6/8 week check on mum - what to expect?

[LKM]

I'm interested in other's experience at the 6 or 8 week check-up with your GP. I know there is a check-list for baby, but what about for Mums? One of the women in my NCT group didn't feel good about the way she was treated but is not sure whether her experience was normal. After asking her some questions about how she felt ("OK" was the broad answer) the GP (male) insisted on a full internal exam, a cervical smear (even though she protested that she was still sore) and asked her to test her pelvic muscles on his finger. None of the rest of us in the group have had any sort of internal examination unless we reported specific problems. Is she over-reacting?

LKM, When I had my post natal checks I had to have an internal after my two vaginal deliveries and I had a smear at the 6 week PN check after DS1 but policy has changed now and they don't do them until 6 months after the birth because the cervix doesn't get back to normal straight away. I think that they like to check that the cervix has closed again and doesn't look odd in any way, they also like to check that tears and stitches have healed ok. I wasn't given an internal after my C-section. I think they also checked my blood pressure and weight and asked general questions. All the male doctors at hour clinic are chaperoned by a nurse so it unlikely that they would do anything unnecessary. The pelvic muscle test sounded a bit dodgy, I don't think I would have been happy about that, did your friend have anyone in the room other than the doctor?

The only internal exam i have ever been given here in the uk was during labor (after 20 or so hours). I am 25 weeks pregnant with my second. In the usa my ob-gyn (female) gives me regular internal exams, for pap smear, pregnancy etc. I'm not sure my gp here (female) even knows how to do one?

Yep, I had the pelvic muscle internal by my (female) GP at the 6 week check too.

I got through the whole of pregnancy & birth (Caesarean) without any internal exam of any kind thank god, nobody ever suggested it was necessary. Don't like the sound of it one bit!

I had the pelvic muscle test at both 6-week exams too. Not fun but it is important to check that muscle tone and nerve function is fully normal to prevent problems like incontinence or even prolapse.

Had my postnatal check at 8 weeks (after c-section). My GP said 'How are you', I said 'OK' and that was it. I was very surprised!

I am due for my smear test and was told at my 8-week check to leave it for at least six months' as the result would be inaccurate (and I did tell my g.p. that even if it wasn't he hadn't a hope in hell of doing one anyway!) I had horrible internal during my induction and in fact they were the most distressing part of the labour process until the emergency at the end. As dd was delivered by c-section I had no internals after and was surprised to be asked by my g.p. if I was using condoms for sex when my midwife had warned me not to have sex until at least my six- week check! I'm no expert but it does sound to me as though the g.p. mentioned in the question has been insensitive to say the least.

My check up could have been done by postal questionnaire. It took all of 2 minutes (including negotiating the door with the car seat). I was all revved up for an internal examination (best pants on etc), but nothing doing!

It sounds like it depends on your own doctor as to what will happen. I find it all very embarrassing and just 'lie back and think of england'. You start your anti natal checks all shy and gradually build up confidence and openness until the delivery when you wouldn't care who was looking or poking/prodding (I had a class of medical students in the delivery room for my ventouse with DS1) as long as they 'get that b**y baby out quick'!!!! Then over the next few weeks you go back to being Mrs Prudish and the whole nightmare has to be repeated at the post natal check.

My worst internal has to be when I had just started labour with no3. My waters were trickling but when the huge brute of a dr did an internal mid contraction (ouch, it was agony) he must have really broken my waters. I got my own back though by covering him in amniotic fluid, blood, membrane and whatever else (ha ha, served him right for hurting me).

PamT your first paragraph describes it exactly. But I was still surprised not to be examined at the 6 week. But my Mum says it was the same in her day. Might have been better if I had been because I've got a bit of pelvic floor trouble which I am trying to bring myself to make an appt about....

Bozza, have you been doing pelvic floor muscle exercises. They worked wonders for me during my first pregnancy. I started out pissing myself everytime I laughed or sneezed and ended up doing so many exercises through the rest of the pregnancy that I didn't have to do them at all after giving birth.

