Dam massage: How to do it right!

what is the dam

The perineum is the tissue between the vagina and the anus. During childbirth, this is extremely stressed by pressure and stretching. Small tears in and around the vagina naturally develop in many women during childbirth. You can prevent this with a perineal massage.

How does a perineal massage work?

You can start massaging the perineum regularly six weeks before the expected date of birth. This can make the birth process easier for you and reduce the likelihood of a perineal tear or episiotomy . With a targeted massage you make the perineum soft and elastic. This will make it easier for your baby’s head to slide through later. It is best to get yourself a massage oil. Good is an oil that is composed of St. John’s wort oil and wheat oil. Essential oils such as rose oil and clary sage are also often added. Your midwife can certainly give you precise mixing instructions.

You should wash your hands thoroughly before the massage to prevent introducing germs into the vagina. Take a little oil and spread it on your fingers. At first you should only use two, later three or four fingers. You then insert this about 3 cm into the vagina. Then you grab your perineum and massage in a U-shape for two to three minutes with a little pressure in the direction of the anus. It is best to repeat this every day until the birth. You will quickly notice that the perineum becomes supple and more lax. After the massage you should dab off the excess oil. Of course, your partner can also do the massage.

Perineal massage prevents perineal tears and episiotomy

The perineal massage prevents a serious perineal tear and the need for an episiotomy.

• Perineal tear : Unfortunately, a quarter of all births still involve a perineal tear. You can prevent this with a perineal massage. You may not be able to completely prevent a tear with this, but you can reduce the severity of the tear. This accelerates wound healing and reduces the associated symptoms. You can find out more about how to proceed in such a case in our article “ Perineal Tear”.
• Nowadays, the episiotomy is only done if your baby is no longer feeling well or if the perineum threatens to tear uncontrollably. It is considered appropriate in some cases to facilitate a difficult labor process, such as in the case of a breech delivery or births with forceps .