when do internal exams start - Page 2

[Citykid]

Kssinca - it's when your practitioner puts fingers inside your vagina. My exams with my MW consist of a blood pressure reading, belly measurement, feeling around to guess position, and listening to the baby's heartbeat with a doppler - no reason to go inside. She hasn't seen me unclothed yet, which actually I feel a little funny about, but t's a good thing I'm pretty uninhibited.

I don't think my MW is big on internal exams. I will probably request one when I feel the urge to push, to make sure I'm fully dilated and ready. But that might be my only one.

[juliebelle]

Originally Posted by Lisanne

I know my dr will want to do it on Tuesday if I tell him I had contractions last weekend. Not sure what to do about that.

just ask him what he plans to do with that information and decide from there.

[kohlby]

Agree that it starts at 36 weeks due to the GBS test as a standard - and that you can decline them if you want! I get weekly nonstress tests and weekly ultrasounds, which started at only 28 weeks pg. So, as long as the NST shows no contractions then I see no reason to have them done. (I'm high risk though so if there was a concern, then I'd definately let them do them).

[triscuitsmom]

Ummm possibly never for me this time?

We don't ever get them for a GBS swab though... we do those ourselves (if we choose to get them done, which I am not so I won't have to worry about it anyway). That seems to be standard for the midwives around here at least (and in the the major city practice I was at with my son).

The midwives will offer them here around 38 weeks and further, but it's just that... an offer. And since I'm planning on UCing I may well get through the rest of this pregnancy with none.

[Enudely]

I have a high risk OB/GYN. I have a feeling he's going to want to follow the protocol for doctors.

[Past_VNE]

Add me to the "Never" category. Unless something's going awry, I'm not interested in knowing, not now, not near term, not in labor.