perineal massage, let’s understand its various advantages during childbirth:
1. Lowers Severe Tears
The antenatal perineal massage can potentially lower the chances of major perineal trauma greatly, especially the 3rd and 4th degree tears.
2. Less Pain
Women who performed this particular massage have reported experiencing less perineal pain after giving birth.
3. Shorter Labour Second Stage
The 2nd stage of labour (the time when the baby is pushing through) would be slightly shorter in women who receive perineal massage before birth.
4. Improved Pelvic Floor Function
The perineal massage for normal delivery conducted before and during the labour can improve the pelvic floor health after birth. In return, it can lower problems such as loose control or gas leakage.
How to Do the Perineal Massage? (Comfortably and Safely)
When learning how to do perineal massage, you must keep in mind that you should begin the massage around 34 to 36 weeks of pregnancy. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Step 1: Wash your hands properly and use a clean and gentle lubricant or oil.
- Step 2: Sit in a relaxed position, then gently insert your thumbs into vagina and press down and toward the sides to stretch the perineal tissues.
- Step 3: Make a “U” shaped movement, and stretch the lower section of the perineum.
- Step 4: Hold the stretch for about 1 to 2 minutes and then release.
Once you learn how to do perineal massage for normal delivery, you should do it several times each week. Here, consistency is important a lot more than the long session. During labour, a massage or gentle support during the pushing stage can help greatly. However, it should only be done with a birth partner or a trained provider.
Things to Be Mindful About
Apart from knowing the perineal massage meaning, there are certain things you should be careful of:
- Be sure to consult the physician or a midwife before starting the massage, particularly if you have a fragile perineum, a previous tear, or a surgical procedure.
- Reduce or stop the massage if it’s too painful. A bit of discomfort is okay, but a sharp pain is not a good sign.
- Cleanliness matters a lot. You should use clean oil, clean hands and do it in a hygienic space.
- The massage doesn’t guarantee no tear; it’s just a tool that can help lower the risk, but not eliminate it.
Conclusion
Perineal massage is a proven and simple technique that helps support a healthier childbirth. With periodic and gentle practice and proper assistance, it can lower pain, tears and also help the perineum to stretch naturally. You should always speak to your care providers about when to start perineal massage, and it’s certainly worth considering if you want the labour journey to be smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions Related to Perineal Massage
When should you start a perineal massage during pregnancy?
As per experts' suggestion, one should start the massage around 34 to 36 weeks and typically do it once or twice weekly.
How much does perineal massage reduce tearing?
Studies show this type of massage lowers severe (3rd to 4th degree) tear risk by 44% (RR = 0.56).
How do I give my wife a perineal massage?
Use clean fingers with lubricant, gently stretch in a “U” motion toward the anus for 1 to 2 minutes.
Can perineal massage cause damage?
When done gently and hygienically, it rarely causes harm; sharp pain or infection risk is low if precautions are followed.
Do doctors recommend perineal massage?
Yes. Many medical reviews (for instance, the WHO) support it to reduce severe tearing during childbirth.
