Anyone get checked at 36 weeks for cervical progress?

[mommyNluv]

My doc. wants to check me this wednesday. Should I let him? What is the earliest you would let your doc. check you?

[Jaime]

Well I was checked for preterm labor at the hospital once this time around already I was nearly 31wks , had some dialation and effacement already at that point.

I think in my past 2 pregnancies first time i was checked was 36wks and then 35 with my 2nd pregnancy, my 2nd they checked with my GBS test after they took what they needed she checked me.

So i am 33wks now and I would say 35 or 36 wks would be ok for me, both my past children were born in my 38th wk

[mystic2mom]

I was checked only once w/ my first, and that was at 39 weeks! With my second, I had a different doc and he checked EVERYTIME! I thought it was a little much, but he told me that since I had a uterine abnormallity, it was the norm. We moved... again, so a new doc this time. I was checked several times b4 12 weeks cuz I was bleeding and almost miscarried, I go to my 35 week appt tomorrow and I think he starts the weekly check then. Good luck!
Dawn

[aprilushka]

If I were going to a doc now I probably would fight with them on this-- not until 40 weeks or I'm in labor. I'm too paranoid about them sneaking in a stripping of the membranes or something similar without telling me, which is what my doc did last time. As it is I agreed with my mw she can give me my first exam when I'm feeling pushy or we think it's a good idea for checking for position.

[duckat]

I had the GBS swab last week at 35w, and my mw did a "visual check."
I plan to have her check at 37w because my son came at 37w 4d, so I'd just like to know what's going on.
I don't know how she feels about checking, she implied that it was up to me.

[kyle98sean02]

With my first they started checking at 37 or 38 weeks. With my second they didnt check until I was at the hospital. This one I may be checked tomorrow just because I have been having contractions every 10-15 minutes since Saturday and I lost some plug. I'd ike to know if I am dialating since I am only at 35 weeks.

[celestialdreamer]

I did get checked last week, but not specifically just for cervical progress. There was some confusion as to whether or not the baby's head or his butt was the engaged part so I had the option of either a vaginal exam to verify that was his head, or getting an u/s. I chose an exam and she asked if I wanted her to check for dilation then too, and I figured she might as well even though it means nothing. I don't plan on having any more exams without a good reason because they are not helpful for knowing your 'progress' and they can always introduce bad bacteria or accidently send you into labor when your body isn't ready.

[Wittyone]

I'll be declining checks until active labor. They may tell you what is happening at that very moment but really don't have any predictive value whatsoever. You can be firm, closed and posterior and start labor the next day, or you can be a soft 3-4 for weeks. I think it has the potential to just induce more anxiety unless there's a good reason to know (ie to determine preterm labor). Plus, it's uncomfortable and the last thing anyone needs at this point is more discomfort!!

In some places practitioners don't even consider cervical checks before the onset of active labor. FreeSpiritMama can confirm this, but I believe most British mws would think we are a little nuts for all the "checking" we do ahead of time.

[2+twins]

I was just discussing this issue with my dh last night (whether or not to have the mw check). I had no intention of it and she brought it up last week (35 weeks) b/c I've been contracting a lot and I think also to verify that baby a is head down. I told her that maybe I'd have her check me but no sooner than 36 weeks when she'll be willing to do a homebirth (wouldn't want to accidentally have her send me into labor). However, after thinking about it I decided not to b/c:

1. Knowing how dilated I am now means nothing (you could walk around 5cm for a month, kwim?)
2. If she were to find that the baby was breech then SHE would be all wigged out about it (I wouldn't be) and I don't need that kind of stress.

So anyway, in my situation where I like to keep things very hands-off (she literally won't be in the same room with me unless I change my mind and request it or need help) I don't think it's a good idea. I also think vag. exams during labor to check progress of dilation is a big mistake, so that's where I'm coming from.

[JefsJen]

I got checked at my last appt. This past Thursday since I was having so much pressure and all. Just to satisfy my own curiosity.

[aweynsayl]

Originally Posted by mommyNluv

What is the earliest you would let your doc. check you?

Ummm.... after the Baby is born?

[FreeSpiritMama]

Personally I wont be getting any vaginal checks ( my reasoning is similar to love_homebirthings), luckily I have an awesome MW who is totally on board with this

[BetsyPage]

I chose to have a check today because one thing that was very discouraging to me with my dd was that *nothing* happened, even at 42 weeks. I was not soft, not dilated, not effaced, dd wasn't even really engaged when they started inducing me. So in a way I did feel like I was "defective" and wouldn't have gone into labor without help.

