Welcome
Perineal stories
WE STRETCH
Although there are 18 years apart, it is all my body.
1 – Forceps, massive episiotomy
2 – Natural – intact perineum
3 – Keilland’s rotational forceps – intact perineum
4 – C section – intact perineum
However – C scar had many stories rolled into one.
1 – Early 1977 Public with own doctor
Byron Bay hospital with Dr David Miller – who went onto become everyone’s darling home birthing doc. Not in my case . .showing off his newly found plastic surgery skills. 3/4 an hour – one stitch . . no pain relief and warm salt baths to sit in, gingerly blot dry, then infra red lamp to allow healing. Anestehtic to do the deed? Pudenedal block – you do not want one of these – worse than the labour – no pain relief for this.
Shame of this was – vegan mum. Even after 3 years, the peri was not happy inviting guests. Even now – nearly 50 years later – a source of regret.
What I did not know
1 – Body needs ingredients to heal easier.
2 – Avoid all hospitals as birth is not within their scope of practice. Fee for service arrangement – the more that they do, the more $$ changes hands .
3 – Need to get up and be so compliant/way more defiant. Only I would have known how to birth that baby – Nature tells us as we go along.
4 – Intact perineum is essential for even sneezing . .
Why episiotomy?
Not given the space to birth the way we are designed. Lying in bed in between surged is not that.
Doc thought 90 minutes pushing in supported squat – thus not gravity – was enough and cut back to anus. Initially with BLUNT scissors, and then forceps him out. Why? No need past he was in charge.
2 – Early 1984 – Private hospital, own doctor
Boothville, Brisbane – small and peaceful in an older 2 storey house. Eventual easy birth – after 90 minutes again of pushing – baby almost same size. He came out. I realised I had to make it hurt more – as much as I could – then it would all be over. As it was. . .No hassles with peri – but I went straight from the hospital to the chiro who undid the extreme swollen feeling I had ‘down below’ as I had been expected to birth squatting and some of us are not built for this. . .Magic relief.
Easiest position for me pushing? Seems improbable – lying on left side lateral. Until I saw this whilst writing this page – I was quite sure he was born in the comfy position. But here we go again – supported squat – so much easier on my side, only pushing, not holding all my weight (3 stone extra more than usual) .
That is what I remember – the relief of feeling baby coming down – prior to that could feel STUCK.
Someone was holding my leg up and all I had to do was push. Obviously lying on the bed was the way it happened – so doc had control . .
Note – baby within me was lying on my left side, and did the face to my colon catching the bacteria needed to digest, turning to birth shoulders
There is a real need for someone to be photographing mums (for later) are not there at the ‘business end.
3 – Late 1986 – Private hospital and private own doctor
Boothville, lovely hand picked by me obstetrician.
Baby in all sorts of woe – so after 90 minutes of STUCK in pushing, was discovered to be OP facial presentation). Although she was my largest at 8 1/2 lbs and the largest forceps, and also a man’s hands in there – no tears, rips, grazes, splits or cuts – or bruises. Why these ones? Needed to go into womb, turn baby, then hold as I pushed her out.
Perineum perfect – stretched so far and no troubles . .
4 – Late 1994 – Public hospital, public surgeon
Christchurch Women’s Hospital. C section.
Perineum OK BUT – worst experience as the healing!
Can’t get up and do stuff – got all that healing to do – and this time, as a single mum – and massively brain injured daughter to chase after.
Healing after?
So needed. . .
What to do?
Start with perineal steaming – a few days after birthing is fine.
Self care requires a different mind set – self first – see more here
Or – if you want to know about what to do with your scar – here is a great starting point.
One woman’s journey with an unhealed perineum . .
What did I send her home with?
Even better now as the precis posters/charts of all sorts of dramas. How to help yourself as she did – after birthing
Easy Pregnancy Resources‘ – more for the earlier months
Your own perineum?
Scars/adhesions from whatever cause/however long ago.
SUGGESTION – maybe look to perineal steaming and also scar relieving
Maybe ask – What If Something Goes Right? (a free taster to see if you wish to be part of the self help challenge
Later pregnancy?
Easy Pregnancy Solutions – all of this – more for the later stages with the eBooks for birthing preparation and
Not planning n going back for more – but need a hand with healing?
Your own are a great start . . belly soothing to calm you – so you CAN chill, digest well to heal, and sleep deeply
Nutrients – maybe splash out and get informed?
Massive programme here – all self paced – Nourishing YOU is about the ingredients we need to be well in a body, and what they do . .
And how a well body processes food to fuel and run itself – essentially -what is under the hood – the engine of us.
In a nutshell . .
Being Woman ($US 17)
Undoing Your Scars ($US 27)
Perineal steaming ($US 97)
Soothing (your belly/your hands) ($US 97 or $20 extra with steaming)
If going into pregnancy (again) or for the first time
What If Something Goes Right? (FREE)
Undoing Your Scars ($US 27)
Easy Pregnancy Resources ($US 97)
Easy Pregnancy Solutions ($US 147)
Nourishing YOU ($US 127)
