amy-lea..x

I went for my 38 wk appoinment today and i never got no internals or nothin to check wether i was dilatated? should she of done this? ive read about a few people getting this done at this point!

AquaDementia

I don't have a MW, but my doctor she is very strict about internals and doesn't do any poking until 40 weeks.

missjess

I hate my doctor. She always rush me, she ask me how I feel but doesn't care about the answer.

I've had internals for my last 4 appointments... I think it depends on your doctor! Although the one from today was quite painful, I like the fact she does them because I know how far I am. It would kill me not to know.

AquaDementia

tell me about it. i even googled self cervical examinations!!!!!

amy-lea..x

so they exsist??
info haha
im deperate, i really wish labour on me every second of the day haha

AquaDementia

let's just say you need to have your own speculum.
i mean, who has one of those in their house???

toriaaaaTRASH

Asif they expect you to have one of those!

missjess

You don't have one? ... !!!!

No seriously, I wanted to do a self examination the other day but it's too complicated + I don't have the skills to really tell if it's effaced or how far dilated.

Maybe you can request one at your next apt Aqua, as you had some blood drips etc. + Poking may get things moving!!!!!

AquaDementia

To be honest Jess, I am afraid to ask for one because this dr is too rough and I am afraid she would do more damage than she would do good by checking.

Margerle

I do not use a midwife, I see an obstetrician/gynecologist, he birthed my first daughter, and I like him quite a lot.

I get asked if I have any issues, and if I do we chat about it briefly. I've never felt like I've not gotten my questions answered, but it does tend to be quite brief.

Hahaha. If my appointment is at 9:00, and I walk into the reception area at 8:55, I'm in the back getting weighed ang getting my urine sample by 9:05... talk with the nurse and get BP taken and am in the exam room by 9:10. Maybe ten minutes of waiting for doc, he comes in, asks how I'm feeling, measures fundus, checks for fetal heart tones, do an internal if needed, gives very short 30 second what to look for over next period between appointments, and a "we'll see you next time". I get dressed, grab stuff, make next appointment and am walking OUT of the reception area at 9:30 or 9:35.

So total time seeing doc is probably less than 10 minutes, (probably closer to 5).

Getting weighed
Urinalysis
Blood Pressure
Fundal height measurement
Fetal heart tones
At 30 weeks or so they may start checking internal cervical health.

That's it

The US


My doc has been noting that the baby has been very high, and is probably not making any headway on dilation or effacement. But because I hadn't been feeling well the last week or so, he did a quick check. Had I been feeling up to par, he would not have done an internal. I guess my point being, a good healthcare practitioner has a sense of how things are going, so if you have a MW that is quite experienced, I wouldn't give it a moment's thought that she's not checking you internally.

Plus, it's not really necessary to know at 38 weeks. In my clinic, they just make it a policy to check at 30 weeks if there is a chance for preterm labor.