Make the right choices for your birth prep

Even the very best doctor can’t give you guarantees that you aren’t going to experience some degree of tearing during childbirth. But there are a number of things you can do to minimize the risk of perineal tears and their severity.

Perineal massage during labor is usually done by the midwife. After inserting two fingers into the vagina. The effectiveness of perineal massage while the mother is in active labor has been shown in different studies.

You can do perineal massage on yourself, or you can have your partner do the massage for you. Whichever way you prefer, perineal massage is performed by using the thumbs and fingers to massage and stretch the perineum.

The NHS offers woman in the United Kingdom information about pregnancy and labour. Some NHS Trusts have created short guides to educate woman about preparing for childbirth and perineal massage. Below is a list of such resources that were prepared by various NHS Trusts.

The guides include information about preparing for childbirth, perineal care, and a mostly positive perspective about the use of perineal massage as a tool to reduce the chances of perineal trauma.

Exercising, in particular, strengthening the perineal muscles  or pelvic floor, has become increasingly important. It ensures not only a comfortable pregnancy for the mother but less stress during the birthing process for the child.

4th degree perineal tears are the most severe form of tear a woman can experience during the end stages of labor. There are in fact different degrees of perineal tears: Minimal tearing such as 1^st or 2^nd degree tears are common and expected. 3^rd or 4^th degree perineal tears occur more rarely.