Vaginal examinations during Labour

[Newmum0624]

Anyone else slightly traumatised from the VEs during Labour?

I had 3 - the last was fine as i was fully dilated so they barely did anything but the first and second were horrendous. Felt like she was putting her entire forearm up there and was so rough, I actually bled loads.

Not sure if it was just the midwife? She was newly qualified. But it really puts me off having another vaginal birth to be honest.

Yes. With my first birth it was awful. So much so that during my second I refused all examinations.

You are well within your rights to decline VEs next time 😊

Thank god I had an epidural for both because I wouldn't not have been able to tolerate it. I was induced using rods and it was the most traumatic part of the entire birth. That and the midwives laughing and minimising my pain while I was screaming ("most women don't find this painful, what's wrong with you"). You better believe I had an epidural fitted as soon as labour officially started!

@staybyyou @Jadeleigh196 I was induced but only with the drip and it was very much put to me that I needed to have them! I think as long as the same thing doesn’t happen next time I’ll refuse unless there are any concerns..

That sounds horrible! Especially the attitude of the midwives. I hope you put in a complaint.

I had a sweep during early labor with my DD. Up there with one of the most traumatic and painful experiences of my life. Don't get me started on giving birth. Horrific, degrading and minimized throughout.

This reminds me of my second birth. I was being induced and they tried to break my waters. Was excruciating. I mooed like a cow with the pain and the male doctor said I was being dramatic 🙄 i hadn't even started dilating!

You don't have to accept any if you don't want to, if you are being induced they have to do them to be able to perform the induction. However, ask for gas and air for any examinations. I always offer it, people tolerate them in different ways. Some unbothered and some find it horrific. The more dilated you are the easier it tends to be.

Yes that’s what I had re inductions. Unfortunately my hospital has a gas and air ban when I was having DD so couldn’t have had it even if I wanted it! Hopefully if there’s a next time it’ll be available.

Doctors should know better to comment like that.. especially male!

My mum had a sweep during Labour with me and she said it was horrendous. All she really remembers which is a shame! So sorry to hear you had such a bad experience :(

It's appalling how female pain is minimised. I had a male sonographer snap at me for crying out as he was giving me a rough transvaginal scan during a miscarriage. He put on my notes that I was a "difficult patient". This was the same hospital, absolutely appalling. I never put in an official complaint for any of it, apart from discussing it verbally with members of staff.

Obstetric violence happens to women every day and isn’t talked about enough! Anyone can decline these, they just don’t tell you that.

hope you’re ok.

Someone who makes comments like that should not be involved in childbirth.

I remember having my first son 25 yrs ago when I was only 16. Worst experience of my life, countless examinations during induction, zero pain relief on those days until you got to 3cm not even gas and air, was told it wasn't available on the antenatal ward only on delivery suite where you were taken from 3cms. I had regular contractions as soon as gel was placed. Was examined every 6 hours and given more gel each time as still wasn't dillating past 1cm. Contractions were horrendous but the worst part were the exams as the gel had irritated me so much my vagina had swollen up. I was told by several midwives this is childbirth, if you're big enough to make babies you're big enough to have them. Ended up in emcs after 3 days of this as baby became distressed and they were concerned about a possible uterine rupture due to over contracting. After this a midwife then told me I had gotten the easy way out and I didn't have a clue how painful childbirth was.

I had a VE to break my waters & without asking permission or telling me the midwife decided to do a sweep, my mum heard me screaming from the other end of the corridor, I felt like a piece of meat, she never acknowledged or apologised for the pain she caused, just looked at me like I was an idiot.

I found them worse than the contractions (and I made it to 8cm before having an EMCS). The first two VEs I had were the only moments in my labour in which I yelled in pain. At least I was allowed gas and air for the later VEs, which didn’t take the pain away but made it much easier to cope with.

So glad it wasn’t just me. Felt nothing with first as epidural.

Second no pain relief and they took my gas and air away at 9cm before my emergency GA and consultant did a rush vaginal examination and I was screaming and begging her to stop in front of about 17 people. It was an emergency as my baby had minutes to live so I get why it was done and I’m grateful. Still fucking painful though

You can decide them entirely.

I have 2 DC and the only VE I have ever had was during the sweep I had for DC1. A day or two before I went into labour.

I didn’t want anyone poking around up there when my body was doing its thing. I wanted to be left to get on with it.

I also declined all vaginal exams during pregnancy and childbirth apart from the swabs for STIs and GBS.

the first and second were horrendous. Felt like she was putting her entire forearm up there and was so rough, I actually bled loads.

OP, loads of bleeding right after one is a sign that the midwife or obstetrician might have been doing a sneaky manual stretch of your cervix instead of just measuring dilation to hurry labor along. This is violence done without consent, and it is easy to accidentally tear your cervix doing this which can cause all sorts of birth injury trauma and post childbirth internal problems.

This seems to be a common trick. While induced with my third the midwives and a doctor did countless "examinations" but I know they were really doing sweeps as I could see they were trying everything to avoid the drip. None of it worked and I still ended up on the drip. And I was only given gas & air , they kept putting me off the epidural. I was begging for ut and they wouldnt give it to me. My last baby was a whole different experience but it was spontaneous labour. I was offered whatever I wanted, it was amazing in comparison to my inductions.

I agree. I have accompanied 5 close friends in for labour and I have witnessed it in 3 of the labours. I can’t say anything critical though as they’d kick me out and then my friends wouldn’t have support.