LKM after baby one my six week check was the GP asking how I felt . I had decided I would politely refuse an internal exam if it was suggested (it wasn't).
My GP said he personally thought routine 6 week checks were a waste of time - if you had concerns you should see the doc whenever and not wait 6 weeks.Also he did not believe internal exams were appropriate as they served no function particularly as wound care at home was undertaken by the community midwives.
With babies one and two I did not even go for a six week check as I felt fine and was too busy.

At my 6 week checkup I was not examined in any way and would not have wanted to be at that time, I was merely asked if I was alright. My baby was examined thoroughly, hips etc, and she was handled so roughly that it made her cry a lot. This was upsetting especially as I had waited for ONE HOUR in a crowded waiting room (no apology from the doctor). I have since changed GP's to a much better practice and am always seen within a few minutes.

Sounds like there are varying experiences and what my friend experienced is not completely out of the ordinary - except I don't think there was a chaperone present. Seems like he was just an insensitive oaf who is not clued up to latest research on smear tests - apparently afterwards he admitted the sample he took was unusable because it was so mucky. No-one likes an internal but as you all say, during labour you don't give a damn. As for the pelvic floor muscles I would have thought the woman would know if they were weak by signs of incontinence! Thanks for the feedback - I will pass on the reassurance.

I had an internal examination at my six weeks check (male GP)and he checked my stitches too- not too awful as he is a very nice,sympathetic doctor who I trust. He also did a breast check (I wasn't breast feeding - had failed miserably in my attempts). no pelvic floor squeezing test though (ew!)

Just had my 6week PN check. BP and weight. Talked about checking my Hb levels, then forgot. I asked for a smear as it had been overdue when ds2 was conceived. Was told not til 12weeks because of cervical trauma making the results inaccurate but as I had an elective CS they had to do it anyway! Then it was a form to fill in re when and where delivery had occured, and that was it. A complete waste of time IMO, done by the practice nurse. They wouldn't even have looked at my cs scar if I hadn't stripped off for the smear.

My experience was much like Bluebear's. I think all I got was a bp test.

My first labour experience was much like PamT. I had a male student midwife delivering my ds, and then a roomful of med-students while I was in theatre being stitched up (3rd degree tear). I was so elated I didn't care!

LKM, MY POST-NATAL CHECK WAS VERY STRANGE. THE BABY WAS CHECKED BUT I WAS NOT. MY CHECK CONSISTED OF BEING ASKED WHAT CONTRACEPTION I PREFERRED AND I SAID I WASN'T IN A SEXUAL RELATIONSHP AT THE TIME SO THE GP SAID THAT WAS IT, CHECK OVER!

I refused my check after DS2 because of this. I told them I could just as easily look in the mirror and ask myself if I was OK. Complete waste of time.

I have no recolection of what was checked that day as I was soooo sleep deprived and stuggling with having two in 15 months. Dh was working overseas plus I had builders in the house (building it!)and the 6 week old baby was an absolute shocker... BUT I do remember when my lovely GP asked me how I was coping with everything and I automatically smiled and said "fine ,just fine". He then looked at my feet and and too my horror I realised I had managed to drive across town and go to his surgery, sit in his waiting room with two babies, not realising I had forgotton my shoes!

I went along to the six week check with my ex partner and my son...it was his son too after all.... I suspected an inspection was intended,but I wasn't up for an internal.The doctor said I should make an appointment with the nurse....phew..sorry any doctors out there...but I feel much more comfortable with a female doing the 'bits' inspection.

I just had a nice chat with my doctor (female)... She asked whether my stiches were still there and if I wanted her to take a look at them - I said I thought I was fine, and so she said fine. I didn't bring DD - this was my check, not hers. Her appointment was with another doctor who "specialised" in the baby 6-8 week tests. She did ask whether I had had sex though (yeah right... exactly WHEN you you have time to fit that in exactly during those early weeks?) - and she replied "yeah - sometimes you just have to do it to make them (partners) feel not so left out!!! Hmmmm.

tilba! Amazing what sleep deprivation can do isn't it? Hope you're getting some now.