Birthing By Heart

Your perineum, is the area between your vagina and your anus. It’s the area that takes a fair bit of stretching in childbirth, to accomodate your baby.

It is said that the perineum is designed to stretch and accomodate a baby, however, certain situations can make it more prone to tearing. These include:

• Poor Birthing positions (such as on your back..)
• The use of Forceps or Ventous extraction in birth
• Pushing too hard, or too early (can be as a result of coached pushing)
• Previous episiotomy scarring

Perineal massage, has anecdotally been shown to reduce the instance of tearing in childbirth, and many women find it an empowering and reassuring activity to embark on prior to labour. It’s best performed daily in the last 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy (Or from approximately 34 weeks). It’s meant to hurt a little, like a chinese burn.

A step by step guide to massage is here as a PDF file.

Other techniques that may assist in avoiding tears are warm packs and oil massages as the baby crowns. Gentle support of the perineum may well be all that is needed to help it stretch to accomodate a baby.

Birthing in water, improves the elasticity of the skin, and supports the perineum.

Lubricating the area with vitamin E or Jojoba oil daily in the last few weeks of pregnancy may help improve elasticity. You can also try olive oil, or almond oil. Be sure to patch test before you slather the whole area in something you may potentially be allergic to!

Consider nature, cows, rabits, dogs, cats (all animals to the best of my knowledge) birth in instinctive positions, not even considering the impact of tearing. Nature didn’t get it quite as wrong as our obstetritcians would have us believe…

And never underestimate the power of positive visualisation. Visualise your vagina stretching beautifully to accomodate your baby. Your body is very capable, and is designed to birth.