On getting checked...

Lvneveryminuteofit · August 2010

Had another ob appt yesterday and she told me that if I want at the next appt I can get checked since I've been having more intense bh this week. But I'm not really sure its worth it. I know people are torn on this and when I talked to DH he didn't really understand my hesitation until I told him that sometimes if you're close, it can artificially start labor. And plus, do I really want to know where I am at only 37 weeks? What do you guys think?

pepomntpat · August 2010

I am thinking I am probably going to hold off on internals as much as possible.

pinksweetpea2 · August 2010

I would skip it.

Lvneveryminuteofit · August 2010

That's what I was thinking but I wasn't sure if there really is any benefit to knowing. She tried to tell me that way I know if I've made progress if say at 40 wks I've been 2 cm since 37 wks... but really I don't care haha.

I think I will skip it. Glad you guys agree.

nosoup4u · August 2010

Yeah, I'd hold off also. I didn't have any internals until about 41 weeks with my first pregnancy, when induction was briefly brought up, and I don't regret it at all. You'll know when you're in labor, hee hee.

apattie3730 · August 2010

I plan on refusing them since they really arent all that informative, and put you at risk for infection.

CTL2005 · August 2010

I love internals! I always thought it was great to hear that my body was making progress. In my experience they NEVER started labor if I was "close." With #2 I walked around at 4cm and 100% effaced for weeks and had my membranes stripped without starting labor. With #3 I got to 6cm and 100% effaced without being in labor. Both times it was great (and important) to know I was far progressed so that we could get to the hospital in time, since I have super speedy labors.

carepear · August 2010

I was going to avoid them but I couldn't resist. I haven't learned anything from them though. And they were kind of depressing since I haven't progressed.

However, I did learn that I'm probably allergic to the latex gloves they use. I guess that was pretty useful information.

Mjmksb04 · August 2010

I had internals every week after 37 weeks. I could have gone either way, but since my OB wanted to do them I went with it.

katcarls · August 2010

I didn't have any internals. Unless you need to know if you're favorable for induction, the information they provide is pretty useless and you're also opening yourself up to a potential infection. You're only going to get your hopes up unnecessarily or be disappointed for no reason. FWIW I went from 0 cm to the baby being born in just over an hour.

christina627 · August 2010

I would skip the internal. It really doesn't give you any idea when you're going into labor anyway.

AshasaurusRex · August 2010

I liked getting checked, and plan on it this time too. Not because I think it tells how close I am to going into labor, I just liked knowing I was going into labor already dilated and effaced. And this time if I'm not dilating or effacing then I'll know to up the evening primrose oil, walk more, and have more sex.

Aloe0l · August 2010

I got one last week - just because, I had never had one and wanted to know what to expect for when labor does arrive. But, I declined this week. I probably won't get anymore until I'm in labor unless I'm actually experiencing real contractions.

JuliaBug · August 2010

I intend not to have any internal checks done unless there is something wrong. I don't want to be disappointed or have a timetable in my head.

missfire · August 2010

I didn't have any with my first birth, and when she first checked me after getting to the birth center, I was already at 10 cm. Surprise!

Other than knowing whether it's time to push, I didn't see a need either.

flyer23 · August 2010

missfire:

Other than knowing whether it's time to push, I didn't see a need either.

You may not even need an internal to know whether it's time to push. I didn't have a single internal with DS... not during prenatal appointments, not during labor. And he came out just fine Smile It was quite obvious when it was time to push!

MaddysMama07 · August 2010

I think I'm going to avoid internals this time. It was kind of depressing to know that every time I got checked I hadn't changed at all and wasn't making any progress. I'd like to avoid that this time. It really doesn't matter anyway. I have a friend who walked around for the last 6 weeks at 3cm dilated. I was at 1cm the day before I went to the hospital.

KateLouise · August 2010

My midwife never suggested checking more than "necessary". her theory was, "it really won't change anything."

She checked me I got to the hospital, I was 5 cm, and again when I said I wanted to push, I was fully dilated.

So twice in all.

I was surprised because the day before I went into labour, I went in for some monitoring of the baby because her movements had decreased and I was having lots of BH/minor contractions. She still didn't bother examining me and I was nearly a week overdue.

But yeah, knowing how dilated you are, really doesn't achieve a lot.

Texas77again · August 2010

apattie3730:
I plan on refusing them since they really arent all that informative, and put you at risk for infection.

there isn't really risk of infection if the bag of waters is still intact. if mom is GBS+ i would be less likely to do one just because of the fact that we know there is an infection present, but in all honesty again if the bag is intact it shouldn't really be an issue. we just use hibiclens on our hand when we do a vaginal exam on a woman known to be GBS+.

that being said, i don't believe in doing them unless the mom wants one done.

LindseyJW · August 2010

i started getting checked at 37 weeks last time. i was 2cm and some effacement. at 38 weeks i was 3cm and 50% effaced. at 39 i was 4cm and 75-80% effaced. i stayed that way for three more weeks. basically, "where i awas" meant absolutely nothing in terms of labor starting.

i didn't really know that at the time and was excited that labor might be coming soon at my 39 week check. and every day that went by with no baby was that much more deflating b/c of how effaced and dilated i was.

this time, i will not have my MW do internals. i'm a vbac and will not consent to artificial induction, so there's really no point in knowing "where i am" ya know?

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