Internal checks during delivery?

[Breeelizabeth]

Can I say no to having my cervix checked during labour? Or is it a necessary type thing? Are there other ways to tell if I'm dilating?

I just know I won't cope well with people's fingers being up there (I'm still coming to terms with the fact people will be looking at Old Mary and if I could I'd make them deliver baby blindfolded!!). My OB will probably tell me I'm being silly but I don't feel at all comfortable with internals.

 

[Mummy to be x]

I really think it's a MUST in labour.

 

[Citycroft]

Pretty much a necessity and honestly I really don't think when the time comes it'll bother you at all.

 

[Feff]

I was really nervous about this but apart from the first one when I wasn't dilated I really can't remember if the others hurt or not. At one point I had a whole hand up there and can't even remember feeling it if you're worried you'll be embarrassed about it trust me you won't, you'll be that focused on getting baby out you will barely realise!

 

[MummyToAmberx]

VE are not needed. You can decline ** anything ** you do not want.

Make this very clear in your birth plan, and let your birthing partner know of your wishes.

I for one, do not want any internals done unless i ask or is a serious need for them, telling a women how dilated they are gives you no further information other than that number. Many times it can dishearten a women if they feel they should have progressed more not to mention the fact it can be very uncomfortable and painful in active labour.

Have a read through this and do some research about your choices in birth, its all down to whether you consent or not.


https://www.aims.org.uk/Journal/Vol22No1/VEsDiagnostic.htm

 

[sethsmummy]

you dont have to "let" them do anything to you during labour you dont want to happen hun including VE.

A lot of VE's can actually impact pretty badly on labour (i know this first hand).

I have down on my birth plan that they have to limit them and can only do one when completely neccesary. So maybe every couple hours to see how dilated i am and thats it and im only allowing that because ill be a VBAC xx

 

[Reidfidleir]

Not necessary. I had a home birth with my first. No internal checks. My midwives were trained enough to recognize each stage of labor without checking dilation. Your body won't push until it's actjally ready to.

 

[lj2245]

It's entirely up to you. With my first labour progressed slowly and I found it helpful to know how far dilated I was. With my 2nd the midwife asked if I would like checked and I agreed, she said I was 2cm dilated and the baby was born 45 mins later so we didn't have time for any further checks. With my 3rd I won't bother at all, unless it's for a sweep.

Think about it carefully. Its your body. I would wait and decide at the time.

 

[x Helen x]

I will not be having any this time round.

I was only checked once in my last labour and I was only 1cm, in absolute agony - I was terrified by the amount of pain I was already in at this stage! I gave birth just a couple of hours later. Midwives were trying to send me home 10 minutes before my little girl popped out as I "wasn't in established labour yet". So in my case, the internal examination was completely useless anyway and if anything hindered the process as led midwives to believe that nothing was happening when clearly it was! Saying that, I didn't find it painful or uncomfortable at all. My hospitals policy is to only examine you once every 3-4 hours as the more examinations you have the more likely it is that an infection could be introduced. That's another reason why I will be declining this time round. That and the fact that it was pointless anyway.

 

[purplecupcake]

Don't do it, so painful! I had one as soon as I got to the hospital because I had just had my first contraction about an hour before so I think they thought I was being dramatic but really I was fully dilated. You will know its time to push when you reach the "I can't do this" phase and/or feel like you need to poop really bad.

 

[ParisJeTadore]

Don't do it, so painful! I had one as soon as I got to the hospital because I had just had my first contraction about an hour before so I think they thought I was being dramatic but really I was fully dilated. You will know its time to push when you reach the "I can't do this" phase and/or feel like you need to poop really bad.

Not always true. I had a few checks at the hospital (even at 10cm) and, while it's not the most pleasant sensation, did not find them painful at all. Everyone is different so it will depend on OP.

It's entirely up to you whether you want checks or not. Honestly, I found I really didn't care who saw what when I was in the throws of labour. For my last pregnancy I'm glad they did checks because I failed to progress for ten hours (I had back labour) so despite my contractions getting worse my cervix wasn't changing. That changed their course of action and wouldn't have known that was the case if they hadn't done a check.

