Anyone planning on refusing internal checks?

cd92007 · March 2014

We're learning in Bradley about refusing internal exams. Our instructor says they aren't really necessary.. we'll know when we are in labor and it ends up just being a mind game to find out before labor if you are a couple centimeters or not. It also gives doctors more ammunition for induction (which we are trying to avoid). She recommends only getting twice - once when you get to the hospital in active labor and once when you feel the "pooping" pressure/urge to push to make sure you're at 10.

I never really even knew this was an option (which is why we LOVE our Bradley class.. we're learning so much!) At this point we have decided to forgo the internal exams.

Anyone else? Any STM do this with their first?

pineconey · March 2014

My doc doesn't do many in the first place, so it's a non-issue.

we took the Bradley classes too and if I had a different doc I would refuse the majority of checks too.

MamaFantastic · March 2014

your plan is my plan as well. i was checked probably 5 or 6 times at the hospital while i was in active labor (the first time being when i was admitted... and i was 4cm at that point), and after a long labor process, i stalled at 9cm for HOURS. the process of being checked hourly and not making as much progress as i had hoped i would have made was very stressful. i will do all i can to remain focused on the process/feeling and NOT on the numbers/clinical progression this time!

Relish1025 · March 2014

Most likely requesting to not receive any, or at least the absolute minimum amount. I just don't see the point in having to spread 'em everytime I go in.

nicole mackenzie · March 2014

My midwives don't check unless there's an issue or I want one. I told them they make me very uncomfortable so we're definitely not doing them unless nesisary.

My OB hadn't mentioned them or done them yet when I switched to midwives t 28 weeks so not sure what their policy was.

Avion22 · March 2014

Our practice doesn't do internal checks, and doesn't do weekly appointments unless there is some kind of issue. We went from every 4 weeks to every 3 weeks, but it won't get any more frequent than that as long as it remains a healthy pregnancy. They just don't see any reason to check up on women who aren't full-term and are healthy/normal. FWIW, it's a military OB clinic -- but they've actually been amazingly progressive. I really like their approach.

Rrrrrachel · March 2014

The only reason I see to get one is if I'm planning for induction or feel like it's time to push.

RedDawnsRevenge · March 2014

We will have an internal check before I push this time since I have a h/o OA babies and an anterior lip and want this HBAC to be successful. Otherwise we've already declined one from the OB and my LM doesn't do them until your in active labour and even then they are very minimal.

melissashogan · March 2014

Not allowed internal checks due to my previa but had lots with DD and I recommend at least limiting them. The nurses at my hospital checked so often it was annoying.

Laroo0220 · March 2014

No checks here. I just met with a lady at l and d yesterday and she said they are very minimal with internal checks anyways so it shouldn't be a problem. It was discouraging last time to be told I had not progressed at all even though I felt like I had done so much work. Hoping to avoid that feeling this time. Probably will just be checked when we get there and when I feel like I'm ready to push. They may have to check once more to see when I'm at 7 or 8 bc I'm doing a water birth and that's when they fill the tub but I'm gonna ask that they don't tell me the #s

amhah09 · March 2014

I'm too curious to refuse a check before labor

but during labor yes I recommend refusing hourly or otherwise frequent checks. It is really disheartening to hear little progress when you're laboring. I definitely dilate at a 1:1 ratio and it stressed me out.

I think it's pretty standard to get checked on admission though because most hospitals won't admit you unless you're dilated to X cm beforehand (my water broke with DS so I was automatically admitted and I was induced with DD so this wasn't an issue for either of my deliveries). And if you get an epidural they check before they call the anesthesiologist.

arichlife · March 2014

I have been back and forth on it. I read a Bradley book too and totally agree and understand but part of me is so curious since this is my first and I know if doesn't tell you much about when you will go into labor but I'm still curious to know how my body does things. I have my first one next week at my 36w appt and I am thinking I will do the first internal and see how it goes and how I feel and then decide if I will let them do another one the next week or not.
So I am kind of playing it by ear as far as weekly appts go but I think when it comes to labor I will likely do the same- have them check me when I get there and then again when I feel the need to push but not much in between.
But I am a little nervous if I get the first internal at my weekly I will be so curious to see if I have progressed at all by the next week I'll have another one just to compare and then I will just keep getting them and if I am not making progress I'm afraid it will make me crazy and impatient, haha. So pretty much I am all over the place and have no idea what to do! I'm at war with myself.

CurlieWhirlie · March 2014

The hospital where we're giving birth doesn't do routine internal checks — just the two you're referring to here, on admittance and upon feeling the urge to push. Like a PP said, if I was going to be giving birth somewhere else, I would be refusing any more, but it's a non-issue as it happens. Lucky!

baylorlinda · March 2014

I'm probably in the minority here, but I am interested in knowing my progress while in labor. I don't want to be checked too frequently when I am ruptured because i do not want to increase my risk of infection. However, I may change my mind later when I am in actual labor. I am going to keep that option open.

snowclouds · March 2014

With K my doctor just asked me if I wanted to be checked until I was 40 wks, then they checked. I think it's just frustrating to hear that you're making no progress and locked up tight. They checked every couple of hours in the hospital.

