I’m in my thirties, and during the past ten or fifteen years, I’ve watched in awe as countless friends have gone through the miraculous transformations of pregnancy. It seemed like every time another woman I knew became pregnant, I would learn more than I thought possible about the process. There is so much to know, and sometimes it can feel like there is no end to how much one could learn about pregnancy and birth. I knew that when my own time came I would learn even more, and the past seven months have not dissapointed me in that department.
One technique that I was surprised to discover was Perineal Massage. During birth, your most sensitive parts are forced to stretch incredibly. A lot of this stretching relies on the perineum and pelvic floor relaxing when the time comes. For most women, this isn’t an area that we are used to conciously relaxing. That’s where the practice of Perineal Massage comes in. By stretching and conditioning the skin of the perineum and the muscles of the pelvic floor, it may be possible to help prepare your body for the stretching that will occur during childbirth.
You can learn more about how Perineal Massage works, and how to practice this technique by checking out the following articles:
- Prenatal Perineal Massage | Childbirth.org
- How to Do Perineal Massage | WikiHow
- Perineal Massage | About.com
If you have more questions about Perineal Massage, be sure to ask your doctor or midwife.
Perineal Massage Oil
Makes 2 ounces
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Organic Avocado Oil
- 1 ounces Organic Rose Hip Seed Oil
- 1/2 ounce Organic Pomegranate Seed Oil
- 1/2 ounce Organic Argan Oil
Directions
Combine ingredients in a small bottle and shake well to combine.
Usage & Packaging
This massage oil can be packaged in any 2 ounce bottle with a snap, disc, or dropper cap. I used a 2 ounce glass bottle with a dropper cap to store mine.
For tips on performing a Perineal Massage, check out this tutorial from WikiHow or consult your OBGYN or midwife.
This is wonderful, I wish I had known about this when I was having my babies, I bet it even lessens the need for an episiotomy. All of the essential oils used are great for the skin and they help with moisturizing the perineum which results in causing less trauma as the baby comes down the birth canal. Excellent post!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed this post. There is always so much more to learn when it comes to these amazing bodies of ours! I feel very lucky to have found a community of midwives to help me learn about these kinds of techniques for my first pregnancy.