Vaginal Examinations Explained
Let me reassure you that a health professional MUST obtain verbal consent from YOU prior to performing a vaginal examination or often referred to as a VE.
How are Vaginal Examinations performed?
A Midwife or health professional will help you to lie down in a private place and when you are ready they will start. They will wash their hands and put on some sterile gloves so they can insert two fingers into your vaginal to feel for your baby and cervix. The procedure takes around 5 minutes. If you experience a tightening during your vaginal examination most Midwives will recommend that they keep their fingers in place but still. As a student Midwife, many years ago I was taught by a very experienced Midwife who advised me to stay still. It seemed that removing the fingers caused more discomfort than staying still. 13 years on I agree with her. But, remember vaginal examinations are only performed on your terms so if you would like the Midwife/Doctor to remove their fingers for a minute whilst you have a tightening this is absolutely your choice. Equally, they can perform the vaginal examination slower if you find it difficult. Once the VE has been performed your professional will be able to immediately share their findings with you.
So what is the Midwife trying to find out?
You might be surprised to hear that your Midwife or Doctor will find out a lot of information not just cervical dilation, thickness, consistency. Amongst a few others findings we can also find out your baby’s presentation and accurate position. However, a VE is a snapshot of what is happening to your cervix and baby at that very moment. Which can be useful but, can also be unhelpful with regards to progression. We CANNOT see into the future with a VE.
For example your baby’s position might explain a slowing and from this together with your Midwife you can think of better positions to aid your baby rotating or moving.
Another consideration to make is that we all labour slightly differently. Some will wake up pushing a baby out, others will notice every change within their body. Further to this some will progress rapidly to 6cm then take hours getting to fully dilated, others will get to fully dilated easily and then take time to progress to birthing their baby. How can you find out what your labour will look like? You can’t. No one can.
How will the VE findings make you feel?
For labour to progress well you need good amounts of the LOVE hormone, oxytocin in your body. This hormone is produced when you feel loved, cosy and safe.
It’s really important to think ahead and plan for the ‘what ifs’ with vaginal examination findings. What if, after 1 or 2 vaginal examinations (4 hours apart as recommended) your Midwife tells you that you are ‘still’ 6cm. How will you feel? What if, you are ‘Just’ 2 cm after 24 hours of tightening? Would it help? Would it deflate you? Would you feel disappointed with yourself? Will you feel love?
What if, instead you heard that you are amazing and that your baby and body are responding perfectly?
Or, you heard that you are doing really well, changing your position might just give your baby a little more room for rotation?
What if you heard that it was time to make a decision? But, you know that you have the skills to make the right decision for you and your baby.
Would you feel better? Would you feel loved? Would you feel safe?
In hypnobirthing we talk a lot about the language used in the birth room and how you can change negative words to positive word to instead empower and lift. Many women choose to ‘filter’ the VE findings through their birth partner. Why don’t you too?
Remember this is YOUR birth, what’s best for you? Take control.
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