 

[DJMooMoo79]

I think it depends on your OB. I know with my midwives I requested not to be checked and they are perfectly ok with that. However my last OB, when I requested something similar, told it was standard procedure they have to follow and I really didn't have a choice

 

[emeeorevan]

I'm pretty sure it depends on many things. Midwife vs OB, whether or not you want an epidural and hospital policies as some hospitals/birthing centers are trained to recognize labor stages while others rely on cervical checks.

 

[minties]

You can say no to anything during labour. Your body, your choice.

They were excruciatingly painful for me!

 

[MummyToAmberx]

I think it depends on your OB. I know with my midwives I requested not to be checked and they are perfectly ok with that. However my last OB, when I requested something similar, told it was standard procedure they have to follow and I really didn't have a choice

You so do have a choice. You can decline anything you do not want.

 

[emeeorevan]

I think it depends on your OB. I know with my midwives I requested not to be checked and they are perfectly ok with that. However my last OB, when I requested something similar, told it was standard procedure they have to follow and I really didn't have a choice

You so do have a choice. You can decline anything you do not want.

choice, yes. But if you want an epidural then they have to check you cause they are not supposed to give them until 4cm and many hospitals will not do them after 8cm.
just saying your choice depends on many things.

if you are planning a completely natural, non medical intervention then say no.
but if you want epidural, are trying for a vbac or have any other medical complications, I feel you should be open to them BUT only when you feel ready.
when I had my sons they always had to ask first cause they cannot do ANYTHING to YOUR body without your consent (except in true life or death emergency situations which then fall to your dh to make decisions)
with mine I was checked about twice each time and it was not painful at all as my contractions were already worse by then, but with an epidural they will check when they feel you're close to pushing as most of the time you cannot feel the urge to push.

 

[MummyToAmberx]

I think it depends on your OB. I know with my midwives I requested not to be checked and they are perfectly ok with that. However my last OB, when I requested something similar, told it was standard procedure they have to follow and I really didn't have a choice

You so do have a choice. You can decline anything you do not want.

choice, yes. But if you want an epidural then they have to check you cause they are not supposed to give them until 4cm and many hospitals will not do them after 8cm.
just saying your choice depends on many things.

if you are planning a completely natural, non medical intervention then say no.
but if you want epidural, are trying for a vbac or have any other medical complications, I feel you should be open to them BUT only when you feel ready.
when I had my sons they always had to ask first cause they cannot do ANYTHING to YOUR body without your consent (except in true life or death emergency situations which then fall to your dh to make decisions)
with mine I was checked about twice each time and it was not painful at all as my contractions were already worse by then, but with an epidural they will check when they feel you're close to pushing as most of the time you cannot feel the urge to push.

Of course type of pain relief will reflect what needs to be done but so many women think they have to do what they are told when its not the case.

 

[NotNic]

I had one to check how dilated I was when I arrived before being allowed in the pool then nothing until afterwards to check if I needed stitches. Not actually that bad really. I don't believe in a straightforward labour any more are needed.

 

[Gingerspice]

I know of several who MW thought weren't far from their composure but when chec I ed were 5cm or more so we're allowed to stay at hospital /get in pool etc

Aloo my cervix didn't move back equal, apparently I had a slight 'lip' so despite body saying to push it caused that to swell as hadn't fully moved back wwhich slowed things down and stopped head moving down until I had it mannually pushed back as it had swollen too much. I think I had at least 3 internals, but i didn't find them painful. Mind you episiotomy and ventouse with no pain relief kind of sets the bar very high so nothing comes close to that pain!

 

[Larkspur]

I had 3 checks with my first birth (4cm, 6cm and fully dilated) and the last was definitely necessary as it turned out I had swelling on one side of my cervix that was hindering delivery and I couldn't push until it went down, even though I reeeeally wanted to.

Second birth had one check at 6cm and delivered 25 minutes later. I didn't find any of the checks uncomfortable at all but I admit I am strangely relaxed about having people rustle around down there, haha.

I would say just keep an open mind. Some things can't really be diagnosed without checks. Getting tense about it will likely make it more difficult.