Nervous - appt today - first cervix check - question

Today's appt is the first time the doctor wants to check my cervix. What is involved with that? I'm nervous. Will it hurt?

Thanks
Kina

Hurt, not really.  To me, it is kind of like a pap without the scrapping.  The doctor just uses their hand to see if you are opening.  I hated them.... but I hate taking my clothes of for anything. lol

How far along are you now? The OB is just checking to see if you are opening, ripening, and effacing, but I have pretty strong beliefs about checking cervixs and I declined until i was in active labor. Everyone is different though. :-)

I'll be 39 weeks Monday.
Kina

Hi Kina

 I agree with a PP on this one- why are they checking just to check. My doctor wouldn't check unless there was any problems or if I was overdue which was the case with my second child. And I believe it helped move things along as I went into active labor 3 hours later. I dont see the point of checking, I am a believer of letting things happen naturally, when you get to active labor you'll know something is happening :) Just my opinion of course.

I wouldn't call it comfortable, but I wouldn't say it hurts. It's kinda like a pap, but they press pretty hard on the tummy. Don't be shocked if you spot a little afterwards (even if it's not til tomorrow). I don't understand why people don't want to do it. I was always anxious to find out how far along I was in the labor process. You're getting so close Kina! You must be so excited!

Tina

Tina,
I guess you could say "excited" LOL. More like nervous, anxious, READY!!! LOL

I guess I don't know....he just said at the last appt that we'll check my cervix this appt. I for sure would like to know if there's any progress. I didn't figure he'd do anything that would be a bad idea or hurt things in any way.

Thanks for your kind words. I just want to get past Monday! Then lets go!!

Kina

The reason people decline is because the state of your cervix right now does not predict in ANY way, when you will go into labor. There are women who stay 3cm dialated and almost fully efaced for weeks, so really there is no reason to be checked until you are in active labor (which you will KNOW LOL). So the risks (accidently rupturing membranes before baby is ready, infection, bleeding and tearing) are not worth it to some.

Okay...didn't realize some of that. Thanks!

Kina

Awww your little man is due on my son's 3rd birthday!

Anyway many reasons to do it as some have listed. for me I had it checked weekly the last few weeks as I was a scheduled c/s since my first two were also c/s. He wanted to make sure we did not have to move the date up.

i was due 11/19 and we scheduled on 11/12. Well at my appointment on 11/7 I said I was feeling some weird contractions, I was dialated to 3 (more than either of the other two got to lol) and I was in early labor. We moved up the c/s to the next day. By the time I got there I had started active labor. I am glad we got in there that day as he would be gone for the weekend and it turned out my uterus was so thin that he could see my waters moving. He said had I labored any longer there was a high chance I would have ruptured. Mine was just thin from my previous c/s.

So mine was for a specific reason. It did not hurt at all- just uncomfy like a pap smear!