internals?

[samsmamma]

OK, I have my 37w mw appt tomorrow, and I've been following the threads and see that a lot of you know how dilated you are etc.

I'm trying to decide if I should ask her to check.

Here's the thing: I have no aversion in prinicpal to it, other than that I find it uncomfortable. But I'm not sure if there is any benefit to me in doing it, since it won't necessarily tell me anything. I mean, i could be showing some dilation and effacement and still have 4 weeks to go, or I could be showing nothing and have as many or fewer weeks to go. I don't know if it will stress me out more to know or not.

Today I'm jsut uncomfortable and really trying to tell this babe to come over the weekend or on Monday or Tuesday because then I'll only have 3 days unpaid maternity leave, and that would be nice. If I go to my due date, I'm looking at about 7 days unpaid, and I haven't yet figured out every permutation in the middle, but I think it puts me up around 10-12 days unpaid. I hate that I have to stress about this. But I'm feeling neurotic right now.

Thoughts?

[*Amy*]

But I'm not sure if there is any benefit to me in doing it, since it won't necessarily tell me anything. I mean, i could be showing some dilation and effacement and still have 4 weeks to go, or I could be showing nothing and have as many or fewer weeks to go. I don't know if it will stress me out more to know or not.

I was in the same boat yesterday but my curiousity got the better of me, and I did it. Oh and it wasn't uncomfortable, FWIW; it took her about 15 seconds. Anyway, everything you said is totally correct - it doesn't really tell you anything. You already know you're going to have a baby soon. :lol

I would say just go with the flow when you get there; if you feel really curious, it can't hurt to go ahead and do it.

[SusannahM]

My midwife's standard practice was to only check once before you actually went into labor. You told her when you wanted her to do it. I had it done at 39 weeks. She would do it more, of course, if you asked. But, you're right, the thing is it doesn't matter. I was at 1 cm and maybe 10% effaced. I was still at that, though a few hours after my water broke (had baby about 21 hours later). My friends was at 4 cm, 50% effacement for the last month of her pregnancy. So, it doesn't mean much.

[bluebottle]

my personal feeling is that since an internal exam won't tell me anything worth knowing, i won't have one.

neither my old midwife (that i hated) or my new midwife (that i love) has done any internal exams; this is standard care here. if you had a problem or requested one, you could have it; i was asked at my first appointment if i wanted one, wanted a pap smear, etc. but as i had recently had a full girly appointment i didn't feel it was necessary.

so i won't have any internal exams till i'm at the birth center, in labor. i feel that they're reasonable then, at least in my case.

xoa

[AmyGirl28]

I was on the fence for this one until this week. I really feel like there has been a lot of action and I am dying to find out my status. I can't wait for my exam on Thursday. Except for the fact that I have a high cervix and the exam is going to be uncomfortable to say the least.

[samsmamma]

See, I can't find my cervix at all right now, which is part of what makes me curious. But I know my cervix points back or something, so for all I know it could be doing just fine. I think I'm goign to just let it go, but I'll see what she has to say tomorrow.

[crsta33]

I've been debating this too. And I'm thinking I may let her check just so I will know what I've been feeling when I check. Though I'm not even sure that tells me anything either.

I'm just desparate for some sign that things are progressing and it's going to be soon...but hey, at 37 weeks, soon is merely relative.

I've just got this thought that he's big enough and I'm ready to get him out before he gains more weight. :innocent Not that I can't birth a 10 pounder, just that I think I'd do "better" with a smaller babe.

Christa

[zjande]

Hmm, I never find my internal exams uncomfortable really. :shrug But anyway, I had internals done at every appt during the past 2 mos just because I'd been having signs of possible preterm labor (& had problems with that when I had my dd) & I was also just very curious. As of my appt yesterday though, I decided to forgo the internal only because, like you guys have said, it wouldn't really matter or tell me anything at this point. The *only* reason I feel tempted still to get internals is just for the thrill of it, just like if I started losing my mucous plug now or something- it really wouldn't mean much, it could mean the baby's coming tomorrow, or in 4 weeks, but it would just be EXCITING to see that my body's just THAT much closer to birthing this babe. :love

[nataliekat]

If you're curious, go ahead. It's not going to hurt anything. You already know it means nothing.

I had my mw check today and I'm 2 cm. So what? I was just curious! :D

[momma2finn]

I say if you want to know-do it. I wouldn't let them check me until last Thursday (40wks for me). They keep checking me now and I'm not making any progress. I even let the MW strip my membranes...besides hurting like hell it did nothing. :lol
I'm 41wks and 2 days now and I'm 100% effaced and 1cm dilated. Now they want to induce on Thursday. :( Personally, I would have felt crazy at 37 wks knowing what my cervix was at...you know what's best foryou though!!

[MamaFern]

ill be 39 weeks in a few days and havn't been checked yet.. i do have a MW appt tomorow but i doubt ill get her to check unless i feel something change today or overnight.. i didnt get checked till i went into labour with my son and i dont really think its necessary beforehand.. just my opinion :wink

[BensMom]

If you do get an exam, get as much info as possible. Dilation is just one part. Also get effacement info as well as position. A posterior cervix is more likely not as close to labor as an anterior one, etc.

Do as I say, not as I do :lol ...I had an internal at the OBs office today and didnt even ask any of the other info. But then again, I am hoping *not* to go into labor for another week or so, which could account for my "plugging my ears singing lalalalala" state of denial!

[DreamsInDigital]

I have my 37.5w appt on Thursday and I won't ask her to check because I don't need to get any more discouraged than I already am. I have NO signs of impending labour, it's almost like my body thinks this baby is never coming out, and it would drive me nuts if I wasn't effaced or dilated at all.
If you're dying to know, then go ahead. No harm at all, IMO.

[Awaken]

Why not? I just went ahead and had her check, my mw doesn't even do internals, not even in labor if there's no reason to. Internal exams have never bothered me, either so I didn't mind.

I was just really curious b/c I'm having pelvic pressure which I never had last time, and when I tried to feel my cervix, which I never did last time, it was really mushy. So I was just really curious whether any of that meant anything! I'm 1-2 cm with a soft cervix and no effacement, so now I know, but it doesn't mean a thing!

I was high, closed, with no signs whatsoever with my son and he was born 2 days later so that just goes to show you how little it can predict!