This time around, I'll be checked more often by my midwife because she wants to start sweeping my membranes since I'm doing a VBAC and can't be induced for that. In the hospital though, I'm refusing most of the checks. I want everyone to leave me alone for the most part.

bornmommy · March 2014

I absolutely will not get them this time around. My mw won't do them unless I ask anyway. I plan on asking if I hit 40...maybe.

ksulli · March 2014

My OB offers it at later appts, but was clear that it's just for mom's curiosity. I was checked at my 40w last time because I wanted to know. This time I'll want to be checked at my last appt pre-induction.

when in labor I wasn't checked much at all... I only remember maybe three times and I was there for 16hrs before she came.

Rrrrrachel · March 2014

Y'all who are curious should keep in mind that cervical checks during labor can be very very uncomfortable.

momofmanyinthemitten · March 2014

I plan on refusing them as well. We just talked about this with our doula on Saturday.

joyfullyfound · March 2014

My midwives don't offer them in the first place, but if they wanted to perform them, I'd refuse them.

Rrrrrachel · March 2014

Outside of labor it's not that they bother me so much (although they're definitely not my favorite) it's just that they're pointless. We're going to see sooooooo many women over the next couple of months get really worked up and excited because they're whatever effaced or dilated or both and labor could be ANY SECOND! And then they'll go like that for weeks and get more and more agitated. I don't have my doctor check my throat and ears every visit not because it's so burdensome, but just because it's pointless. And so is this.

cd92007 · March 2014

Rrrrrachel said:

Outside of labor it's not that they bother me so much (although they're definitely not my favorite) it's just that they're pointless. We're going to see sooooooo many women over the next couple of months get really worked up and excited because they're whatever effaced or dilated or both and labor could be ANY SECOND! And then they'll go like that for weeks and get more and more agitated. I don't have my doctor check my throat and ears every visit not because it's so burdensome, but just because it's pointless. And so is this.

This - exactly. It would be such a mind game knowing I'm ___ centimeters dilated and labor could OMG BE ANY MINUTE!!!! I wouldn't be able to sleep, constantly waking up wondering if I'm having contractions yet.

Also, during labor I would probably lose it if I had been laboring for hours and hours and hours and they say "oh you're ONLY 3 cm".

ckred27 · March 2014

I get weekly checks since 24 weeks since I have a history of preterm labor, I'm used to them...what evs

nikki912 · March 2014

Also it's been shown that the discouragement from being told you are only X cm dilated can prevent you from dilating as quickly as you would have if you hadn't known. A mind-body connection. I'd also recommend reading n Ina mae's info on the sphincter law.

AcaAwkward · March 2014

Under normal circumstances, I'd refuse unless I were way overdue and induction were being discussed. Because I am attempting VBAC and have to go into labor naturally before 40w4d, I will probably get them at 39 or 40 weeks just to see if my body is making any progress on its own at all. I know a cm or 2 (or 3 or 4) isn't highly significant, but it's possible that if I'm progressing even a bit on my own, we could try for a Foley ball induction before jumping straight to the RCS.

As for checks during labor, I need to ask about those for a VBAC. I'll refuse what I can.

Linnea503 · March 2014

I declined today at 36 weeks, but curiosity will likely get the best of me by 39 weeks at which point I might even have them sweep my membranes. In labor I will want to know if I ask for an epi, I want to be at least 5cm.

amhah09 · March 2014

Linnea503 said:
I declined today at 36 weeks, but curiosity will likely get the best of me by 39 weeks at which point I might even have them sweep my membranes. In labor I will want to know if I ask for an epi, I want to be at least 5cm.

At my hospital they can't call anesthesia without knowing your dilation so you'll probably need to be checked anyway.

buffyjsa · March 2014

After reading this thread, I asked my midwife at the appointment yesterday if they do internal checks and she said it really doesn't mean much to do them early, they don't even consider starting to check until your due date. My goal is to avoid unnecessary interventions, and I'm very ok with not being poked and prodded that far up and back.

cjpell0 · March 2014

I figured my OB would at least ask about it during my 36w visit the other day, especially since I was getting my GBS test but she never mentioned/did it. I was a little curious and was planning on saying ok to that one and no to future ones. oh well

WifeofaComposer · March 2014

We recently discovered that our doctor doesn't do internal exams during pregnancy (unless there is a really good reason), but she will check when labor starts, and again when I feel the urge to push. She didn't even use a speculum when she did my GBS swabs - she just put them inside to swipe around. The midwives I went to when I was pregnant with Skippy had their hands and tools in me all the time - supposedly because that was their hospital protocol. I much prefer our new doctor and hospital.

HNRomance · March 2014

I will be checked at admission to birth center but I have midwife care and will limit internal checks unless the baby is starting to show definite signs of stress. I plan to labor as long as possible at home too so i'm pretty sure my DH will not want to be checking lol

clickactual · March 2014

They say it is a small risk of getting an infection if you are checked during labor. But I can tell you from experience that the infection is FAR from fun. 104 fever prevented me from even wanting to hold our new son. It also meant many extra days in the hospital for both of us and antibiotics/testing for little man. This time I want to be checked as few times as possible!

J&NL · March 2014

I feel like I would want to know out of my own curiosity but at the same time I do not want them to check me, be at 10 and make me push without him being engaged like they did with DD. I pushed for 2 hours because they checked me, said I was "ready" even though SHE wasn't ready. So this time, they can fuck off. He's coming out when he is ready.

flyingmommy · March 2014

I would only want them to check if I was having contractions regularly or had some other kind of pain or issue that concerned me or my OB. I'm having some pretty strong contractions that are becoming more consistent so if they want to check at my next appt I will probably let them.