Midwife checking baby's position

[Fufulina]

Hello - I had a midwife appointment yesterday (am 30+2), and at yesterday's and the previous appointment (27+2), the midwife checked the baby's position with rather vigorous pressing. I've just read on baby centre that they wouldn't normally even start doing that until 36 weeks.

Now - I found it quite uncomfortable (and would the baby? she was pressing far far harder than I ever would), so am assuming I can ask them to back off at my next appointment? And, at what stage did other people have the midwives start vigorous palpating?

TIA

Babycentre is wrong. It is usual to start checking the position around then, especially with a first baby as the baby can engage quite early. If the baby is found to be in an unfavourable position the MW could advise you on things to do to get it into a better one.

It can be a bit uncomfortable but it shouldn't be painful - and certainly won't be for the baby, don't worry

TPL - thanks very much indeed for the quick response! It is my first and baby is head down with feet resolutely stuck under my ribs!

I think it's usual to check the baby's position by 28 weeks, certainly by 30 weeks. It can feel uncomfortable when the midwife does this, and you can always ask her not to press so hard.

It is too soon to start worrying about it but you could google Spinning Babies to find out some things you can do to get your baby moving. I read somewhere that a bag of frozen peas applied to the top of your bump can shift the little fellow

Sorry, misread and thoght your baby was breech (I am pregnant too and it doesn't help the intellect much does it?) - under no circumstamces get the peas out!

My MW started at 30 weeks. Baby is small in a big bag of water so the prodding just makes baby float about a bit in the early days.

Later they prod fairly hard to find if the head is engaged but the rest of baby is easy to find as your bump becomes 'all baby'

It's usual for mw's to check the baby's position from about 28 weeks. If you found the experience uncomfortable then let your mw know so that she can go a bit more slowly.

Thanks very much, ladies. Frozen peas still in freezer, and will not be so ridiculously meek next time when faced with a member of the medical profession and will ask her to go easy.

LOVE having such a wealth of reassurance and info from MN at my fingertips!