at 36 wks when the dr starts doing the internal exams to check for dilation and effacement does that hurt? i didnt think it was going to but then i just read something that said it does hurt. ive been checked once at around 24 wks to see if i was dilating cuz i thought i was leaking fluid and that one didnt hurt but he probably didnt do as thorough of an exam then as he will now cuz i wasnt leaking. what does he do exactly?
I'm not sure exactly what they do. I think they see how much of a finger tip they can get "through" the cervix for dilation, but not sure how they judge effacement. Probably just by the feel, and estimation. But anyway, it only takes a couple seconds to check, and with me (my first baby), it was never uncomfortable at all. Not even when she stripped my membranes (which I'm assuming you'll only have done if you go overdue, and maybe not even then). So, the test they do this week for you will probably be exactly the same as the one you had at 24 weeks.
I've heard some people say it hurt them as well, but I think it probably depends on the doctor doing it, and since yours has already done it before and it didn't hurt, you can rest easy!
When i went for my appt last Thursday they checked my cultures which they explained to me was basically checked for stds again and strep which is some sort of bacteria.
To me she had to put this clamp thingy on me to open me and get three different swabs and it hurt a little and was uncomfortable but it only took a few seconds. and then she put one finger up there for another few seconds and said i was still closed i guess meaning im not dilated.
I think you will do fine and it may not hurt u just might be uncomfortable for you. But remember to check for dilation and effacement only takes a few seconds.
While it wasn't horrible, I found it to be pretty uncomfortable. Maybe I am a whimp! Of course it was nothing compared to labor and all of the things you go through during that, plus like the others said, it's really quick and definitely not a huge deal. I think it's more exciting to find out if you are dialating or not so you really aren't focused on the "pain" if you even want to call it that. I am going to be checked next week for the first time and I can't wait!!! Go figure.
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***Anna***
~Ella Ann, July 2, 2007~
~Madilyn Mya, September 21, 2008~
I was checked at 21 wks, and I thought it sucked! However, my dr said that I have a high cervix, so he kinda had to reach, and that stretched me, so I was sore after. I hope its not like that everytime.
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Angel Baby: December 28, 2007
Liam: December 8, 2008
David & Abby: December 8, 2010
My doctor didn't check anything until I was 38 weeks -- the day before I went in for induction. All he said was "Go to your happy place, go to your happy place" as he jammed his hand in there (that's what it felt like, anyway). I got a rude awakening on how this birth was going to go at that moment. I had liked my doctor up until then, but those comments along with the way he treated both me and the staff the rest of the time (plus the MRSA infection I got in c-section incision) caused me to switch docs.
I'm sure it will still hurt this time around (13 weeks along), but at least the doc is a woman and has a good attitude about it.
No wimps on these boards -- if it hurts, it hurts!
I had my 36 week appointment today and the doctor didn't check my cervix (yet), but he did do a Beta-strep test (If it comes back positive, then during delivery they have to administer antibiotics). It only took him a second to do the test. It was kind of like when you get a pap smear, but a lot quicker. It didn't hurt at all. The nurse said that usually wait to do the cervix exams until after the strep test results come back.
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Mommy to 2 1/2 year old Brayden and 5 day old Leighton.
xinerevelle - I know exactly what you mean when you say just jammed it up there. This happened to me and I'm like well dang don't i get a warning. I wish i would have went to my happy place. I know my right foot was about to send my doctor to a happy place.....but she's very nice i couldn't do that.
I will say that it is uncomfortable, but it didn't hurt me. It sure doesn't compare to labor pains and the stretching when you are having the baby. When that was happening, I WANTED him to reach up in there and grab the baby out!! haha
For me it was only one finger but it felt like she chose to use her pinky finger and it didn't reach so i could feel her fist as it felt like she was reaching to shake my baby's hand or something. After she was done (about 10 seconds), when she left the room i sat out with my mouth wide open i was so shocked because she said check for thing not violate me....lol
It should not hurt. My Dr. only did one @ 34 weeks because of BH, and one @ 38 weeks, because I was not having more BH @ the time. It happens so fast you really do not notice and I wanted to know if I was dilating- at that point, I was really wanting to know what was going on.
I am soo glad to have a female Dr.- I just would not be comfortable w/ a man in this department!!!!!
I actually think a lot of the time it does help to have a female doctor. I know different women who've had male doctors and their experiences with paps, and internals are always relatively alike. Also I have had paps done by a couple different male doctors in my life, and I've found them both to be pretty much the same as far as roughness and whatnot goes. My ob (who is a woman) couldn't be more gentle, and explains to me "ok, you'll feel me touching you now", etc.. I think I have a really good doctor!
My mom was having a pap done a few years ago by a male doctor. There was of course a female nurse in the room at the time. When he got ready to do it he said to my mom "Ok I know this is uncomfortable but just try to relax." Well the nurse laughed and said "NO, you don't know....you might think you do but you DON'T!" I just think men don't and can't understand those things no matter how much they've went to school. You just can't know unless you HAVE it.
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***Anna***
~Ella Ann, July 2, 2007~
~Madilyn Mya, September 21, 2008~
Of course it was nothing compared to labor and all of the things you go through during that, plus like the others said, it's really quick and definitely not a huge deal. I think it's more exciting to find out if you are dialating or not so you really aren't focused on the "pain" if you even want to call it that. I am going to be checked next week for the first time and I can't wait!!! Go figure. 
