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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

When do they start fiddling with you down there?!!

21 replies

MillyStar · 15/12/2011 14:15

I'm 23 weeks today with my first little girl!

I had all the comments when i told people like 'oooohh you'll have no dignity left soon' etc

I was just wondering when people start examining you down below i.e. when do i have to get my bits out? Is it just if you need sweeps etc or you're in labour or are there any checks before that?

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HappyAsASandboy · 15/12/2011 14:17

I was examined twice by GP at my instigation because I was uncomfortable.

Midwives didn't examine me and I had a section, so no one ever looked down there apart from the GP those twice.

ginmakesitallok · 15/12/2011 14:18

For me - only when I was in established labour, (7cm with DD1, 9cm with DD2)

Firawla · 15/12/2011 14:19

only if your in labour or need a sweep normally. other than that why would they need to, unless you ask. or maybe for internal scan but that would have been done early on. wouldnt worry too much, i think only in some other countries they do a lot of examinations but not in uk

ladyintheradiator · 15/12/2011 14:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Flisspaps · 15/12/2011 14:25

You can also turn down internals in labour if you want to, so you might never be examined 'down there'

It will definitely be seen though, and you may well poo when pushing so dignity may be a bit forgotten for a while

pixie04 · 15/12/2011 14:25

I'm 39w+3 and not had an internal exam throughout the pregnancy. Althought, tell a lie, I had an internal scan at 5wks. I may have a sweep at my 40w app if I get there and if I want it. Internal exams are expected during labour to check your progress but I have met some women who've refused them. Some MW's are happy to monitor a woman's progress by watching mum and checking babies heartbeat.

Long and short if you don't want any fiddling you don't HAVE to let them but it depends on how you feel and the reasoning behind them.

The "oooohh you'll have no dignity left soon" and comments like come from people who are generally either trying to be nice or make conversation but at worst scare you coz they had a shitty experience. It irritates me when people do it, I've lost count of the amount of people who've told me "it'll hurt", "you'll tear coz you're small", "you'll need a CS" and so on. Mainly they just want to make pregnancy conversation with me but I prefer more positive comments.

GwendolineMaryLacedwithBrandy · 15/12/2011 14:26

Generally only in labour, or if you have a sweep or induction. No interference with DD until then and am 38 weeks now and no one has shown any interest so far in my fanj.

amyboo · 15/12/2011 14:29

Blimey - how different the NHS is! I'm 17 weeks pregnant with DC2 in Belgium - here we see a gynaecologist and he/she always does a sort of internal exam to check that your cervix is closed. This is every time you have an appointment, so once a month until the last 4 weeks when it's every week!

RillaBlythe · 15/12/2011 14:33

not until i was in labour.

Original poster

MillyStar · 15/12/2011 14:34

Oh i don't mind i wont turn anything down that they think i need i just want my baby girl here safe and sound!!

It's just the way people exaggerate like you will be waving your fanjo about for a doctor every week, i just want to be prepared for when i need to drop my pants lol

Got the rest of my 20 week scan in an hour cos the little madame never stays still for them, they couldnt do the nuchal at my 12 scan becuase if it! I hope they let me have more piccies even tho i was only there 3 weeks ago!

Thanks everyone x

OP posts:

MoTeaVate · 15/12/2011 14:36

I have 3 children. With 2 of them I had no internals at all except one after each birth to check for any tearing. Even those I could have declined .

mediawhore · 15/12/2011 14:54

I'm 38 weeks next Tues and having a sweep.

Apart from how I actually GOT in this predicament I have not been fiddled with down there yet!

Crosshair · 15/12/2011 15:19

0_0

PamBeesly · 15/12/2011 15:27

dignity smignity is what I say! having a look/feel/check down there is normal, I think some people are OTT (not you OP or anyone else on this thread) about it, I mean you'll be having a little baby coming out of there, its normal to check it! I think some people have a weird view of what dignity is.
I'm 30 weeks and at 13 weeks I had a doctor check that my cervix was closed because I was bleeding, apart from that nothing! Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy :)

morethemerrier · 15/12/2011 16:32

Glad I don't live in Belguim!

As I'm on DC4,that would have been a LOT of fanjo faffing!

yummicheddars · 15/12/2011 17:33

Well I've had a few internal examinations, but that's because of complications @ains/bleeding so have been something like 3 times this pregnancy (21weeks) but with my first I can only remember having it at my induction.

Snowy27 · 15/12/2011 19:29

I've had about 5 internal exams plus regular internal scans due to problems with bleeding/shortened cervix- The first time (or two!) I felt a bit uncomfortable with it, but feel like an old hand now and just let them get on with and have a brief chat with the nurse to keep my mind off it and stay relaxed, may start charging though as they often want to bring students in to observe, so you get a doctor, a nurse to chaperone and a student or two (which I could of course refuse but I don't mind!)

kickingking · 15/12/2011 19:51

Nobody looked at me down there until the GP at my six week post natal check! I had an elcs, so I assume if I hadn't, I probably wouldn't have been looked at til I turned up at hospital in labour.

MiauMau · 16/12/2011 11:07

At king's college hospital they have a two for one deal, you get an external AND and internal scan all in one go
But, apart from that nothing else.
My sister on the other hand, had her baby in Portugal and it was pretty much the same as Belgium. I kept on getting cervix reports from her each time I called.

SausageWrappedInBaconSmuggler · 16/12/2011 13:23

I had an internal scan at 23 weeks to check for the risk of pre-eclampsia and pre-term labour which I thought was standard but maybe it's just my hospital. That was fairly unintrusive though.

Otherwise I had a sweep at 38 weeks but most of the internal stuff didn't happen til I was induced at 39+2

LackingNicknameInspiration · 16/12/2011 19:27

Had a sweep with DD1 at 40 weeks - that was the first time and the MW really didn't look, she seemed just to be able to feel. Then had internal when first went in with DD1 and that was it apart from a very quick check straight after the birth to make sure no tearing.

With DD2, nothing until I was well in labour. And again, the MW didn't particularly look, just talked out long so it was actually all remarkably dignified. I had a HB and she told me they like to leave any internals as late as possible as once you've had one it can theoretically increase any risk of infection (I understood this just to be once you're in labour) so they like to do it as late as poss if it's a homebirth. GP did a quick interal at 6-week check, which somewhat surprised me, I think it depends on your local PCT guidelines - but again, as dignified as can be.

I was amazed at how discreet it all was. Stiches were another matter, but by that time, you've got a baby, you're full of fell-good hormones and they are SO matter of fact about it, you're chatting away about all sorts of other things. In fact, I was eating toast whilst I had stitches with DD1!

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