Coping with internal exams

[Fiore]

I've had two internal exams so far this pregnancy and I hated each as much as the other. I can't relax and I struggle to cope, if it wasn't for LOs health then I would refuse them.

How do you cope with them? Do you think you are elsewhere or practise your breathing? Thanks ladies, much appretiated! I'm sure it's not just me in this boat but I'm a total whimp lol!xx

 

[katzone]

I just try not to think about it, lol, not easy. And "try to relax" ... yeah right... I have my private area out in front of you and you are putting things in it!

 

[Fiore]

I just try not to think about it, lol, not easy. And "try to relax" ... yeah right... I have my private area out in front of you and you are putting things in it!

They gave me a sheet to cover my modesty last night, all it did was hide my pubes from them! They were going to shine a torch up my lala, I think it would have been better for them to have let me strip in private without them there than to have made me dance behind a sheet lol xx

 

[CLH_X3]

Iv had a few of these before and they dont bother me... but what i find do help is tensing my hands, clenching them into balls and releasing and tensing again ..

I dont know why .. as your having an exam down there you dont want to be clenching your bottom area so i think thats why i do it with my hands

 

[lushious09]

ive had plenty not just in pregnancy and they have never bothered me... but the last one i had due to a panic over possible waters leaking (they wernt just me been a fuss pot) was soooooo uncomfy it was unreal! i was like OW OW OW OW through the entire thing just think it cant be worst then child birth thats probs not what we need to hear tho lol

 

[Fiore]

ive had plenty not just in pregnancy and they have never bothered me... but the last one i had due to a panic over possible waters leaking (they wernt just me been a fuss pot) was soooooo uncomfy it was unreal! i was like OW OW OW OW through the entire thing just think it cant be worst then child birth thats probs not what we need to hear tho lol

Pre pregnancy I was fine with them too, I had an IUD embedded into my cervix and had many doctors probing around up there and it was never as bad. Even when one doctor tried to remove it I hardly felt a thing even though there was loads of blood on the table afterwards!xx

 

[Deux]

I'm always uncomfortable about it but I just breath and practice relaxation. I imagine this to be nothing compared to when baby is coming out with fluids and such. It's always awkward because my husband comes into the room with me, LOL, it's just weird having a dr. probing up there and my DH sitting next to me.

 

[MissKate]

I haven't had any internal exams???? When did you ladies have them?

 

[gemabee]

i haven't had any in pregnancy yet but i've had one before... can honestly say it didn't bother me at all.
the drs / nurses see it all the time... i'm pretty sure i'm 'normal' down there so whats there to be bothered bout??

 

[xemmax]

if you were fine with them pre-pregnancy then it's probably just down to your natural protectiveness. funny what our bodies do when we're preggers - i'm scared of spiders at the moment and i'm sure it's just a natural response - i was never bothered before! x

 

[wantingno.2]

I havent had to have any yet this pregnancy but always fine them extremely embarrassing more than anything.

When i had my son they only checked me about 3 times, which was a pleasent surprise.... i had visions of allsorts of fiddling going on down there making it even sorer than it was going to be anyway!!! i did however end up with a pair of forceps up there ... although i'd had an epi by then so i wasnt that bothered just relieved they were helping me.

My sister said when she had her epi they put a monitor on babies head and to quote 'they put a whole arm up me like i was a cow' This absolutely terrified me but they didnt do it to me, thank god x

 

[Fiore]

It's not so much I'm embaressed about them seeing my lady bits but that it bloody well hurts. I know it will hurt so tense up and it hurts more. I'm my own worse enemy!

I'm always uncomfortable about it but I just breath and practice relaxation. I imagine this to be nothing compared to when baby is coming out with fluids and such. It's always awkward because my husband comes into the room with me, LOL, it's just weird having a dr. probing up there and my DH sitting next to me.

I nearly said at the first one "this is a bit like a cheesey porn film, we'll start having a lesbian orgy whilst my OH watches" and thought better of it!! I'm sure they would have thrown me out lol! It was just that I was nervous and I tend to say daft things when nervous xx

 

[Deux]

That would have been a hilarious thing to say...I can't imagine the response, LOL.

 

[Mrs Liamxxs]

i havent had when pregnant apart from when i was induced with my first child, and i hated that, but the ones i had when i was in labour really wasnt that bad as i was concentrating more on when the next contraction was coming and because i knew that everytime they gave me an internal when i was in labour that it was actually helping my labour move along quicker xx

 

[ladykara]

some women dont mind them, i find them really painful.. they tell me relax... its impossible for me to relax, i have to hold something and bite down on something... Last time i had a swab taken i asked not to have that metal contraption shoved up there.. I swear when your in labor they shove a whole hand up there, it was more painful than giving birth !!!

 

[Nat77]

I HATED internal exams---especially when I was 37 + weeks in my pregnancy. I was scared that if I could barely handle these internal exams, than I'd really be in trouble when it came to giving birth. After I gave birth to my son, I thought that the exams were actually the worst part of it all (especially when they were checking to see how far I had dilated.).....I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you can make it through those internal exams--labour isn't really that bad.

 

[Fiore]

I HATED internal exams---especially when I was 37 + weeks in my pregnancy. I was scared that if I could barely handle these internal exams, than I'd really be in trouble when it came to giving birth. After I gave birth to my son, I thought that the exams were actually the worst part of it all (especially when they were checking to see how far I had dilated.).....I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you can make it through those internal exams--labour isn't really that bad.

That's what I'm worrying about xx

 

[Saywhat]

Are these exams routine?? I haven't had any (apart from an unrelated smear/coloscopy)
I'm 37 weeks and wondering why they haven't now!!

 

[Fiore]

I've only needed internals when I've had a bleed xx

 

[Nathyrra]

I have to have an internal every 4 weeks since I found out I was pregnant I think it's just the German protocol. They were fine up until about 30 weeks now they're very uncomfortable. I've got quite a high pain fresh-hold but I absolutely dread them now.

I think for me, I'm just more sensitive, I have a large ovarian cyst, baby is alot lower and I've not exactly been very 'regular' in third trimester so it all leads to a sucky experience. Internals always make me bleed too, I wish they'd just leave it alone