Internals

BabeDebolt · August 2013

I've taken natural birth classes with a doula who suggested against the internals and I understand her reasons why. I'm 38w 5d with an appt this afternoon. Not planning on getting one until MAYBE next week or the following weeks appointment with my doctor. I feel very good, no concerns, and remain active so will likely opt out. Do alot of the natural moms out there generally opt out or did you do them? And why did you make your decision? TIA!

aylafsu88 · August 2013

I opted out of them until I was at 39 weeks 3 days. I only agreed to have one because my next appointment was not until I was 40 weeks 5 days. My OB really wanted to do one because at my next appointment I would be overdue and she wanted to make sure baby was head down. I just told myself that her numbers/info had no bearing on when I would go into labor so I could not stress about it. That was really easy to do at the appointment.

The big thing about this info is that it stresses woman out. The numbers make you feel like your body is not working or you will never go into labor or you should already be in labor because you have dilated so much. This emotional game is why I refused checks starting at 36 weeks. I knew that it would mess with me emotionally and stress me out more than it would help. Case in point, at my check I was 2 cm and 80% effaced when I arrived at the hospital I was only 6 cm. I got so discouraged because I had been laboring at home for 8 hours. In my head I figured I progressed 4 cm in 8 hours how much longer did I have to go and wondered if I could do it. Fortunaly my doula was very encouraging and told me that this numbers are just that numbers. I progressed to 10 very quickly and was holding LO in less than do hours. I learned my lesson and will refuse all checks before labor next time around.

tokenhoser · August 2013

I opted out both times. My doctor was fine with it, and seemed perfectly confident the baby was head down from palpating my belly. I had my first baby at 40 weeks, and second at 40 w 3 d. If I was still pregnant at my last appointment at 40 w 5 d, I probably would have got a check because we would have started scheduling an induction.

I never had any real labour checks, either. With DS, I got there and she checked me and I was 10 cm. With DD... well, she came so fast that I pushed when I had to push and that was that.

Arielle27 · August 2013

Theoretically I agree with not getting 'unnecessary' checks (ie before the last weeks of pregnancy or not at all until you are in labor) because of increased infection risks, the way they can deflate motivation, etc...

However, in all three of my pregnancies Ive had to have early cervical checks for different reasons - they thought my water had broken at 38 weeks in my first pregnancy (it hadn't) and I had false labor and preterm labor scares in each of my subsequent pregnancies.

So even though I theoretically, logically, ideally think many early checks are unnecessary, when there is reason to do them, I won't risk NOT doing it.

huntjul · August 2013

I plan to decline internal exams until presenting at the hospital in labor and then maybe when I feel like I want to push to make sure I'm at 10cm. My thought is that a check doesn't tell me when baby is going to be born. All it does is get my hopes up, or dash them, without reason.

Now, if I was facing an induction, I would have the doctor do an internal to evaluate cervix, etc. This is just if everything goes normally, I'm planning on declining.

nodito · August 2013

I have no problems with internals and have been getting them since 36 weeks. It doesn't demotivate me at all when the MW says I'm not dialated yet; I know how quickly things can change. I also don't think the risk of infection is all that great unless your water has broken.

silly514 · August 2013

I declined until after 39 weeks, at that point curiosity got the better of me. The numbers don't effect me too much- I know they don't mean anything as far as when labor will start but they do tell me my body is doing what it should.... I went back today for 40 week check and definitely wanted to know what is going on. I spent all day yesterday on and off cramping but no real painful contractions. I was very excited to hear that I had progressed to 3 and 60%. Again, I know that doesn't mean it's going to happen tonight but I take comfort that things are favorable since of course today we had to talk about "what lies ahead/how long I want to stay pregnant, etc...My top reasons for wanting to go natural are to avoid induction/c-section so I was encouraged that vaginal birth looks promising. Here's to hoping I don't see the Dr next week!

sschwege · August 2013

I didn't have one with either baby until I was at the hospital in labor, even then I asked them not to tell me how dilated I was because to me it really didn't matter. Had I gone to 41w I would have had them check me and sweep my membranes.

Luv2Run1st · August 2013

My midwifery group does not do them before labor or during labor unless you request or a medical reason to check. I declined checks with my first until I was 39 + 5 and my doc was about to go out of town and wanted to know where we were at. I told her to not tell me what I was but she did anyway, then proceeded to tell me baby would arrive in the next 24-48 he's but she did end up being right.

J&Jaggies06 · August 2013

I did not get one until today. I'm now overdue have been having pretty constant contractions. I probably will not have another one until in the hospital, but this gave us a good plan if she decides to not arrive on her own in the next week.

BabeDebolt · August 2013

Appreciate the input all around. I opted out today and the doc said no problem. Curiousity may get the best of me next appt when Im 39w4d. Cross that bridge when I get there. Thx again for sharing your thoughts! All the best!!

hamiltks10 · August 2013

I declined all checks with my OB/Midwives group. The only internal check I had was in triage at the hospital and I was 10cm. I don't see the point. The status of your cervix at one moment in time will not give you any information about when your baby will be born. I don't want to risk the introduction of bacteria. And, quite frankly, I don't want people sticking their hands inside of me if there really is no reason for it.

annabelle.27 · August 2013

I was never offered one in either of my pregnancies, even at 10 days overdue. At one point in my first pregnancy I asked my doc about them and he said that they weren't his standard practice because "at this point you are either dilated or you're not. Both would be normal, and neither would tell us anything."

memo9 · August 2013

I declined checks with my OB too.

BUT,

I previously used NFP so my cervix and I are good buddies. I checked at home so I could gauge productive contractions vs. non productive ones. I had some false alarms so it was helpful for me to recognize the real deal.

rooftop · August 2013

I opted out until I was in actual labor and even then I would have refused them if I didn't need to know progress in order to make decisions. They're uncomfortable, pose the risk of infection and don't really tell you much until labor actually starts.

SunnyMuffin · August 2013

I didnt have any internals during pregnancy except for a membrane sweep at 42 weeks. During labor I wasnt checked until I was 10cm and I asked to have my water broken

MariaKeegs · August 2013

I didn't have an internal at all my last pregnancy, labor and birth!! Everything went too fast. Hoping for a repeat performance!!

starshineamator · August 2013

I had no internals until I was in my birthing time. Total of 3- once because my mom and Spouse convinced the midwife to come check me, once to make sure I was progressing enough to stay in the birth pool, and once to make sure I was complete when my body started pushing. I refused as many as possible and still feel like I had too many! I also requested they not tell me my progress and I'm very very glad they didn't. Finding out after 28 hrs that I was still only at a 2 would have been miserable!

DebateThis · August 2013

I've been dealing with a shortened cervix since 18w so I had weekly transvaginal ultrasounds from 18-26 weeks and now weekly manual cervical checks. I don't really have much of a choice but I'm comfortable with them because there's a legitimate reason. Assuming I make it to 36w (I'm 30w now) I'll start declining since my MWs can deliver me and they wouldn't stop labor at that point, plus the increased risk of infection.

KaylaC0514 · August 2013

I opted out until 40 weeks. But I had to be induced at 42 weeks and I had a lot of internals within the next couple of days until DS was born. I ended up back in the hospital 2 weeks later for 5 days with a bad infection. They couldn't pin point it exactly where it was coming from. But I am going to have very minimal internals this time around if I can. I also birthed in the tub and tore really bad, maybe those were factors too. Who knows..

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