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BODY CARE
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The word “tearing” and “vagina” in the same sentence is enough
to give even the most pain-tolerant mama a chill down her spine.
The good news is that if your lady parts do tear, which with first
time births is unfortunately very common, the healing period is
pretty quick, about a week or two of discomfort, mostly when
you’re trying to go number two.
In a perfect scenario, you wouldn’t tear, but there are measures
you can take to try and prevent it from happening. The first
anti-tear method is through perineal massage, which is the age
old practice of birth canal widening (yeah, I know, sounds a bit
odd) . The perineum refers to the area between your vagina and
rectum. Experts say that about six weeks before your due date,
start massaging an oil or lubricant at the base of your vagina to
help soften the tissue and increase its ability to stretch.
Another way to try and prevent tearing is with the position you’re
in during childbirth. Side-lying on the hands and knees or upright
squatting are all thought to prevent tearing. Ask your labour
team to apply warm compresses to the perineum right before
the baby comes to help reduce your chance of tearing. It’s also
thought that the more in control you are of the pushing, the less
chance there is for you to tear. So if you can slowly push between
contractions rather than pushing as hard as possible when your
doctor or midwife is counting, you’re not putting as much pressure
on your perineum, allowing the vaginal area to slowly stretch. Talk
to your doctor about their thoughts on perineal massage and
make sure to get the green light from them first.
How do I prevent tearing during birth?
Does perineal massage actually work?