Internal examination

[GeorgeyGal]

Would you class an internal as medical intervention? Ive been having I guess pre labour warmups since last Tues but then they fizzle out and if I make it to my 41 week appointment I would be quite curious to find out where I am. Could this interfere with my natural plan and is there risk of infection?

Also the same with sweeps would you class this as medical intervention? I heard they usually take 2 days to work as well but Id rather choose a sweep than an induction as the lesser of 2 evils but would leave the sweep until 42 weeks.

Update: I've since searched on this forum for some answers and I think I'll wait until 42 weeks before considering any options apart from monitoring of course.

 

[PeanutBean]

I'm choosing not to have internals but I wouldn't class them as an intervention. I would class a sweep as one though.

To be honest I wouldn't personally get hung up on what is and isn't natural. I think the main thing is to be comfortable with whatever decisions you make and that YOU are the one to make them. I don't want a sweep if it comes to it but I could consider it as a concession if things were really getting late. It's certainly more natural than a pessary or drip!

 

[PeanutBean]

Oh and there is evidence showing a positive relationship between internals in pregnancy and infection, ie more infection correlating with more internals. I don't think I'd be anxious about a single internal unless my waters had gone.

 

[mitzee]

I was internally examined in labour, I was 10cms dilated without knowing it! It wasn't as bad as I thought and gave me a bit of a wake up call as I really had no idea where I was at

 

[GeorgeyGal]

I was internally examined in labour, I was 10cms dilated without knowing it! It wasn't as bad as I thought and gave me a bit of a wake up call as I really had no idea where I was at

Mitzi - Ive just read in another post that you did hypnobirthing, I also am practicing this and have been having pre labour warmups I assume for the past week, as you mentioned you were v relaxed as I am, I am just thinking now will I know when I need to call the midwife, did your surges become stronger and more frequent is that how you knew? Im in no pain but just whats described in the book as feeling constipated, like a low dragging sensation in lower back and sides. Was yours like this?

 

[madasa]

There is a bit of risk with internals; they increase the risk of infection, sometimes they are uncomfortable, they can even make you UNdilate and sometimes the membranes get ruptured. The same with a sweep. Internals are very often unnecessary.... Only have them if you want them. They are useless in late pregnancy, because you can be 3cm for a week, or you can be not dilated or effaced at all and go into labour the next day.

 

[Lilly12]

I wouldn't say an internal examination is an intervention as it doesn't do anything but tell you how far effaced/dilated you are.
It serves no purpose other than giving you a bunch of numbers and % , which don't tell when you'll go in to labor or how your labor will turn out to be.

I can imagine you being curious as to how far dilated/effaced you are, as I am the same. I did have a few internals already because I am just curious and can't resist.
I know that the numbers and % don't tell me a thing, really.

I would say sweeps/stripping the membranes is an intervention as it is done to try and bring on your labor.. or kick start it.
But your body wouldn't go in to labor cause of it, if your body/baby wasn't ready to do so in the first place.. it's just a little push in the right direction.

I'll be 41 weeks this Wednesday. If she offers to give me a sweep I might say yes.
But I doubt she will offer me a sweep as she is all for doing everything natural and just waiting on my body/baby to go in to labor itself.
I can't argue with this, as I want a natural birth and I don't want to "force" things.. but I don't consider a sweep "forcing" things..

 

[tigs]

I planned to have no internals - and in the event had one..

I wanted gas and air when the MW first arrived.. I dont think she believed I was that far along - and told me I 'had' to have an internal to be given gas and air.. I was begging for g and a...

To be fair I didn't care.. I just wanted the gas and air - and was happy for her to do an internal... I had decided that if she said I was 4 or 5 cm's I would head to hospital - as there was no way I could handle the pain..

As it was I was 8cm's... and given gas and air.. I'm not totally convinced her assessment was right.. as DS arrived about 40 mins.. I think I was in transition... I could have been 8cm - or slightly more I guess...

 

[NaturalMomma]

Yes, anything that is done out of the natural course of pregnancy is an intervention. You don't need to have a vaginal exam while pregnant, it won't tell you when you'll go into labor and it doesn't say much other than how far dialated and effaced you are, and it can be interperated wrong. Most women will go into labor sometime between 37 weeks and 42 weeks. I didn't have any with ds2.

 

[tristansmum]

i don't think its an intervention as they are just feeling to see what is happening- not doing anything to change your labour/birth ect.
If you want one done then don't worry too much about whether its classed as intervention. Having a birth plan is wonderful but remember things can change and its best to have an open mind otherwise you can end up dissapointed. I wanted a water birth (in birthing unit) with just gas & air. I ended up being induced due to obstetric cholestasis, baby getting stuck while trying to push and ending up with cat 1 emergency c section. its hard to come to terms with but tristan is here safe and healthy which is what matters. I would also say its worth getting a sweep if induction is looking likely- it may work and if not you've lost nothing. But don't go too early. The longer you leave it the better your chances are that cervix has soften and it will be successful. Best of luck xx

 

[lynnikins]

just to note sweeps wont work if your not ready and unless your MW is an Oaf then they wont damage the membranes(rupture) them either i had 3 with Nate and nothing happend and they attempted 2wice with EJ but my cervix was high and posterior ( stayed that way and was tht way when they did induce me )
dont get hung up on being Natural about things, different things will help and work differently for different people, i enjoyed my induced labour and birth with EJ alot more than the Natural 56hour labour with Nathaniel which ended in an assisted birth which if it had failed would have been a c-section!

 

[kirsty3]

I tried having a sweep last Friday as had the midwives saying how "overdue" I am, but it didn't work. I actually feel pretty stressed out about it, had a midwife I hadn't met turn up at my home unannounced (they were supposed to call first so hubby could come home for moral support) and it just felt so invasive that my body totally tensed up.
She did say my cervix was soft and only slightly posterior, but not dilated enough to do the sweep. Wouldn't be surprised if I'd been more dilated before she started.