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Question for a mother of Two

bluerevolution9bluerevolution9 member
in Two Under 2

Hi!

My name is Ariel, I am not yet a mommy myself (soon hopefully) but I am studying to become a Doula.  Every week I get assignments from my course that require interviewing women about pregnancy and birth.  I was wondering if anyone out there wouldn't mind answering a question to help me with my assignment.  Thank you!

 

Interview three mothers oftwo or more children about vaginal exams done in their labors.  Ask how many exams were done, when theywere done, how she felt about them and anything else that she would like totell you about her experiences with vaginals. 

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Re: Question for a mother of Two

  • firsttogofirsttogo
    I honestly felt like the exams were encouraging. They told me how much I had progressed, and helped keep me going. I did not notice them to be painful until the end when I was contracting hard and often. My OB was male, and there was a difference from him and my female (mother of 4) nurse while checking. My OB seemed to "dig around" more...It is also interesting how different people perceive your dilation differently. I had a nurse check and say I was 3-4 and the Dr. say 2-3....
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  • star173star173 member
    I'd be happy to help, but I haven't yet had my 2nd baby. Good luck becoming a doula and a mommy!! :)
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  • mrsticemrstice
    Well, I could talk a lot about my exams with DS and have some very strong opinions about it...but I haven't had my second babe yet so I don't qualify...But let me know if you want to hear, anyway!
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  • bluerevolution9bluerevolution9 member

    Mothers of one you can help too.  Thank you so much, I really appreciate the help!  

     

    The best way for me to learn is by talking to moms.  :) 

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  • mrsticemrstice

    I feel pretty strongly about my labor/delivery experience, and the details are in the link in my siggy. But I'll stick with the vag exams here...

    I was seen by a group of hospital-based midwives. I was induced at 42 weeks and was started with Cervadil, and my water broke at 4am. They started me on pitocin about 10:30a, and my son was born at 11:27p. I received 14 vaginal exams between the time my water broke and my son was born. They were all done by my midwife, and some of them were done within 20 minutes of each other. I understand that because I was on pitocin they wanted to monitor me closely, but 14 times is ridiculous.

    Maybe I wouldn't still be upset about it, but both my son and I developed infections after his birth that they couldn't explain. He was in NICU for a week and I was on IV meds for five days. Of course I have no proof, but I am positive that having a hand in my vagina 14 times after my water broke (making it a lot easier for bacteria to reach my uterus) did not help the situation. (Plus an intrauterine pressure monitor.)

    As far as the comfort of the exams, they were fine I guess. I did not choose to receive any pain meds, so the contractions were definitely a lot more painful than the exams.

    I am so looking forward to this upcoming birth, with very few interventions (if any), including cervical exams, unless absolutely necessary.

    Good luck with your doula training! I am also starting my training (through DONA), but I won't really get into it until DC2 is at least 6 months.

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  • Jerseygirl16Jerseygirl16
    I also found them to be very encouraging.  I liked knowing how much progress I had made.  Of course, I had inductions with both deliveries and was able to get the epidural before I was ever in any pain which also made the exams painless.  Great experiences!
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