Internals

What does this involve? I understand most hospys do this when you arrive in labour. What exactly does it involve? Can you refuse them? & have you done this?
I'm just starting to sort out my birth plan so will probably have a few posts on the nitty gritty of what goes on.

Thankyou for your answers........:doh:

You absolutely can refuse them :)
In my experience they weren't too pleasant! Particulary with my first labour, I nearly went through the ceiling it hurt! Bascially the same as a pap smear but without the speculum ;) But my cervix was very high and posterior when I went into labour with DD so they had trouble reaching it - I think that's why it hurt so much because it wasn't painful when I had them in DS's labour.

for some reason I thought they used their hand? and I was wondering how on earth a hand would fit up there first, before the baby's head has come down......

Is the speculum the thing they use to 'open up' (sorry if TMI) the vagina?

My OB gave me an internal last week (37wks pregnant) using his hand, well fingers actually, but definitely no speculum involved. I don't know if it's any different during labour :dunno:

I can remember having an internal whilst I was having contractions. Let out a bit of yell that time!!! I'm pretty sure it was the same as Cherie - just fingers.

Just fingers here and was very quick and pain free

I was given an internal by my OB at 39+6 to see if I was ok for an induction (because of PE). It hurt a bit and got some cramps going.
I had in my birth plan that I wanted no internals unless medically necessary (ie. there were problems), so the midwife just used the progress and intensity of my contractions and then when I told her I needed to push and a couple more times in the second stage (which was rather long) she checked my "anal dilation"... charming I know LOL. This wasn't painful at all as she just took a peek at my bum.
You certainly can elect not to have them and I would do the same again :)

I had one when I arrived at the hospital. I didnt find it painful really, but it was uncomfortable. I think it was done again when i was in transition because I asked for pain relief and they needed to check again to see if it was too late or not.

I dont think they just used their hand for mine. I have a vague memory of them using this thing that looked like a tampon to open up and see.. but i may have imagined that!

I had 2 internals in labour, I specifically asked for no internals but both times the midwife asked and the first time I wanted to know, the second time I was buying time as she wanted to rupture my membranes and I said just check & see before we decide. I was 8cm and we decided not too ;).

I had an internal at 41 weeks to do a stretch & sweep and it was extremely painful.

I assumed with my first labour that as soon as I got to the hospital they would do an internal. My OB didn't do any during the course of my pg. When they didn't do one upon arrival I asked why and the midwife said that it they hurt and they will do one when they feel it's a bit further progressed. when they did one, about an hour later because I wanted to know how far along I was, it really hurt - I was like flea and nearly went through the ceiling! And as I was at 6cms (slow I felt after 17 hours!) I wasn't in a hurry to have another one!

I didn't have one until my Ob came to see me many hours into labour and he asked if I wanted one. He went out & the midwife said I didn't have to if I didn't want, but I wanted an idea of how much longer. It hurt like hell & I wanted to kick the Ob - asked DH later if I'd tried to, he says I didn't. Next time there will be no internals unless necessary.

I had 2 internals, one at 34 weeks after big braxton hicks showing up on the monitor. With this once they used a thing to open me up, pointed a torch and did a swab and had a good look. Hurt like hell. I also had one at 38w to see if they should induce me... she just used her hand for this one and it didnt hurt much- just uncomfy.

Im not really against them, i think it would be good to know how things are progressing.

I only had a quick one when I labour with DS to see how I was progressing. It was quick, a little uncomfortable but not too bad. With DD I didn't have any at all.

I don't know why you would want to have one unless there was a good reason. And I certainly wouldn't have one while contracting. I'd shut my legs and stand up.....

An internal is done just with the hand. Well 2 fingers really. It is done mainly to check dilation and the baby’s head position. Some hospitals have a policy that the midwife must do an internal every 4 hours. Personally I do not do internals every 4 hours ( that really used to pi$$ off the hospital). In fact most of my births have been without an internal. The only time I will do one is if mum wants me to and before giving morphine.

Oh forgot to add
Yes you can and have every right to refuse an internal

Most midives can tell what is happening by the little signals you make

OMG someone tell the hospital I gave birth at, I had a million of the things!! :angry:

The few that my ob did were pretty painful (big bloke = big hands) but the ones the nurses did were just uncomfy not painful (smaller hands, probably more gentle)

when i was overdue, the hospital asked me to come in for an internal, i hated it, it hurt and was imbarassing...a few days after that my waters broke and they wanted me to come in for another one and i was having contractions but as soon as they said come in, they stoped!..

When i got to the hospital i thought i was going to have a woman and then i saw the male doc come in.... my mouth just dropped and the fact he was about 6'6 feet tall made it worse.... i just looked out the window and said to myelf your not here for the time being you are somewhere else!....

During labour my cervix was far back and they did about five internals, two with the seculem and the others with the hands... the first one the midwife did with her fingers hurt more then the speculem, it felt like she was up to her elbows....and wasnt very gentle...

Im a very shy person and my legs shook and took me about five mintues before i could relax and they could proceed... but i think though they are horrid things they are helpful and lets the medical staff know exactly where they are with the labour and give you the best care possible....

A friend told me before i went into labour, and its a good bit of advice!

LEAVE YOUR DIGNITY AT THE DOOR, THEN PICK IT BACK UP ON THE WAY OUT.

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:

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.

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

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.