A perineal massage session explained
Perineal massage is a technique used during pregnancy to prepare the perineum (the area between the vaginal opening and the anus) for childbirth. We know that many mums-to-be struggle know they should do it, but they struggle with knowing how to do it. Or sometimes they would prefer a professional to do it. We can help you learn how to do perineal massage, or we can do it for you!
What to Expect from a Perineal Massage Session:
History
We will begin by taking a brief history. There are many factors that can contribute to pelvic floor tension including stress, injuries, such as a fall to your tailbone, or a history of tears during previous childbirth. If you’ve never seen us before, we may discuss how a whole body treatment could be used to address some of these tensions.
Informed Consent
It is of utmost importance that you feel safe within our session. Before we begin the hands on part of the session, we will explain what we are going to do, to minimise any surprises during our session. We will give you plenty of opportunity to ask questions, and we want you to know that we welcome questions throughout the session. It is important that you feel safe and understand that you can stop the session at any time.
We know that perineal massage can be daunting for some people and we respect that you may not wish to continue. You can ask to stop at any time.
Hands-on treatment
If you’re still happy to proceed, we will do a quick whole-body physical assessment. Sometimes we’ll do some hands-on treatment to other parts of your body if we feel that it may be impacting your pelvic floor. Then we’ll move onto perineal massage.
There are different ways of doing perineal massage depending on your own preferences. Some people prefer to have us do perineal massage for them, while others would like to learn how to do it for themselves.
Perineal Massage by Your Practitioner
This is an ideal option for those who are not interested in doing it themselves and want to leave it to the experts!
Your practitioner will insert one (or sometimes two fingers) 2-4 cm into your vagina.
They will apply a gentle massage to your perineum while guiding you through a variety of breathing and/or visualisation techniques to encourage your pelvic floor to soften and help create an increase in flexibility of your perineal tissues.
If you don’t wish to do your own perineal massage, this can be done once or twice a week depending on your needs and preferences.
Support in Doing Your Own Perineal Massage
Your practitioner will begin by showing you what a perineal massage feels like (see above).
We will then work with you to find a position that is most comfortable for you and guide you through the process of perineal massage. Most people will feel confident to do perineal massage at home after this session, but if you need more support you are welcome to book another session or ask us about it during your usual treatment session.
Support in Partner Perineal Massage
Some people would like their partner to do perineal massage for them. If you like, you can bring your partner to a session and we can work with you to guide you through the process.
To start, your practitioner will begin by showing your partner what a perineal massage looks like (see above).
Then they will work with you both to find a position that is comfortable and guide your partner through the process of perineal massage.
Having your partner perform your perineal massage can be a great opportunity for them to learn how your body responds to discomfort and together explore different tools that can help to relieve pain and soften the tissues, helping to build confidence for labour.
Education
We think that a perineal massage session is a great time to do some preparation for labour. Throughout your session we will work with you on different cues, breathing techniques, and visualisations, to help you identify what your body and pelvic floor respond well to. We want to help you understand how you can use a range of tools to create more space and flexibility within your perineal tissues.
Please note that during your session we will often talk about how your perineum is being affected by tensions in other parts of your body. We may recommend coming in for a session to help address other factors that may be contributing to your perineal tension. Additional treatment is completely optional, but we want you to know how interconnected everything in the body is.
If you're concerned about any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing, or you need further information or support with perineal massage, please don't hesitate to get in contact with us or book a perineal session with your partner or on your own.