Any info on EpiNo?

Hi there Ladies (and gents!)
Not sure if this is the right forum to post this question, but I'm new, so I figured it's a good a place as any to start...
I'm 29 weeks up the duff and was looking at the product EpiNo - has anyone used it or know of anyone that has used it? I'm after reports on benefits possibly reducing perineal tear but mostly the after affects of toning the pelvic floor. Of course, the manufacturers will tell you it's wonderful, but I'd like to get some 'tried and true' testimonials.
Thanks in advance for any responses... Betty

Hi and welcome Betty, congratulations on your pregnancy. I've not heard of EpiNo before, but I hope you get some answers. Maybe it would be worth asking in the pregnancy discussion areas too?

Betty,

There is an article on the main site that may be of use to you: just click here:

Thank you ladies, for your responses and congrats :)
Will check back in a few days to see if any users have visited - would really like to know before I invest $200! From what the paraphanalia states, it seems like it could be a good thing (especially for those like me who are hopeless at remember pelvic floor exercises). Thanks for the link Lucy, gotta love Brenda - she's my gal on the big day - very excited to be working with her.

Hi Betty,

I used the epi-no, but only got to 7cm with it before I went into labour 3 weeks early! My OB highly recommended it, and reckons it does reduce the risk of tearing. I had no tearing, and bub came out with just an hour pushing (which isn't too bad for 1st bub). OB reckoned it -can- reduce the length of the pushing stage, but it's probably not proven.. after all... who knows how long it would have been if they didn't use it! hehe.

Anyway.. my comment to my OB when Tallon was born.. was imagine how easy it would have been if i'd got to 10cm with the epi-no! LOL.

As for pelvic floor.. it only really gives you something to squeeze down on.. and gives you a reading of the pressure you're exerting. You can just as easily do it without it.

Remember this too - you are more likely to tear from fast pushing, if you have had an epidural and aren't sure how you are pushing, if you are on your back or if you are so tense and are keeping the area tightened in pain - just like when we tense up, we tighten our sholders, jaw etc. If you are okay with it, include in your birth plan that you want guidance at crowning, so the midwife can get you to slow down and let your perineum stretch slowly. There is a technique that Ina May Gaskin uses very successfully for this, it's hard to explain without a diagram. I'll use a TMI explaination here. When you do a poo, you don't shoot it out real quick or it would be painful (and sometimes you can get tears down there too!). Also, it's another sphincter in the body, one designed to open, close and does it become all loose afterwards? No it regains it's form! A woman's reproductive organs are amazing, natural produced hormones help them do what they need to do, stretch and then bounce back. More tears happen in hospitals than they do at home with a private midwife.

With the epi-no, it's important that you don't exceed the recommended amount of exercises as you can have problems with overstretching if you go overboard! Not pleasant ones!

Oh just wanted to add... another reason the OB recommended it, is even if you just use it to learn to control the muscles down there.. he said there a lot of women who don't "let the baby out". So if you are aware of the muscles, you're able to be in more control, and then you're less inclined to hold the baby in! hehe. Once you get up to 8-10cm the instructions say to push the balloon out, so it simulates giving birth.. I didn't get that far.. but I can say that I struggled keeping the thing in there anyway! LOL. My body just wanted to push it out!

Thanks Ivana - exactly the feedback I was after.
Will chat with my midwife about it a bit more, but it looks like it may be worth it.
Cheers, Betty

No probs. I guess my attitude was "it can't hurt to try" :) But definitely follow the instructions and don't over do it :)

I'd be very careful with this! Do you really want to be simulating giving birth over and over? What might this do to your pelviv floor?

This is my opinion about devices such as the epi-no. *hops up on soap box*

To me it is telling womin that their bodies are no good at preparing to birth their babies and they need outside help. To me this device implies that a womuns body is inadequate and may reduce a womuns confidence in her body to birth without assistance.

I do recall reading an article about this device and its potential to cause damage to the pelvis floor. I must find it and provide a link.

If you really want to try something to reduce the chances of tearing could I suggest some gentle perineal massage? Once again, don't over do this as it can cause tenderness and swelling of the tissues and so when it comes time to give birth, the tissues may not stretch as well.

My gf swears by the epiNo, and has had 3 vaginal deliveries with no tears. Best of luck with your research....

I have two births, no tears too ;)

In VIC the intact peri rate is around 42% from memory (stats posted in labour forum I think). It's a much higher rate for intact peri's in public hospitals compared to private and very high rate of intact peri's for homebirth. Says something about the care and birth philosophy I think...

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To me it is telling womin that their bodies are no good at preparing to birth their babies and they need outside help. To me this device implies that a womuns body is inadequate and may reduce a womuns confidence in her body to birth without assistance.

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I'm pretty sure my body is capable of doing a backflip too.. but I certainly wouldn't attempt it without a bit of practice or warming up! I think if anything, at the very least, using an epi-no or doing perineal massage lets you feel like you're doing something to help prepare your body for one part of the birth process.

It's the same with pelvic floor exercises that everyone insists on.. is this because we don't trust our bodies to know what to do after birth?

I don't think it reduces confidence in our body's ability, I think it could boost confidence..coz when you use it.. you think.. hey.. this is pretty easy! And it's such a gradual process getting up to "birthing" size.

I really don't see the harm in either perineal massage or epi-no when done in a balanced way.

The main argument in the birth world is that it reduces confidence in the woman's own body and that there should be things out there boosting confidence in what we are given because we are made to do the job :)

I've never seen it as a must-have tho.. as if the body isn't capable. We are definitely made to do the job.. but I think preparing the perineum falls into the same category as doing any other exercises to prepare for the birth, be it pelvic floor, or general fitness exercise. It's just something you can do to -help- prepare the body, coz while we are made to do it.. it's no easy thing! :)

Just read through responses since I last visited.. again thank you for the feedback. I have to say I have never doubted my body's ability to birth - I too saw the epino as helping with 'warm-up' exercises for the main event. I have since decided to forego the product and put the $200 into my hammock (go Amby!). As you say Kelly, there is a very high rate of intact perineums with homebirths, and I trust my midwives and my body implicitly! Thanks again ladies, for your thoughts.

I must say that the perinal masage is great! I have had 2 vag births with not even a graze & my boys heads are big! I even had comments from the midwofe about how well i did not to tear.
With my first I was rather strict about doing the massage each night while in the shower. With my 2nd I was a little slack but I still managed to push out a 37cm head with no probs.

Good on you Betty :) I didn't get very far with the epino, coz Tallon came early, so what I had done was probably the equivalent of just doing perineal massage. hehe. So i probably could have saved some money myself! I just liked knowing I was doing -something- to help it stretch!

I think I liked the idea of it being a 'uniform' stretch.. whereas with just doing a massage yourself, I couldn't see it stretching it all at once.. if you know what I mean.