It's about as comfortable as you can imagine it would be when someone is stuffing their entire fist up your sensitive and swollen vagina and then sticking their fingers into your cervix. And then there's the cramping, bleeding, and contractions that come afterwards.
They aren't necessary, so I would refuse them. Not worth the discomfort at all!
My OB doesn't start them until 39 weeks... 36 weeks might be a little early to start them so you can always decline. I am a FTM and haven't had to get one yet, but even my OB said it's pointless until you are further along.
With DD they weren't uncomfortable at all. And I never had bleeding, cramps, etc. afterwards. Everyone reacts differently, so it's hard to say how you will react. Also, don't jump to worst case...because I know for many people, they were painless and easy.
I had my first one at 36 weeks and i barely felt anything... I was closed up and firm though. I had my second one at 38 weeks and it was a bit uncomfortable, but not super painful like some people say. At that point I was softer and about 1cm. I think it hurt.more bc she was trying to get her finger in the opening of my cervix.
I'm sure it varies by doctor, but I'm pretty sure that they aren't supposed to be eexcruciating, just uncomfortable. I think my second one was comparable to an annual exam that you'd get.... they're not fun, but you shouldn't be screaming lol
They aren't my favourite. I refuse them this pregnancy until I'm in labour. With my daughter my water broke the day after my one and only internal exam. They don't really tell you much and to me the risks (infection, early breaking of waters etc.) out weigh the benefit of knowing that I'm 3 cm dilated and could stay that way for over a month.
It's about as comfortable as you can imagine it would be when someone is stuffing their entire fist up your sensitive and swollen vagina and then sticking their fingers into your cervix. And then there's the cramping, bleeding, and contractions that come afterwards.
They aren't necessary, so I would refuse them. Not worth the discomfort at all!
lol I don't recall my many internals with dd being anything like that....and the one I had when I was bleeding this time Def. was not like that.
A little uncomfortable, like someone's got their fingers where they don't belong. They're really quick though and the cramping afterwards, for myself anyhow, is mild if there is any. Spotting is usually only once maybe the first or second time I go to the restroom following the appt.
I had my first one today. For me it was not fun/painful and I am a wuse as well. I did tense up and stop breathing (I just had no idea what to expect so I think I got nervous) which is the worst thing you can do.
Definitely try to relax and breathe. I have a better idea of what it entails for future checks and know it will be somewhat uncomfortable. Good luck!!
I had mine last week and expected it to be horrible but it didnt bother me at all. It wasnt even really uncomfortable. Of course he said I made zero progress so i imagine maybe if the baby was engaged it may have hurt a little more.
I had my first yesterday. They had to do my GSB test anyway so I figured it was fine. It didn't "hurt" but it certainly wasn't a tickle.
My OB didn't mention if I was dilated specifically but did say "well, that's my finger in there..." (I'm still not sure in "where", i.e. cervix/vagina, but I digress...) and he did have to push quite forcefully to get to where he was assessing.
I didn't have any bleeding/cramping though he mentioned "staining" is common.
It was quite painful when my doctor did it 2 weeks ago but when the nurse practitioner checked me on Monday it didn't really hurt at all. Either she is much gentler or has much smaller hands! Also, I have never had bleeding or contractions afterwards. Some very minor cramping for a couple minutes but that's it.
TTC since June 2009 BFP #1 2/22/10 M/C 6w2d BFP #2 October 2010 CP BFP #3 1/11/11 M/C 8w5d IUI #1 Aug 2011= BFN IUI #2= BFP #4 9/18/11 missed M/C, D&C 10/18/11 IUIs #3&4 = BFN IVF #1 May 2012 = BFP! Twins!!
It's about as comfortable as you can imagine it would be when someone is stuffing their entire fist up your sensitive and swollen vagina and then sticking their fingers into your cervix. And then there's the cramping, bleeding, and contractions that come afterwards.
They aren't necessary, so I would refuse them. Not worth the discomfort at all!
My internal last week was nothing like this at all. It felt like she only used two fingers and was only in there for maybe 5 seconds. I had no pain, cramping, or bleeding. She did tell me that my cervix was "back pretty far" or something like that, and she wasn't going to go any further to avoid hurting me. So maybe it would've been worse if she had tried going further.
PCOS with long, irregular cycles First round of Clomid in May 2012= BFP #1, DD born January 2013 BFP #2 in January 2014, DS born September 2014
Thanks ladies. I feel like such a pansie because a full sized baby is going to come out of there in a few weeks I probably will spot because a month ago I had a yeast infection and the applicator caused me to spot a bit.
Married: August 2008 DS born: February 2013 TTC #2: Nov. 14 Chemical pregnancy 09/16/15 BFP: 12/25/15 EDD: 09/04/16
It's about as comfortable as you can imagine it would be when someone is stuffing their entire fist up your sensitive and swollen vagina and then sticking their fingers into your cervix. And then there's the cramping, bleeding, and contractions that come afterwards.
They aren't necessary, so I would refuse them. Not worth the discomfort at all!
Thanks to preterm labor issues, I've had several with this pregnancy (8 I think) and absolutely none of them have been like you described.
They are more like a bimanual exam they do with PAP smears. No giant fist, just a few fingers feeling around. It's not a good time, but if you breathe, it's tolerable and quick.
I did have some spotting with one exam but no cramping or contractions (aside from the ones I was already having that prompted the exam in the first place).
