One of the biggest fears most first-time mothers have is about what will happen “down there” after their baby is born. The perineum is the area of skin and muscle “down there” between your vagina and anus. It is the outermost layer of your pelvic floor and can sustain some damage with vaginal birth. Natural tearing is common in this area after vaginal birth, and occasionally your medical care provider may use an episiotomy to assist with the birthing process.
Fortunately for us, our bodies have the wonderful ability to heal themselves with good nutrition, time, and skilled care. Here are some tips that you can try in the comfort of your home to help your perineum heal after birthing.
Healing from perineal tears can result in long-lasting pain and tightness at the site of the tear. This tightness can have some undesirable effects like:
- Making you afraid of intimacy with your partner or self pleasure
- Making penetrative intercourse or the use of intravaginal devices like tampons & diaphragms painful
- Increased risk of re-tearing with your next birth
Here are some easy techniques that you can use to improve the suppleness of your perineal scar tissue to reduce the issues you’re having.
Few things to remember when performing self massage of your perineum:
- Wait a minimum of 6-8 weeks before attempting perineal massage & stretching.
- If you have any discomfort or sharp pain, stop and try again after a few days when your perineal area feels better healed.
- Only use pressure that is comfortable. If you feel stinging or pain, ease off.
- If your tightness or pain symptoms persist, contact a Pelvic Floor Therapist for a thorough assessment, which will include an internal pelvic floor exam to diagnose areas of tightness and muscle imbalance which may be causing your discomfort.
Watch Sujata Martin, Pelvic Floor Therapist, explain 3 simple techniques you can use to help with healing from vaginal birth tearing and episiotomy scars. She provides in-home care after vaginal and cesaerean childbirth to help your body heal well, so you can return to all the things you love with confidence.
Check with your medical provider before trying the techniques on this page. Please contact your provider for any medical questions or concerns.
