As HypnoBirthing™ becomes more widely practised and recognized as a beneficial aid to pregnancy and labour, so some really great evidence and reviews are being produced. Here are some really interesting results:
Benefits of Perineal Massage - A Cochrane Review
Within the HypnoBirthing™ Mongan Method course, we teach women and their birth partners (where relevant) how to practice perineal massage, and the amazing benefits this has. A Cochrane Review has been published which has clear results to endorse this. A Cochrane Review is where all relevant, important clinical trial results are collated and reviewed. In this instance, four trials were reviewed to include a total of 2497 women. The results conclude that there is a definite link to perineal massage in the last weeks of pregnancy and reduction of episiotomy or perineal trauma during birth. This further proves what we are teaching, that such a simple exercise can make such a huge difference to your birth story.
The review conclusion states:
“Perineal massage during the last month of pregnancy has been suggested as a possible way of enabling the perineal tissue to expand more easily during birth. The review of four trials (2497 women) showed that perineal massage, undertaken by the woman or her partner (for as little as once or twice a week from 35 weeks), reduced the likelihood of perineal trauma (mainly episiotomies) and ongoing perineal pain. The impact was clear for women who had not given birth vaginally before, but was less clear for women who had. Women should be informed about the benefits of digital antenatal perineal massage.”
If you are interested in reading the full facts and figures involved in the review, you can read it here. If you would like to learn more about the HypnoBirthing course and what we teach, contact me at hannah@calmbirths.uk