https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:05:34 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2456089 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 23:47:24 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2456089@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think this past pregnancy we started checking at 37w, so 2 or 3 in office then a few in l&amp;d. I didn't really worry about it because every time they told me why they were checking and it seemed like good reasoning to me. If I remember right it was when I got to the hospital (5), a bit after epi, and I think when the dr got there, and then again as I was feeling some pressure and was almost there then once more as I started pushing? Less with dd but I got there at an 8, then labored overnight with an epi. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2456086 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 23:42:30 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2456086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I labored for 36 hours before my C-section. I think I was checked 5–6 times during my entire induction. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2454561 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 06:19:40 +0000 ValentineMommy 2454561@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS1 - 0....I had a scheduled c-sec and made it to the date/time he was to be delivered.</p> <p>DS2 - I'd guess 4-5 in the last two weeks (all in triage), but it felt like 10000. He didn't make it to his scheduled c-sec and came early. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2454539 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 01:27:30 +0000 littlejoy 2454539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Zero ... None during pregnancy or labor. I wasn't totally opposed to them (if my care providers thought I wasn't progressing or something wasn't right, I would have consented). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2454489 Tue, 09 Feb 2016 00:15:52 +0000 Portboston 2454489@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I finally allowed a check after about 20 hours when I was considering an epidural. I was I think about a 7/8 so I decided to continue on. At 26 hours I asked to be check again and I was a 9 but since he was posterior I was dilating unevenly and swollen on one side. That's when I got pit and an epidural. After that I had a few more checks. So maybe 5 total over 36 hours. And none during pregnancy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2454340 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 22:54:22 +0000 AprilFool 2454340@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Once when I arrived at the hospital and maybe one after that - it's all a bit blurry. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2454326 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 22:45:30 +0000 lady baltimore 2454326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My water broke before my contractions started, but I don't remember anyone saying anything about trying to limit checks because of that.</p> <p>I was checked in triage (2 cm), and then again when my OB stopped in about two hours later (3-4cm). A few hours after that, I asked for a sedative and they checked me then (5cm). About 2 hours later, when I told them "either that was transition or I need an epidural", a nurse checked and I was fully dilated. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2454159 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 20:57:05 +0000 Mrs D 2454159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was checked weekly starting at 36w...</p> <p>At the hospital I was checked when I was admitted, again before they placed the epidural (to make sure it was worth it) then once before breaking my water and once more after .... She did not check me before I started pushing - just said if your body feels ready then it likely is (I had been 9cm at last check).</p> <p>Fwiw - my water was broken after I was 8cm when she knew the epi was in and effective. So really she only checked once after my water was broken. The whole things was 7hrs in total... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many/page/2#post-2454132 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 20:28:33 +0000 petitenoisette 2454132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Checked me in triage (only 2 :crying: ) around midnight and not again til the morning after night on epi &amp; pitocin (5 cm) and then the last time when I was at 10. Plus I had been checked that am at the dr's. I would definitely decline the checks every hour, that seems excessive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2454033 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 19:19:39 +0000 Torchwood 2454033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: That would make me really uncomfortable. But like @PawPrints I went with midwives partially for that reason. And you totally can just skip the induction! They can't make you go! And if they try to stop treating you because of it they can get in big legal trouble, according to my birth class. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453964 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 18:08:10 +0000 catomd00 2453964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to pop in and say the most you can stretch it to is whatever length of time you are comfortable with! It's your body and you do not have to consent to any procedure or checks you do not feel comfortable with! Every hour is excessive and unnecessary in my opinion. If baby is monitored and doing well why does it matter what your cervix is doing hourly?! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453931 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 17:39:40 +0000 Greentea 2453931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: yes, cervical checks starting at 36 weeks we were encouraged to decline (Bradley classes) and I did decline them. NBD and as far as I know, they are not necessary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453834 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 16:09:08 +0000 catomd00 2453834@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was checked in triage to see if I would be admitted, another time a few hours after I got my epidural, and then again when babys heart rate went weird on the monitor which apparently was because I was ready to push. It def wasn't every hour! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453828 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 16:04:53 +0000 hellobeeboston 2453828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>with my first, i was 40w1d, and had a pretty long labor, i think I got checked a million times. I was at a major teaching hospital in Boston and there weren't many women giving birth when I was so it was like resident, after fellow, after OB, after nurse, after resident coming by.</p> <p>with my second, i was induced at 41w3d and was at a smaller hospital with 1 midwife tending to me mainly, i think i was maybe checked 3 times the whole labor. they also didn't do checks leading up to my due date, </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453773 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 15:28:59 +0000 PawPrints 2453773@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yikes at their approach, but LOL at you/your DH's plan to just skip the induction. Total rebels! :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453756 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 15:19:12 +0000 PurplePeony 2453756@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was only checked once, during transition. I was ready and given the go-ahead to start pushing. My labor started with my water breaking, though, and I was already having contractions by the time I was admitted to the hospital, so there was no question about whether I was far enough along. And my midwives try to do as few cervical checks as possible, particularly once the water has broken. