newborn girl check up question

[nia82]

We are expecting a girl this time around and I don't know what I should be aware of at check-ups. With DS I made sure they didn't touch his genitals in order to not get retracted... I have heard in some posts a long time ago that some peds check for vaginal adhesions or something along the lines? That sounds a little odd to me, or is this normal? What should I know about the topic - is it ok to check for the ped or not? It really occupies me, I don't want my little girl to be hurt by an unknowing ped for no good reason!

[Knitting Mama]

My ped never did anything to check my daughter's vulva or vagina. She was mostly concerned with checking her hips for dysplasia. I do recall her looking once and telling me that the fact that my daughter's vulva was reddened was totally normal, but that is all I can think of that had anything to do with her genitalia.

[lunarlady]

My doc does a quick check for adhesions. Basically, if you don't clean between the vulva well after poopy diapers, a little waste will be stuck in there. Over time, sores will form. As those heal, they can create small skin flaps joining the vulva together. They are very thin and fragile, so tear easily causing pain and opening the door to infection. So at the newborn visit (2 weeks) they check to see how clean she is, or if any sores are forming, to head off adhesions before they happen. It is pretty hard to get all those folds clean, so I don't mind my doc checking. It is quick and not painful. About the same as wiping clean after a diaper change.

[chattyprincess]

both of our dd's were checked at our 2 week check, 2 dif states, 2 dif peds. both checks were to assure that there were no adhesions at the time. adhesions can occur at anytime and the vaginal area of new babies should (in my opinion) be glanced at to make sure that everything is there, working and looking healthy.

with a newborn girl during diaper changes you will notice a white thick "cheesy" destin looking discharge in the folds.Almost like the vernix... This is normal, do not try to "scrub" it out. Our new ped and mw told us that this helps protect the baby vaginal area for infections and yeast as newbabies.We thought this was really intresting since no one told us this with our 1st dd 4 yrs ago!

[nia82]

Thanks! Dumb question, but how does the check look like, like what is ok and what not? I just want to be prepared!

[woodchick]

Our ped will undo the diaper and press gently around the pelvic joint. He may look at the vagina/vulva, but I can't remember.  If he does it is with a gentle touch to get a look.  The whole 'under diaper' exam takes far less time than a diaper change.

[LemonPie]

I have two girls.  I remember them being checked for hip dysplasia like some of the PPs have said.  I don't remember their genitals ever being closely examined.  *I* make sure to clean well and check for adhesions, simply because that happened to the daughter of a friend.  Diaper changes on NB girls aren't really all that different--the vulva does a pretty good job of blocking things from getting into the vaginal area, even with really messy diapers.

[chattyprincess]

Originally Posted by nia82 

Thanks! Dumb question, but how does the check look like, like what is ok and what not? I just want to be prepared!

 generally they will undo the diaper,push back the outer skin to get a look at the inner areas. our 2nd dd the ped thought there was an adhesion so he spread everything a little longer and looked a little longer (like we are talking less then 1 min...) and explained the white stuff to us and things. It was acutally very intresting. I find during ALL doc exams I talk and question things. "oh could you explain everything you do when you do it. I find all of this so fascinating" has been the award winning phrase in my book....I ask questions about the ear exams, eye exams and ask what they are looking for etc. I love knowing why everything is being done...ya know?

[lunarlady]

Same here. The doc asks me to remove the diaper and then does a quick check by gently spreading the outer lips for a moment. Less than 5 seconds. She then flips baby over for a quick look at the lower back (for signs of spinal bifida, as if we would miss that!) then diaper goes back on.