Can anyone answer my question about internal examinations please?

[Titsalinabumsquash]

Can a midwife check your progress in labour with an internal whilst you're not laying on your back (preferably when on all fours?)

Yes!

I'm a midwife and have performed VE's (vaginal examinations) with women standing, lying on their left side, on all fours etc. Most midwives are flexible in more ways than one!

I ask as when I had DS3, I have hyper mobility syndrome that was made 10x worse by pregnancy, it took me a long time and a lot of pain to get on my hands and knees and the midwife refused to examine me until, I was laying flat, she forced me down in the end luckily, she didn't cause any more damage to my hips.

She later claimed that the only way to examine a labouring woman was if she was on her back with legs up and flopped open.

Anyway, I'm due to be induced in the next couple of weeks and I'm keen to stay mobile and will probably go on all fours again, it's a natural position that I've adopted to give birth in every time now, I'm hoping to be more informed this time if they try and force me on my back!

Thanks

You're welcome. Well that midwife sounds a real peach . Maybe when SHE trained in 1924 that was usual but good Lord, have a bit of common sense and compassion!

With with women with SPD, it's damaging to allow the legs to flop open like that so hyper mobility syndrome should be a red flag for this IYSWIM.

Anyways, I hope that this time around you get a nicer, more enlightened midwife! Best of luck x

Also bear in mind that internals are of very limited use anyway.

Now, if you end up on the drip or whatever, there may be more reason to agree.

But if you get going with just the pessary, or just having your waters broken, there really is no more reason for internals than on a normal labour.