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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To take a 3 month old baby with me when I have a smear test?

77 replies

honeytea · 12/03/2013 19:36

I have been sent an appointment for a smear test (they come through automatically here so I got no choice in the time) it is at a time when my DP is at work with no possibility of getting time off. I have asked all my friends and family if they could watch DS for me but everyone is working.

DS is 3 months old so not old enough to be traumatised by seeing a smear test but there is a chance that he will be screaming and I won't be able to relax enough for them to do the smear (although post birth maybe they won't have such issues getting the equiptment in)

What do people do with their babies when they have medical appointments? should I ask a friendly lady in the waiting room to hold DS? maybe there would be a spare nurse to hold him. hopefully he would be asleep but what to do if he is not?

OP posts:

rubyslippers · 12/03/2013 19:37

put him in a buggy?

am sure the pratice is used to this? You can't be the only person who has had to do this

EasilyBored · 12/03/2013 19:38

Ask if the receptionist at the surgery can hold him while you have it? That's what they do at my surgery.

SirBoobAlot · 12/03/2013 19:40

If you haven't got anyone to have him, then take him with you. Leave well in advance, make sure he's 'busy' as a three month old can be for a bit, and fed, then a short walk in the buggy to the practice, and hopefully he'll be asleep.

Otherwise, I'm sure the nurse will be able to smile at him for thirty seconds.

Lurkymclurker · 12/03/2013 19:40

Very limited Childcare here so dd normally comes to every appointment with me and at 3 months she was fine in the buggy, if lo cries talk to them and make sure they can see you and they will hopefully calm down.

My drs see it all the time and its not unknown for dr to pause and give dd something to amuse her if she is unsettled.

Good luck :)

JimbosJetSet · 12/03/2013 19:40

Yep, I had a similar appointment - put baby in the buggy, take buggy in with you, keep fingers crossed that baby will be asleep/ content, but even if they are yelling it doesn't really matter, you will be in and out and done in less than 5 mins.

ballinacup · 12/03/2013 19:41

Took 14mo DS to my smear yesterday morning. He just sat in his pushchair for the minute or two it took for the nurse to do her bit. T'was very untraumatic.

TattyDevine · 12/03/2013 19:41

Its fine, have him in a buggy or car seat, someone can turn him away (not that he can comprehend) and in fact you will probably have the curtain round, but often there will be someone else who can pop in and rock him with their foot and make ridiculous faces at him whilst they scrape your fanjo

lol

TattyDevine · 12/03/2013 19:42

PS I had a coil put in with my daughter in the room at 3 months, in a car seat, she jut sat there and snoozed whilst I bit my fist and grunted like a baboon

2tired2bewitty · 12/03/2013 19:43

I took my 2.5 year old to my last one. It wouldn't occur to me not too.

Asheth · 12/03/2013 19:43

I had a smear test at the same time as my babies 3 month injections. It wasn't a problem. He lay in his pram while the nurse did the smear test and then we got him out for his jabs! I decided that way round was best so he wouldn't be screaming!

stargirl1701 · 12/03/2013 19:44

My GP recommended not having a smear till 6 months post birth.

UniS · 12/03/2013 19:44

Can't remember how old Ds was but he def come with me for a smear test or maybe a coil insertion when he was small baby in pushchair age .

aldiwhore · 12/03/2013 19:45

For a smear test, I would just take baby in with me buggy and all.

But I do not recomment this course of action if you're having a coil change. I was a bit of a coping matyr when my eldest was small, but that defeated me. Never again.

midastouch · 12/03/2013 19:45

take him in in buggy or car seat if hes not asleep turn him to face the wall not that he'll care or remember anything he sees

dizzy77 · 12/03/2013 19:46

I had mine when DS was 16wks and left him in the buggy. He was fine, nurse was understanding. I figured there wasn't anything if I could do if he was crying and if he was strapped in he'd come to no harm. I can't even remember whether he was awake or not, just the practice nurse complementing the midwife who delivered him on the neat job she'd made of my stitches!

Original poster

honeytea · 12/03/2013 19:46

I think I will just hope he is sleeping, he has started to get fractious in the late afternoon (when the appointment is unfortunatly) it is hard because he is so small I can't bribe him with stickers/milky bar.

I'm not worried about him actually seeing the smear, I don't think he will know what is going on.

Glad to hear other mums just take the kids along :)

OP posts:

Sprite21 · 12/03/2013 19:46

I did the same but DD was in the car seat (and screamed the whole time). The doctor was completely nonplussed. She just did it extra quick, it was fine. They expect mums to come in with their babies and realise we can't always get care. So YANBU.

HorryIsUpduffed · 12/03/2013 19:46

I agree that you shouldn't have one for six months after birth. The surgery's computer won't take your EDD into account, just the fact that it is three years since your last one.

KittyMcAllister · 12/03/2013 19:47

I had to do this with DS when 5 months old, the nurse's room was upstairs so I just had to hold him while she went ahead & did the necessary! He wasn't overly traumatised by the experience

EasilyBored · 12/03/2013 19:47

My GP did my smear at my six week check up?

Love the idea of turning them away, didn't they just get a pretty close up view of your vagina about three months ago? Lol.

HorryIsUpduffed · 12/03/2013 19:49

I had some pretty mega internal examinations (suspected ovarian cancer, turned out to be harmless growth) when DS1 was 7-10mo. Left him in the buggy and although he was puzzled he wasn't bothered. And it made me grit my teeth and "man up". Ditto the associated blood tests.

Granitetopping · 12/03/2013 19:49

I think that the fact that you have been sent an appointment for a smear test in the first place is appalling!

First, how do the surgery know that it is convenient for you?
Second, there is no mention of informed consent - do they really just expect you to turn up without any discussion regarding your risk factors and whether or not you even want a test?

Don't get me started on the reason for your appointment - I expect the surgery need to get their screening targets met to get their funding.

This is yet another example of how women are not treated as individuals who can make their own mind up about screening.

FitzgeraldProtagonist · 12/03/2013 19:51

I took my 3.5 year old and 20 month old. "Is it like when the dr looked in my ear mum?" errr a bit like that!

Original poster

honeytea · 12/03/2013 19:52

I think the appointment has come through because of the birth, I have never had a smear in this country, my last one was 3 years ago but in the UK and I now live in Sweden.

I will mention to them that I gave birth 3 months ago and ask if it is ok to have a smear so soon. I'd like to know that all the bits have gone back into the right place really but I guess that isn't the idea of a smear, hopefully she would tell me if there is anything odd.

OP posts:

Original poster

honeytea · 12/03/2013 19:54

The other anoying thing is that it is a drop in appointment, loads of women will be given the time of 4pm and they just do the smears on a first come first serve basis so there is a chance I will be waiting around for an hour.

OP posts:

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