They're really not that bad.
Congrats to both my TTC buddies, Amberley18 and sb2006 on their beautiful babies!
Hmmmm. Maybe I'm just a huge wuss, but I've had babies come out of my vagina without medication before. I still remember internals being painful.
But I guess my last internal was when I was in labor with #2, so maybe I'm remember when they shove their fist up there while you're having contractions as worse than the ones in the office. Not sure. I never had them with #3 or this baby.
I still think they are uncomfortable and not worth it though.
I just had my second (first was a check after bleeding). It wasn't too bad. I'm pretty sensitive down there too, but I just try and relax and it is fine. I did have to tell her that I had gas and apologized ahead of time if I passed gas while she was in there, she just laughed. I need them now weekly because of where I live and I need to know to stay in the city or not. I'm actually electing to have them weekly.
Maybe Im just really sensitive but for me with my last two pregnancies it was quite uncomfortable for me, maybe because I was already in labor when I had mine done. Im not going to have an internal until the day baby decides to come.
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I don't think they are any worse than a pap smear. If you are able to relax your muscles it will be less uncomfortable. A hand is smaller than a baby!
This was my experience. My OB doesn't do internals until 38 weeks though. It was really not bad at all, a little uncomfortable, but I tried to stay relaxed and I think that helped. No cramping or contractions afterward, just a very little bit of spotting afterward.
I wouldn't get one this early, because they can be uncomfortable and really tell you nothing. If you have a gentle OB, it's not as bad. Mine is very gentle and it's usually as uncomfortable as a pap smear, with a little more cramping afterwards.
Re: first internal tomorrow
It's about as comfortable as you can imagine it would be when someone is stuffing their entire fist up your sensitive and swollen vagina and then sticking their fingers into your cervix. And then there's the cramping, bleeding, and contractions that come afterwards.
They aren't necessary, so I would refuse them. Not worth the discomfort at all!
I'm sure it varies by doctor, but I'm pretty sure that they aren't supposed to be eexcruciating, just uncomfortable. I think my second one was comparable to an annual exam that you'd get.... they're not fun, but you shouldn't be screaming lol
lol I don't recall my many internals with dd being anything like that....and the one I had when I was bleeding this time Def. was not like that.
A little uncomfortable, like someone's got their fingers where they don't belong. They're really quick though and the cramping afterwards, for myself anyhow, is mild if there is any. Spotting is usually only once maybe the first or second time I go to the restroom following the appt.
I had my first one today. For me it was not fun/painful and I am a wuse as well. I did tense up and stop breathing (I just had no idea what to expect so I think I got nervous) which is the worst thing you can do.
Definitely try to relax and breathe. I have a better idea of what it entails for future checks and know it will be somewhat uncomfortable. Good luck!!
Married: 05/14/2011
DS Was Born: 02/10/2013
EDD: 10/19/2015
I had my first yesterday. They had to do my GSB test anyway so I figured it was fine. It didn't "hurt" but it certainly wasn't a tickle.
My OB didn't mention if I was dilated specifically but did say "well, that's my finger in there..." (I'm still not sure in "where", i.e. cervix/vagina, but I digress...) and he did have to push quite forcefully to get to where he was assessing.
I didn't have any bleeding/cramping though he mentioned "staining" is common.
GL!
TTC since June 2009
BFP #1 2/22/10 M/C 6w2d
BFP #2 October 2010 CP
BFP #3 1/11/11 M/C 8w5d
IUI #1 Aug 2011= BFN
IUI #2= BFP #4 9/18/11 missed M/C, D&C 10/18/11
IUIs #3&4 = BFN
IVF #1 May 2012 = BFP! Twins!!
Fraternal twins born Feb. 2013
My internal last week was nothing like this at all. It felt like she only used two fingers and was only in there for maybe 5 seconds. I had no pain, cramping, or bleeding. She did tell me that my cervix was "back pretty far" or something like that, and she wasn't going to go any further to avoid hurting me. So maybe it would've been worse if she had tried going further.
First round of Clomid in May 2012= BFP #1, DD born January 2013
BFP #2 in January 2014, DS born September 2014
DS born: February 2013
TTC #2: Nov. 14
Chemical pregnancy 09/16/15
BFP: 12/25/15 EDD: 09/04/16
Thanks to preterm labor issues, I've had several with this pregnancy (8 I think) and absolutely none of them have been like you described.
They are more like a bimanual exam they do with PAP smears. No giant fist, just a few fingers feeling around. It's not a good time, but if you breathe, it's tolerable and quick.
I did have some spotting with one exam but no cramping or contractions (aside from the ones I was already having that prompted the exam in the first place).
They're really not that bad.
Congrats to both my TTC buddies, Amberley18 and sb2006 on their beautiful babies!
Hmmmm. Maybe I'm just a huge wuss, but I've had babies come out of my vagina without medication before. I still remember internals being painful.
But I guess my last internal was when I was in labor with #2, so maybe I'm remember when they shove their fist up there while you're having contractions as worse than the ones in the office. Not sure. I never had them with #3 or this baby.
I still think they are uncomfortable and not worth it though.
This was my experience. My OB doesn't do internals until 38 weeks though. It was really not bad at all, a little uncomfortable, but I tried to stay relaxed and I think that helped. No cramping or contractions afterward, just a very little bit of spotting afterward.