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thanks everyone for your feedback. I think I will be putting it down on my birth plan that they're only to occur if absolutely necessary. And I'm sure my private midwife will make sure that's the way it will happen.
I'm sorry to hear people have had such bad experiences with them - I just wasn't quite sure how it all works, I mean I know the opening of the cervix stretches but I wasn't quite sure just how the opening to the vagina stretches. Very interesting stuff, but I hope I dont absolutely need an internal.
Thanks everyone!!:pray:
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Moglie
I had an internal at 37 weeks to find I was 3cm dilated and fully efaced and then I didn't go into labour til 40w2d. I had a VE when I got to the hospital and another when I said that I was ready to push. The most painful thing about them was getting on my back - I didn't feel the VE at all - because I was focussing on contractions. I had a 6 hour labour though and neither my doula or the midwife was going to let me push until they'd checked me. I'm really glad I had the VEs, particularly the last one, because I knew I could let my body push (because I'd reached 2nd stage). If I hadn't had the VE I would have gone on a lot longer before realising I was in Stage 2. But that was just me.
With respect to the actual "how it happens" - My ob had big hands - and the VE at 37 weeks was very uncomfortable because he did have nearly a whole hand in there. But it was mercifully short in duration - probably 2-3 seconds at most. For the VE's during labour - everything is so descended they don't have to go in very far - that's probably why I didn't feel anything. Everything - and I mean everything - becomes very stretchy.
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Hi Kar,
Thanks for that info, I wasn't too sure if 'everything' stretched or gradually becomes loose. I also forgot that the baby descends & hence shouldn't be too far away from the pubic bone. Interesting perspective.
Thankyou
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Great info. It took me a few years to build up the courage to get a pap-smear!!!! So the thought of an Internal has been worrying me. Its nice to know I can ask for it to be done only if needed.
