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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

VEs during labour

25 replies

peneleope58 · 15/02/2011 22:40

Not yet had a baby, but from every friend, youtube, OBEM etc Ive seen/heard, it seems VEs during labour are excruciating. They seem to offer the gas and air every time on OBEM- presumably they know this hurts. Ive read so much about how they are outdated and pointless in normal (not emergencies) labour that it makes me think I will refuse them. If all is OK, why bother? Any thoughts? what happens if you refuse and midwives want to do them just to 'check progress'? I dont care how dilated I am, its no indiciation of when baby will be born anyway, more like something to write in the notes. If its low I'll only be disappointed but the 'time limits' on delivering in a set time will be started. Seems a way to discourage mum and get ready for (perhaps unwanted) intervention? I really want to be given time to have my baby if all is alright not adhere to some hospital protocol of what 'other women average'! last thing I want is forceps or section because I'm not 'fast enough'

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hastingsmum · 15/02/2011 22:44

I haven't had VE in my three labours, but then they were all very quick.

MWs do have some sort of time scale after 4 cm dilated which I agree seems crazy to think that all women should follow the same pattern.

I would speak to your MW about this if I was you.

tigana · 15/02/2011 22:45

Ccame in handy during mine to spot that there was a 'lip' pf my cervix that hadn't dilated but was getting swollen by the pressure - thus making it harder. Also to spot that ds was coming out at an odd angle.
Can't comment on pain, as had epidural and before that is all a blur!

DuelingFanjo · 15/02/2011 22:47

All mine were completely painless.

DontHateThePlayerHateTheGame · 15/02/2011 22:48

Assessing labour can be done via other methods and a good MW wouldnt want to do lots of VE's - I am sure if you have this in your birth plan and discuss it with your MW your wishes can be carried out.

jetgirl · 15/02/2011 22:52

I personally didn't find them uncomfortable, and wanted to know how dilated I was, particularly with my first when it took me over 20 hours to get to 3cm, then just 2 hours to get to 10. My mws seemed to get that al labours were different and I never felt I ought to be fitting into some time scale.

Canugess · 15/02/2011 23:08

From my experience, the longer you stay at home. The less VE's are necessary. I didn't have any with my 2nd and 3rd babies. There wasn't time.

Poppyella · 15/02/2011 23:23

You might care how dilated you are in you have been in labour for 27 hours! I would say just go with the flow, and don't set anything in stone.

You don't have to have them, but many women chose to as they themselves want to know how far along they are.

They are more uncomfortable at the beginning of labour when the cervix is posterior and harder to reach, but become easier as labour progresses. I didn't find them painful at all.

midori1999 · 16/02/2011 00:12

I didn't find them painful either, a bit uncomfortable, but not painful. No G&A needed.

In my first labour I had a VE when I got to the hospital, then one at 7cm when they broke my waters, no others.

Second and third labours I had a VE on arrival to the hospital and then once to check I was ready to push.

Fourth labour was different circumstances, but had one VE.

I'd be happy to have similar again.

Loopymumsy · 16/02/2011 06:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ohmeohmy · 16/02/2011 06:53

i was told the midwife must offer but you can refuse and this is noted in your notes so her back is covered. They need your permission to do anything to you though they don't often seem to ask that directly. More 'i'll just do x ,ok?'

Crawling · 16/02/2011 08:08

I had lots (long births) I wanted them to see how much I had progressed. I had to have them during CCs because there was no gap in CCs. I didnt mind them and didnt think they were that bad and they were over quickly.

Kazb4 · 16/02/2011 08:09

I didn't really find either of mine painful, infact, I find a smear more uncomfortable. I understand that you want as few as possible, who would want some ones hand up there more often than needed. I would agree with others, go with the flow, you may well find yourself asking MW to do one anyway

Bobby99 · 16/02/2011 10:29

Mine was very painful. I panicked a bit because I didn't realise it was normal for it to hurt so much. But I'd been in painful labour for 18 hours already and the VE revealed I was only 2cm dilated. During the VE the MW stretched the cervix during a contraction and that speeded things up dramatically. I dread to think how long my labour would have been without it. It is useful to know how far dilated you are and that can only be determined by a VE. My verdict would be very painful, but worth it.

BUnderTheBonnet · 16/02/2011 10:35

With my last delivery and with the one coming up, I requested no "routine" VEs - only if there was an indicated need which could be explained to me at the time (or done in an emergency, of course).

I had one with DD to check presentation (she was a planned vaginal breech) and didn't find it at all uncomfortable. I just don't agree with the clock-watching that seems to come with knowing how far dilated you are.

