"Exams" start today- and I don't mean at school

[Mama Poot]

I'll be 36 weeks tommorrow, and I have a prenatal today. They're gonna do the GBS test and all that good stuff. : The test doesn't bother me, but do I REALLY have to have an internal exam every freaking time I go to these appointments from now until I deliver?? And what's the deal with having to go to the doctor every DAY during the last week?? I don't feel like that is necessary, especially in a normal pregnancy like mine. I hated this part last time, and I don't want to repeat it. I see a CNM for my prenatal care, however a direct-entry will be delivering the baby at our home. ( CNM's are forbidden by law to perform homebirth in Ohio. ) How should I tell my practitioners that I don't want to have so many exams?? And that I am NOT coming in every single day for a week?? Grrrrr I'm tired of being poked and prodded!!! I'm not a cow! ( And even if I was I still wouldn't appreciate it! ) : : :

[jrose_lee]

I told them I didn't want an internal towards the end when they told me it was time for one. I really didn't care how many cm I was dialated b/c it won't really tell you when labor will begin anyway! My homebirthing doctor even argued with me when I explained I didn't want anything up there to avoid infection etc. He said , "Well, you still have sex with your husband don't you?" To which I replied, "But my husband's penis is NOT a doctor's office full of germs". It worked! He gave in & the ladies at the front desk (who had been listening in) were so proud of me I completely agree with you. I also think that is crazy to come in every day (unless there were comp;ications or something...) Sounds like your pregnancy is healthy & you know what you want Good luck!

[channelofpeace]

Just say no They can't force you to have an exam. And truly, they aren't neccessary (you probably know that though). I have such a hard time trying to figure out why they feel the need to incessantly check the cervix those last few weeks. You can walk around dialated to 3 for weeks or you can be closed up tight and deliver the next day. When they ask you to disrobe (or whatever your office does) just politely say that you don't want an exam today. I had one nurse last pregnancy that looked on my chart and saw that i had been checked at 36 weeks and told me that she wanted the dr to check me this time. He wasn't pushy at all about ve's and so i told her no thanks. I just thought it was ridiculous that she was telling me that i should have him check me. Uh, shouldn't that be my decision to talk over with him?:

And just "forget" to make appts those last few days. Good luck!

[Butter]

Even seeing mainstream OBs in my first pregnancy I never was subjected to that. I had an internal at 36 weeks when they did the GBS swab and no more until I delivered at 41 weeks. I saw the OB once a week from 36 weeks on. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, and had one scheduled for 41 but she was born that morning. No visits in between. You can refuse anything (but that schedule was standard).

[coco4cloth]

I didn't do the gbs test. I didn't have any exams until I was in labor. I also went to the doctor every 4 weeks. Once I got to 40 weeks, he said I could come back once a week. I ended up having her at 40 weeks 3 days! Just say no to the exams.

[Quagmire]

I did my own GBS swab I'm 40 weeks today and no one will be checking my cervix but me!

[georgia]

Decline. You are the client You don't *have* to do anything you're not comfortable with. After my first birth, I swore no one would be touching my cervix again who wasn't invited . I went on to have two more babies w/o any "checking" ever. Internal exams provide no useful information, IMO, other than to satisfy curiosity!

[Earthylady]

My medwives didn't even blink when they asked if I wanted checked and I said no. They actually said "Good, it won't mean anything anyway." I was asked a half dozen times about the GBS but I just always told them I declined and even if I tested + I would decline antibiotics. So, it was no biggie.

With pg#2, we went homebirth and it was a non issue all together.

Mandy

[Mama Poot]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

I did my own GBS swab I'm 40 weeks today and no one will be checking my cervix but me!

How do you check your own cervix?? How do you know what you're feeling, looking for, etc..? This has always fascinated me! And shoot if I can do it on my own then there really IS no point in having a doc do it!

I must be honest, I AM curious to see if I've "made progress". I don't know why though because I started labor with my first about 2.5cm dilated and that didn't help me at all.

[veganf]

Wow, that definitely sounds like more than anyone should have to endure. You most definitely have the right to refuse ALL internal exams, and only go in once a week. I have 3 weeks between my 33 and 36 week appointments, where I can choose whether or not to do the GBS. Then I'll go again in 2 weeks, and if still no baby, I'll go to once a week from there (still only for blood pressure, pee on a stick, feel and listen to baby, talk about any others symptoms or concerns). But never ever have I even been offered an internal exam. I'd have to request one from my midwife.
If there's no medical reason for them, I'd say no way!

- Krista

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by Mama Poot

How do you check your own cervix?? How do you know what you're feeling, looking for, etc..? This has always fascinated me! And shoot if I can do it on my own then there really IS no point in having a doc do it!

I must be honest, I AM curious to see if I've "made progress". I don't know why though because I started labor with my first about 2.5cm dilated and that didn't help me at all.

Here's a good link on how to do it:

http://www.joyousbirth.info/articles...xlearning.html

Basically I straddle the toilet - this seems to be a good position to get far enough back to feel it. You can use a little KY to make it easier.

