Vaginal Exams in Pregnancy & Labour

[Antheia]

#1 - induced labour
1. How many exams did you have during pregnancy & labour? In pregnancy i don't think i had any and in labour i honestly can't remember because i was so out of it. but i think it was around 4 in the 5 hours.

2. How did you feel about them in pregnancy & labour? Again i can't remember because i was out of it. I don't think they were too bad otherwise i would have remembered right?.

3. Did your carer explain the procedure to you and why they were doing it? No i don't think they did.

4. Did you feel that your carer did too many or more than you would have liked? Did you feel they were justified? Again, i can't really remeber.

5. Any other thoughts/comments? I wish i could remember lol!


#2 - spontanious labour then augmented after 5cms.
1. How many exams did you have during pregnancy & labour? In pregnancy i had 2. one at 37.5 weeks after i requested it to see how my cervix was looking and the other at 39 weeks when i was suppose to get induced they needed to see if i needed the gel or not - i didn't though. In labour i think i had 3 or 4 in the whole 37 hours. All were before and on 5cms dilated(which was 30hrs) except for the last one when i was 9cms.

2. How did you feel about them in pregnancy & labour? The first one at 37.5 weeks i didn't really feel much, she couldn't even reach my cervix. The one at 39 weeks i didn't feel at all until she gave me a stretch and sweep which hurt quite a bit(i was 2-3cms with that one). The ones in labour i never felt much either i don't think.

3. Did your carer explain the procedure to you and why they were doing it? Yes. Espeically the one i had the S&S with. She asked me first if it was ok to do one and then told me when it will hurt a bit and that she was giving it a stretch etc. The ones in labour they didnt because i didn't want anyone talking to me at all and i wanted no sound which was on my birth plan.

4. Did you feel that your carer did too many or more than you would have liked? Did you feel they were justified? No i don't think they did too many. They always asked first if they could and they never pushed at all. i think it was reasonable in the situation i was in - being in labour for so long and bub be posterior and them needing to see how i was progressing.

5. Any other thoughts/comments? I liked that they never asked to do one at all during pregnancy and only did the first one because i wanted to see what my cervix was up to.