Remember, your plan is only a plan - you can change your mind during labour if you find the idea of knowing how far along you are reassuring, or if you want a quick check that you're "ready" to push. I think it would probably be easier to start with a no routine VEs plan, then change your mind, than to switch the other way.

It sounds like you've done some research already on why VEs are not recommended - make sure your birth partner if well-informed as well so they can be your advocate if a midwife tried to persuade you and you're not interested.

Good luck!

rudbekia · 16/02/2011 13:28

I had about three, maybe four??? they were fine, certainly not as painful as the contractions. was useful to find out how well I was progressing tbh.

PorkChopSter · 16/02/2011 13:33

I had them "routinely" in labour #1. Being forced to lie on my back like a stranded beetle was as uncomfortable as having them.

I was given one without consent in labour #2 [hmmm] as I was kneeling forward. I had refused routine VE in that labour .

None in labour #3, and one in labour #4 as I had been involuntarily pushing for a few hours. This found a cervical lip, which was 'repaired'. Now, that stung a bit

You don't have to accept their kind offer. They should be able to tell whether you are progressing - obviously this is easier if you have the same midwife with you.

StrangewaysHereICome · 16/02/2011 13:34

In my previous labours I found VE's excruciating I'm afraid. With my second who was a homebirth I felt strong enough to ask the mw to stop which she did. She wasn't happy about it but I felt it was more for her peace of mind than to help me in anyway. She wrote on my notes I refused it.

This time I have put in my birth plan that I don't want any routine VE's.

Sparklies · 16/02/2011 13:52

Never found them painful at all particularly! And I have a very sensitive cervix usually. I guess everyone is different. I have actually been in a lot more pain from having my IV flushed!

Like someone else here, I had a lip left after an hour of pushing.. once it was pushed out the way DC1 just popped out. It could well be that straining against that lip for an hour contributed to my incompetent cervix issues and I wish it had been spotted sooner.

CalmInsomniac · 16/02/2011 14:32

I had 2 sweeps before labour and 3 VEs in total, one a week before labour because I had regular contractions, and two in labour.
None hurt at all although the second sweep was quite vigourous so quite uncomfortable (I was 13 days overdue and desperate to avoid induction as I wanted a homebirth). I thought I really wouldn't want them but I asked for them each time, actually, because I really wanted to know what stage I was at and how much energy I needed to conserve for the work ahead.

Mahraih · 16/02/2011 14:53

I found them uncomfortable, but nothing compared to the sweeps, which I did need G&A for.

Before labour, I thought VEs were unneccessary. After hours of labour not progressing at all and two sweeps, suddenly the occassional VE seemed a good option! They were a useful bit of knowledge - letting you know if its safe to have a sandwich or if you should really be asking for an epidural in the next 5 minutes.

mejon · 16/02/2011 14:58

Mine did't hurt at all - but then I don't generally feel anything when having a smear or coil fitted/removed either. In this most recent labour I had a MW and consultant trying for some time (unsuccessfully) to attatch a monitor thingy to DD2's scalp and can't really say it hurt. I was aware someone was 'rummaging' but the painful contractions overrode anything I could feel.

Mahraih · 16/02/2011 14:58

Oh, and OP - I was slow and at no point was there a suggestion of CS or forceps just to make it quicker. They simply et me get on with it - that is, until CTG revealed baby's heartbeat wasn't great, and then they started wanting to speed things up using a drip.

Even then, though, when I said I'd prefer not to, they listened. They ended up monitoring baby internally, and taking blood (at my request) from him to test his oxygen levels. They ended up using ventouse as baby was in real distress, but didn't force it on me at all.

Without the VEs, I wouldn't have been induced and would probably still be in labour now!

Sufi · 16/02/2011 15:27

I had several before labour (due to PROM), a sweep, and two or three in labour. None hurt. I also wanted to know how far dilated I was during labour and the last one they wanted to check I was fully effaced so that I could start pushing without causing any problems (I went from 5cm to fully dilated very quickly).

It's different for different women. If you find them painful or intrusive, ask them to stop or limit them.

barelyutterly · 16/02/2011 23:08

Regarding problems with cervical lips, this is an interesting read:

midwifethinking.com/2011/01/22/the-anterior-cervical-lip-how-to-ruin-a-perfectly-good-birth/

In fact the entire blog is a good read!

BUnderTheBonnet · 17/02/2011 10:56

Thanks for the link Barelyutterly - very interesting.

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