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453748 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 15:17:16 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2453748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: @PawPrints: well the other thing we discussed and I was surprised by was that the practice doesn't let women go to 42 weeks (ACOG is fine with that number). If I'm still pregnant at 40 weeks they will schedule me for an induction before 41 weeks. Average FTM deliver at 41+3. I joked with my husband we could just skip the scheduled induction. If baby isn't in stress why rush? If need be we'll revisit the induction discussion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453698 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 14:52:01 +0000 PawPrints 2453698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Agree with @Torchwood, I'd be alarmed by a place that has that kind of policy in place with the assumption that's going to be the procedure for every woman who comes in the door. Every hour?? I did midwife care for about a billion reasons, and cervical checks were definitely one of them. I had exactly one cervical check for all of my pregnancy+labor, and it was at 8 cm dilated. Yes, of course if things aren't going well you will need more checks, but it's definitely a red flag for that practice to have their MO be hourly checks and then to try to tell you that you aren't allowed (under any circumstances?) to stretch that out more than 2 hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453645 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 14:28:15 +0000 fussygal 2453645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think just three times. Once when I arrived to make sure I was dilated enough to admit (4cm), then one around 7cm, and again right before I started pushing when I was a 8.5cm. I was in the hospital for 6 hours from being admitted to delivery. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453641 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 14:25:54 +0000 nana87 2453641@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had a 36 hour induction, and I think I was checked 3-4 times? Once after being on cervidil and pit for about 15 hours (I was still only at 3), once when the pit got to be too much about 5 hours after that and I wanted to see if I was close or if I should get an epi (I was only at a 4!), and then 1-2 times in between the epi and pushing (I went from 4-10 in like 5 hours after the epi). I didn't have any checks before I was in labor (I was induced at 37 weeks for low fluid and hadn't had any contractions or even b/h so there was no need to check). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453607 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 13:54:26 +0000 Torchwood 2453607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When you say the most you can stretch it is two hours- that may be their policy, but you can ALWAYS refuse. They can try to bully or scare you into it, but it's ultimately up to you. There are a lot of good reasons not to check more than what you described, if that, so I personally wouldn't agree to once an hour or even two hours.</p> <p>That being said they checked me a couple times that I remember. When I got there and when I was wanting to push. I had planned to refuse entirely but being preterm changed things. As it was they said I wasn't to 10 when I wanted to push, but I literally could not stop. And she came out quickly, so I feel like stopping because they said I was only at a 9 wouldn't have been the right call anyway. My body knew what to do, even if it did it too soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453546 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 13:23:48 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2453546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Never before I was in labour. </p> <p>When i got to the hospital (6cm)<br /> When I asked for the epidural a couple hours later (8cm)<br /> Then they broke my water at some point and rechecked. Then they also tried to rotate him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453540 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 13:18:53 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2453540@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sapphire: The preferences are basically a best case scenario; my docs won't get an argument from me beforehand or during if there's a medical need. So far from what I have read the only time there's truly a need is to move labor along after the water breaks and labor is stalled over 12 hours.</p> <p>ETA: I really liked the discussion regarding the preferences with my first doc because he gave us something to consider with our request for delayed cord clamping and immediate skin to skin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453520 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 13:02:26 +0000 sapphire 2453520@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel that this isn't something that you can really argue too much beforehand. It really depends on how your labor is going and what's happening. Sometimes it's necessary. If things are clearly progressing then it's not. No one wants to check you if it's unnecessary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453469 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 12:08:12 +0000 Astro Bee 2453469@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was checked when I arrived at the hospital by 2 different nurses, apparently being 100% effaced made it difficult to tell that I was only 0.5 cm dilated. I couldn't be admitted so I we told to walk the halls and make use of the labour tub. I got checked again in another hour, and was progressed enough to admit. Then after my epidural, an hour or so after that, and I was already 10, so they called my OB in from home. She double checked again when she arrived. So 4-5 times in 5 hours, but that's only because I was progressing so quickly. My OB doesn't believe in doing checks before active labour either, so the very first check I'd ever had was upon arrival at the hospital, after my water had broke, and I'd been having steady 2 min apart contractions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453468 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 12:08:07 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 2453468@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first I was induced and they checked me 3 or 4 times over 12 hours (I had a midwife). I was happy to be checked, knowing my progress helped me not need an epidural, but if I'd been checked every hour &amp; known I hadn't dilated that much more I'd probably felt very discouraged. I was only had the hospital for 45 min with my second so I only was checked 2 times (once at the midwife office before going to the hospital and once when admitted). </p> <p> I think it's wierd that they have a "max" time limit that they'll allow - you are allowed to refuse a check if you want to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453467 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 12:07:57 +0000 HLK208 2453467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3 times with all three deliveries. Once in triage, once before my epidural and once before I started pushing. My first delivery was 8 hours, my second 6 and my third was 3 hours just to give you an idea of time.</p> <p>And before labor, I didn't have a check until 39 weeks with my last pregnancy, 37 with my second and 39 weeks with my first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453443 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 11:50:38 +0000 youboots 2453443@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A lot. 10 ish times. I was induced and in labor for 42 hours, they kept checking my progress to see if I needed a c section. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453394 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 11:15:37 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 2453394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: With K, they checked once at home (I was 7 cm!), then once after the epidural was placed and I almost immediately felt like pushing.</p> <p>With M, they checked once I got to the hospital because my water had been broken for 12 hours, and then again when I felt like I needed to push (I wasn't quite 10cm, but they let me push anyways). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/vaginal-checks-how-many#post-2453368 Mon, 08 Feb 2016 11:04:17 +0000 Ree723 2453368@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never had a check before being in labour - they're just not done as a standard in Australia. I had a check upon arrival to the hospital with each LO and then after the epidural was inserted, several hours later, at which point I was fully dilated. </p>