No-one (except me) went anywhere near my insides until i was 39+6 and that was because i BEGGED for a S&S. THey only start doing internals at term in UK. I only had one during labour as when i lay down for the 2nd one DD slid out

I gave myself a few in my 42nd week (DD was born on 41+4) and another thing i noticed was the inside of my cervix (i was 25% thinned and 1-2cm dilated, enough to get a finger with room to move) felt like a tight rubber band. Pushing against that part (gently of course) felt sort of hot and burny, though not agonising or anything! A bit like my labour pains - like a chinese burn.

Bec