The Gentle Birth Method: The Month-by-Month Jeyarani Way Programme

Benefits

Oxygenates the baby

Decongests the pelvic area and tones the uterus

Encourages the baby’s head to engage

Hastens labour

Decongests the veins

Reduces swelling in the legs

Helps to calm cystitis

Technique

The mother lies on her back on a bed or couch, propped up on pillows at a comfortable 45-degree angle. Olive oil is used as a lubricant and the masseur (ideally the mother’s partner) should warm the oil between his hands before applying it to the mother’s abdomen. Again, he should start with a cupped right hand, drawing the palm of the hand from the midline of the pubic bone to the right, along the bikini line, underneath and up around the tummy towards the iliac crest (hip bone). This should be done with a very light touch (no pressure moves) 10 to 15 times. Now switch hands and switch sides to the left and do the same. In total it should take about 10 minutes. The masseur should cool the skin by cupping as he goes along.

Vaginal and Perineal Stretch Massage

This massage technique is one of the best things you can do to help yourself during your pregnancy. Be aware that you may feel some tenderness in the tissues as they are stretched for the first time, particularly if you are very athletic, a dancer or ride horses. All mothers find that the vaginal muscles are thicker and more rigid on one side than the other. This is often related to your walking pattern, with either a left- or right-sided dominant gait causing hypertrophy of one side of the pelvic floor muscles.

For this massage I recommend you use my special Ayurvedic Perineal and Vaginal oil, which has been formulated to soften the vaginal muscles (although olive oil can be used simply as lubrication). If you are using the vaginal oil, use this to soak 7.5cm (3in) of a 15cm (6in) long strip of sterile gauze about a centimetre thick and insert 7.5cm (3in) of it into your vagina. This should be in situ for four hours before you do the massage – this will help to soften the tissues. Remember to dispose of the gauze before doing your vaginal stretching!

I prefer partners to perform this technique on the mother, because someone else can get a better depth of stretch, particularly after 36 weeks of pregnancy when your bump may be so big that you might not be able to reach the lowest part of your vagina. However, you can do it yourself, so this is also explained below.

Benefits

Creates more space in the vagina for the delivery of the baby’s head

Reduces the second stage of labour

Reduces the incidence of vaginal and perineal tears

Reduces the sting or burning sensation of the crowning stage

Maximizes the elasticity of the lower vaginal muscles and tissues

The transition stage is often minimal or absent in mothers who practise the perineal stretch massage

Helps reduce the pressure effects of the baby’s head, such as bruising, meaning a quicker recovery for you

Technique

Before you begin, make sure your hands/your partner’s hands are washed clean and that the fingernails are short. Lie down with your back propped up at a 45-degree angle. Remove the gauze swab.

Your partner should insert one finger, up to the first knuckle, into the vagina.

Breathe in deeply and, as you exhale, your partner should gently press his finger back towards the coccyx. He should relax the pressure during your inbreaths and push back with his finger only when you exhale. This trains your tissues to relax open when you exhale, as you would push the baby out during exhalation. Repeat six times, then change direction.

The stretch is only done in three directions: directly behind, to the left side and to the right side – never to the front. Imagine the directions as being at 6 o’clock, 4 ’clock and 8 o’clock positions within the lower half of your vagina. By the end of the first week, you will find a sense of ‘give’ in the muscles and you may progress to being stretched with two fingers up to the first knuckle. Eventually you will be able to insert two fingers deeper, up to the second knuckle, stretching more of the vaginal tissues.