(last time I checked I felt my daughter's hard little head right there! It was very exciting )

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by georgia

Internal exams provide no useful information, IMO, other than to satisfy curiosity!

So true!

I can't believe how many of my friends been surprised that I'd decline any VEs. I think there's a common misconception out there that checks provide a magic "going to go into labor" date or something. I've tried to explain that I walked around dilated to 3cm and 50% effaced with my first daughter for over 6 weeks (until I was finally induced) as proof that it didn't mean squat, but I guess some women don't feel comfortable unless they have the OB seal of approval... *sigh*

[sunshinestarr]

Mama Poot, don't let them do anything to you that you don't want done!

[AutumnMama]

Wow, the VE issues aside (I'm not having any done this time either), that is one aggressive schedule!!
I've never heard of having to go in every day in your last week, that's just rediculous! Don't they think you have anything better to do? :

Really, IMO once a week in the last couple of weeks is definitely enough!

[angelpie545]

I didn't have any routine internal exams with either of my two kids. My midwives did ask me if I wanted to be checked, and I declined. I did, however do the GBS test, but I did it myself in the bathroom while my midwife waited outside. The first time I did have GBS, and I choose to do antibiotics, however not with an IV. The second time I didn't have GBS so it wasn't an issue. Just remember, they cannot force you to do anything you do not want to do. You hired them, they did not hire you.

[boscopup]

Originally Posted by AutumnMama

I've never heard of having to go in every day in your last week, that's just rediculous! Don't they think you have anything better to do? :

:

I don't even known of any OBs around here that have you come EVERY DAY. That's silly!

Ditto to PPs... REFUSE the exams. You don't need them, and you don't have to have them! I'm refusing the VEs at the end of pregnancy. If my OB questions it (he's good about me refusing things so far, including the GTT), I will just ask him what useful information it would give... especially since I'm not delivering with him unless there's a problem. I do not intend to have VEs - in the last weeks of pregnancy or during labor.

And I would not go in everyday in a week either. Just schedule your appt for a week later. No big deal! You said they aren't even delivering you, so just stop going to appts if you have to.

[khaoskat]

I can tell you that what you are being subject to IS NOT the normal standard of Care in Ohio. I have had two children in Ohio, and GBS is standard around the 35-37 week mark. After that with DS1, I was always asked if I wanted to be checked from about 37 weeks forward. With DS2, I wasn't even asked or checked until I was 40 1/2 weeks. Then, the Midwife also stripped my membranes, since I was 2-3 CM and we were trying to prevent me from going to 42+ weeks. At 41 weeks I was checked again and the baby went breach, then again at 41 1/2 weeks and baby was back into position. Midwife stretched me to 4 CM and stripped my membranes, as I only had 3 days left before their Manditory Induction/C-section 42 week mark. Although, they would have let me go a few days over, if I had passed a bio physical profile since I would have had to go in on Good Friday, but he came of his own accord on Good Friday.

I went every week from 36 weeks on with both pregnancies, and then two times a week from 40 weeks till birth with them doing an NST at those visits.

Melissa S.

[bradleybirth2mom]

Tell them that Dr. Robert Bradley of the Bradley method tells you that cervical dilation is no indication of labor progress and you feel it does more harm than good by raising the chance of infection should you have an undetected tear in the amniotic sac. If they still argue, insist that the risk is greater than the benefit and refuse. If they say that it still helps to tell if you're in labor or not, tell them that women can be in labor for weeks and that they can dilate 4, 5 or more centimeters in that time without feeling a single contraction. Point out to them that you know you'll be in active labor when your contractions are around one minute long and have been close together and going on for an hour or so. They may even be impressed and certainly won't want to keep arguing about it indefinitely. And tell them that you'll only be coming in once a week at that point---you can blame it on gas prices. They can't argue with money too much. If they refuse to see you on that basis, I would try to switch to another midwife and still do a homebirth.
Good luck!

[phoebemommy]

Ditto what everyone else has said, but I really wanted to chime in and say how completely crazy going in every day sounds. For what, a pulse and blood pressure? And I imagine they charge (if not you, insurance) for this, yes? I wonder if that's their motive. It also seems like maybe you're being watched extra closely because you want a homebirth, which isn't fair at all.

[IamPink]

Originally Posted by bradleybirth2mom

If they say that it still helps to tell if you're in labor or not, tell them that women can be in labor for weeks and that they can dilate 4, 5 or more centimeters in that time without feeling a single contraction.

A good friend of mine was 7 centimeters when she went to be induced b/c of a big baby. He was 9lbs (not really THAT big of a baby). Point being, a baby will come out when they are ready. What good does it do you to know that you are 2 or 3 cm dilated if you aren't in labor? It only puts you on THEIR time line, not nature's!
If you are dilated, now what?!
If you aren't dilated, now what?!
Even if you are dilated to 5 or whatever, I'm meaning that if you check yourself of course, what does that prove?
No way would I go in for a check of vitals every freakin day!