How to Prevent Vaginal Tearing During Childbirth

When I speak to pregnant women for the first time, I find that the two main things that worry them are: number 1) defecating in front of their partner, closely followed by number 2) vaginal tear. I decided to write about what a vaginal tear looks like! There are two things you can do, both before and after birth to help reduce the risk of a tear and, if a tear occurs, to help the area heal.

 

Perineal massage

Most of us don't really think about our perineum until we are faced with the prospect of tears during delivery. Lots of research indicates that women who use perineal massage during the last 6 weeks of their pregnancy can reduce their chances of tearing during labor and also lower their chances of having an episiotomy (nasty stuff!). Massage in International City

When done correctly, massaging the perineum has the benefit of making the skin more flexible, but just as importantly, it can help you become familiar with your perineum and what Basically, the perineal massage consists of a daily massage with natural oil (look without perfume).

There are videos and diagrams on how to accurately perform a perineal massage on yourself and if you can, talk to your midwife as they may have some printed materials to read that have been written by professionals. If this is not your first child and you are concerned about tearing an old perineal scar, you should look for a product with organic rosehip oil (known to break down scar tissue) or evening primrose oil.

Ayana Perineum Oil contains organic rosehip oil and natural vitamin E for this reason. NEVER use mineral oil-based oil on your perineum. It will have the opposite effect to what you are looking for, making the dry area less flexible.

 

Second, if you break up, it really isn't the end of the world! If you decide you don't have stitches, there is something you can do when you get home to make yourself more comfortable and speed up the natural healing process.

A bath tea (also known as a sits bath) can be of great benefit. Generally, bath teas contain salts known for their healing properties (Epsom, Himalaya, etc.), as well as a variety of herbs, which are also known to be calming and healing. Body Massage in International City

For a sits bath, you put a small amount of warm water in the tub (if you have one), but the salts and herbs in the water, and sit in the tub. Ayana Organics bath teas are Himalayan herbs and salt crystals contained in a teabag, which can be thrown into the water for easy cleaning afterward.