Cervical Exam - Advice Needed

[Conundrum]

Hello ladies, I have a couple of questions I hope you all could help me with. Yesterday I had my 37 week exam(36+6) and my first vaginal check in the last few months. I was warned that it could be uncomfortable but while I was talking to DH and he was performing the procedure it was painful enough for me to lock completely up. He performed the Strep B test as well and sent me home. (Only a fingertip dilated and he did not mention how effaced I was at all.)

Since then I have been spotting dark blood, loosing small bits of my mucus plug and having period type pains to BH's. I am not concerned just highly uncomfortable and irritable. Is this normal though from a cervical exam or was there a reason it was painful? I have called his office and they told me it was due to me clenching, but I did not clench until it was already painful.

Do not know if I am being stubborn or what, but I have another coming up in five days and the pain from this one has yet to fade. I would honestly like to know if it was something I did or if there is a way to prevent the pain from happening again next week?

 

[Athena]

I don't think it's anything you did lovely, it does help to relax and breathe through cervical examinations but unfortunately they can be very uncomfortable. More so I find when you're not already in labour as when you're in labour you can ignore it a bit more because of the other pains. I remember getting checked there sticking in my mind as one of the worst bits so it's not just you. Good luck x

 

[RaisinKane13]

It's def from your appointment and unfortunately very normal. But you said it's been a while since you've had an exam. Not only has it been a while, but your cervix is SO sensitive you can barely touch it and it could start to bleed. I have this all the time! It's frustrating but it is normal. Luckily, you're at that time when checks become normal again, so hopefully you wont bleed next time.

 

[beeba]

Mine also hurt. My ob told me that it's completely normal to get some discharge and even bleed afterwards as the cervix is really sensitive and can get irritated easily

 

[Etoiles]

I also had bleeding from the two times I have had mine. I declined the one last week (at 38 weeks) because I was reading up on it and basically found out that the check really tells you nothing about when you are going to give birth since each woman's body acts so differently. I did get the check again this week but only because my Dr. is talking about induction and induction is more effective if you are already dilated so I wanted to know if I was.

 

[ProudArmyWife]

When my midwife checked me at 37 weeks with dd it was very painful. My cervix apparently sits up high and my midwife has tiny hands so it made it harder for her to reach I had horrible Braxton hicks the rest of that day. That was my one and only check until I went into labor though as I asked for minimal checks because my husband was deployed and I didn't want to randomly go into labor because my cervix was being irritated by the checks I think I'll be asking for minimal checks this time too though as it was just very painful and knowing how dilated or effaced I am isn't going to change when I go into labor but that's just me