I have feel like maybe *something* was happening this time, so my MW offered to check (my choice- I could have said no) and I decided to let her as a baseline... and I am glad I did b/c I got reassurance that I needed that my body is responding and getting ready. My cervix is very foward, I'm soft, 60-70% effaced, and dilated 2 cm. Now, I am perfectly aware that I could still go to 42 weeks like I did with dd, and that's fine... but for me it is encouraging and exciting to know that stuff *is* happening.

I've also decided not to take 5W or EPO on a 5-4-3-2-1 schedule as my MW suggested last time, since things are moving along fine on their own. I really don't want this baby to come before 39-40 weeks, and now I can relax and trust her to come out when she's ready. I'm so excited to meet her but I still have some stuff to do!

[JefsJen]

yeah, my midwife wouldn't have done one...and I told myself there was no real reason to have one done...but I did. And now I could kick myself. But I will say this...If I had still been seeing the doc I had for my LAST two? I prob would've been checked SEVERAL times by now. But there isn't any reason for it... and I also totally agree with love_homebirthing as well.

[AllisonK]

Originally Posted by Wittyone

I'll be declining checks until active labor. They may tell you what is happening at that very moment but really don't have any predictive value whatsoever. You can be firm, closed and posterior and start labor the next day, or you can be a soft 3-4 for weeks.

I had a doula client who was checked at 37wks and found to be 4cm (first time mom) Her doctor flat out told her you will be in labor by this weekend. When she was not in labor by then she was so upset. She went another 2 weeks at 4cm. Checking really is not going to tell you much of anything other than your body is working and you will have a baby, which you know right now anyway! LOL.

I have had no VE's this entire pg (well one in the ER when I had alot of bleeding). My MW does not do them unless mom requests it, so I may very well go this entire labor and birth with out one.

Allison

[BetsyPage]

I might not get checked again, but for me, it *was* helpful. If I hadn't gone so long with dd I probably would have skipped it. But I am glad that I don't feel like I have to take so many pills now!

[dynamicdoula]

Originally Posted by mommyNluv

My doc. wants to check me this wednesday. Should I let him? What is the earliest you would let your doc. check you?

What will the information mean to you? To the doctor? These exams are typically done because they are routine. I have had several clients who have chosen to decline the vag exam have their doctors tell them that usually women want them so they routinely offer them, but that they don't really mean anything.

How will you feel if the news is that you are dilating? What if you hear that you are 2cm already- will you feel anxious that it could happen anytime? What if it doesn't?

How will you feel if you hear that you aren't dilated at all? Disappointed? Relieved?

Is there any medical reason for an invasive exam?

It's your decision, not his. If the information would be useful to YOU, then go for it. If not, then why introduce bacteria into your vagina for no reason?

[LucyRev]

I was checked last week, at my 34 week appointment. The only reason though is because my first baby was born at 35 weeks and I had lost some of my plug the day before and I'm feeling lots of stuff going on down there. So, for me, I just wanted to know the status, even though I know it doesn't predict a whole lot. She also did my group B strep culture at that time because she thought it wasn't wise to wait until 36 weeks. My daughter was born before the 36 week appt, so they didn't get to do the test, and by the time I came into the hospital it was too late for antibiotics to help. I was 7cms. We didn't have any problems anyway.

My cervix is soft and dilated a fingertip. Pretty normal for baby #2.

[jenny-g]

Originally Posted by mommyNluv

My doc. wants to check me this wednesday. Should I let him? What is the earliest you would let your doc. check you?

No checks yet, I'm 37 weeks. I preferred having a u/s a few weeks ago to check the positioning, because I wanted absolute verification on that, and in my opinion a u/s is less risky/invasive than a cervical check. (all of my mom's babies were breeches, and in IL, it is essentially illegal to do anything but a c/s for a breech birth due to the fact that doctors can't get malpractice insurance for any vaginal breech procedure anymore. So if I had to get all spinningbabies.com on that kid's ass, I NEEDED to know!). I won't get any cervical checks if I can avoid them, now that i know the baby is head down, and that's all I cared about. If I find out I'm 4 cm dilated and am like that for three weeks, I will go INSANE- I prefer not to know! (I do get my GBS culture tomorrow, so hopefully I"ll be able to maintain my "don't check me" stance then.)

[thirdchild]

No checks yet. I am 36 weeks. I go on Friday and I don't imagine I'll get checked then either. With #2 the doc only checked 2 days before I was due.

I had my GBS culture last week and I did it myself. He gave me the swab and told me how to do it in the washroom. Is this normal?? I thought it was great because I didn't have to get undressed or anything!