Wwyd?

[amaayeh]

I'm going in tomorrow for my 40 week check up and I don't know exactly what they will want to do. I want to prepare myself, though, so I don't have to 'think' about it until next week! They have only checked me once upon my request at 35.4 weeks because of insane pressure on my pubic bone. I was 2 cm/60%. They mentioned last week about checking me again this time. I'm really not sure I want to do this for multiple reasons.

1) What will it tell us? Nothing. If I'm walking around at 6 cm and still not in active labor, there is no indication of when that will happen, so what is the point?

2) I was GBS+ at that 35 week appointment. I feel like the less messing around in there, the less likely it will spread up, etc.

3) I'm just getting over a yeast infection. Yuck! I want my flora to hopefully return to somewhat normal.

4) I'm afraid they will want to strip my membranes. I've never had this done and might not be opposed to it if it weren't for my GBS status. Thoughts???

Thanks for any feedback ladies! I want her out, but most importantly, I want us to be the healthiest possible!

[Ironica]

If you don't want it, don't take your pants off. ;-) Sounds like your reasoning is pretty sound.

I declined my cervical check today, which was fine with my doc. He agreed that it really doesn't tell you anything about when you're going to go into active labor. He did point out that it tells you something about how long after active labor begins you might have before needing to head into the hospital (or birth center, or call the midwife, etc.), which is true... though there are other ways to tell as well.

[Incubator]

I'd totally say no, for all the reasons you stated. I was also told by my doula with DS that any checking the cervix was basically stripping the membranes since there is at least a little pressure exerted when they check. Just a thought...

[Jennisee]

Originally Posted by Ironica

He did point out that it tells you something about how long after active labor begins you might have before needing to head into the hospital (or birth center, or call the midwife, etc.), which is true... though there are other ways to tell as well.

That's a good point. I live 70 miles from the hospital, so I asked for a cervical check at 38.5 weeks, knowing that my first child was born at 39 weeks. But it's not something I'd recommend to everyone, and I definitely agree with amaayeh's reasons for declining.

[ChetMC]

No Checks Here

I don't let them do cervical checks, and fortunately, I've never had a doctor who was keen to do them. That said though, we can get to the hospital in well under ten minutes. I might be more inclined to do it if we had a long trip to the hospital, or if we had to give a midwife as much lead time as possible to get to our house.

[paphia]

Don't do it. You'd never forgive yourself if it introduced an infection to your baby. You'd also drive yourself crazy if you found out you were 6 cm and you still ended up not going into labor for another week. Not worth it!

[eksmom]

I'm sort of in the same boat w/ my 40 week appt coming up on Friday. I was checked at 36 weeks, not at 37, checked at 38, not at 39. I'm leaning towards not for one main reason - I have heard that my OB will send you directly to the hospital for induction if you are "too dilated." He did say when I declined last week that he would want to check me this week, so I hope it's not a battle. Then again, he tends to forget what he said from one week to the next anyway.

[amaayeh]

I went and declined. They were perfectly fine with it and said my reasons were very justified. However, they said at my 41 week they will probably want to check me to see what is going on. If I hit the 42 week mark I will risk-out of delivering at the birth center and at that point the check is less of a risk than the hospital. Since I delivered DD at 40 weeks exactly, I'm hoping not to have to deal with it next week. We'll see, though.

Thanks for all the advice!

[Bully Lover]

I declined today too. My midwife offered and I said no even though I am curious. I told her if I hit 43 weeks then maybe!