Dedicated Email: Birth – How to prepare ‘down there’…
Filed Under Dedicated Emails | January 15, 2008
There comes a point in every woman’s pregnancy when the reality of giving birth hits home and anxiety sets in. For first time mums in particular, the fear of the unknown can be just a little overwhelming.
Canadian mama Kim Vopni found just the thing to help alleviate some of that anxiety and after her positive birth experience she committed herself to introducing the innovative product to Canadian women as the National Distributor of the EPI-NO. EPI what? EPI-NO is short for ‘Episiotomy No’ and is a revolutionary product that helps women strengthen and protect their perineum and pelvic floor prior to birth and then regenerate tone post partum.
Based on well-known principals of stretching and strengthening muscles to train for an event, the EPI-NO gives expectant moms a way to prepare ‘down there’ for the upcoming birth. 
Vopni knows from experience that the EPI-NO works: her first child was over 8 pounds, and crowned sideways (it doesn’t get any wider than that!) and she didn’t tear.
The EPI-NO is based on a traditional African practice of stretching the perineum and pelvic floor muscles with the use of gourds, to facilitate a natural birth and reduce the risk of perineal injury. It was developed by Dr. Whilhelm Horkel, along with a team of gynecologists, midwives, urogenital physiotherapists and pregnant women.
How can the EPI-NO help? Let us count the ways:
- Clinical trials show a significant reduction of perineal injury in vaginal births
- Second stage of labour is considerably reduced which lessens the stress for both mother and child
- Less analgesic medication is required
- Reduces anxiety and enhances your self-confidence about the delivery
- Simple to use and easier than perineal massage
- Biofeedback gauge improves the quality of pelvic floor exercises
- Optimal device for speeding the regeneration/recovery process
The EPI-NO is not a one-off sort of thing either. Vopni used it successfully for the birth of her second child as well as post partum to restore tone. She continues to use it, even a year after her second son’s birth, to help maintain a strong pelvic floor.
So if you’re a bit squeamish about perineal massage, worried about tearing and would like to bounce back more quickly post partum — and who wouldn’t? — check out the EPI-NO: www.epi-no.ca
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