One main concern women have during labor is vaginal examination. Some have asked whether something else can be done to substitute vaginal examination during labor.

It’s one of the procedures that just can’t be avoided once you are In labor as it’s significance can’t be underestimated. It can be done using a speculum or the fingers, sometimes both. There are key roles it plays. Vagina examination allows your midwife or doctor to check the following

🔴Vulva and vagina to make sure it’s can allow vaginal delivery. No sores, rashes, female circumcision etc

🔴Cervix-It’s dilation

🔴Membranes- Whether it’s intact or not

🔴Liquor- If the water around baby is clear r meconium stained

🔴Presenting part- Which part of the baby is coming first

🔴Pelvis- Whether it’s adequate or not

It is an uncomfortable procedure and can be a little painful. Your doctor or midwife will prepare you by informing, seeking your consent and reassuring you before its done

Its done usually after an abdominal examination. It is not done except it is really needed as frequent vaginal examination can result in infection if care is not taken. It is done under sterile conditions. During labor it is usually done every 4 hours and more frequently when it is very necessary.

Your midwife will communicate all finding to you after the procedure. Cooperate with your doctor or midwife for the best outcomes.

In some cases vaginal examination may be contraindicated. Example. Complete placenta previa previa.

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CERVICAL DILATION

Your cervix which is known as the mouth /opening of the uterus during pregnancy is closed. When labor sets in it will begin to dilate

Your cervix should be fully dilated before you push out your baby. Pushing through an undilated cervix can cause cervical tears.

Always cooperate with your midwife. Push when she has confirmed that the cervix is fully opened.

Having severe pains does not mean that cervix is fully dilated. Let your midwife confirm first!. Unless baby comes out spontaneously don’t be in a rush to push without it being confirmed.

And remember cervix is dilated when you are 10 cm full. Its a gradual process that can last between 8 to 18 hours. Its shorter for mums who have given birth before.

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Some times you wonder why you are still shouting, having all the pains and your midwife is still asking you to hold on!

She checks and says, it’s only 1 cm dilated.

After a long wait or 4 hours, she rechecks and says it just 3cm.

You feel it’s been too long and the pain is unbearable so you should push your baby out.

This is why you should cooperate with your doctor or midwife.

The cervix which is the opening of the cervix should open from 1cm to 10 cm to allow the baby’s head to be birthed followed by the body.

Cervix should not be felt any more when your doctor or midwife performs vaginal examination.

If it’s still felt and you push through it, you can tear your cervix which is difficult to repair and requires special skills. Bleeding can also be severe.

Only push when your doctor or midwife has confirmed that you are fully dilated. (10 cm and no cervix can be felt on vaginal examination)

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My EDD was 23/08/2024
My blue jet decided he wanted to ‘be outside’ earlier and arrived on 03/08/2024
I had quite a bearable pregnancy I’d say. I felt like I had terrible malaria between weeks 6 and 16.
After that I got almost all my mojo back but for some dizziness and extreme fatigue that surfaced during the 3rd trimester. And oh I could sleep. I neither experienced vomiting nor spitting.

On the 25th July I experienced some bleeding and rushed to the hospital. It was a bit more than a ‘ bloody show’ so drs suspected a number of things and said I ll be admitted till baby comes but after thorough assessment and scans I was discharged the following day with the assurance that I wasn’t in danger.
For some reason, I always felt baby will come at 37/38 weeks so I told hubby that after week 37 no traveling or staying at work for long I guess it was my instincts kicking in.

On the dawn of 02 Aug, I woke up to my underwear completely soaked. Initially I thought it was urine but I kept leaking and upon assessing the fluid I concluded my water had broken. I called my doctor and mw Sally and they both said I should report immediately.
I arrived at the hospital at 2pm and when I was checked I was 3cm but I was surprised cos I felt absolutely no pain and wasn’t contracting. After about 6 hours, still no contractions and I was given medicines to augment the contractions. Then came the most painful physical pain I’ve ever experienced. After more than 24 hours, and still leaking liquor with baby’s heart rate going higher than normal, I was taken in for a cs on account of failure to progress. In a few mins my baby was out and I smiled hearing his cry.

Somewhere deep within me I was mad at myself that I ended up at the theatre to the extent that I’ll skip anything that had to do with svd on social media and dealing with the pain post cs made me angrier. But I had to pep talk myself that it wasn’t my fault that things happened the way they did, and that God saved my life and my baby and that’s what matters most.
Thank you to all the midwives on here who made my journey worthwhile with all the valuable information shared.

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GOING THROUGH LABOR WITH GRIEF – A MUM’S STORY

EDD – 10/07/24
DOD – 10/07/24
Through C/S
First time mum

My pregnancy Journey was very comfortable and smooth. I’ve not had any issue throughout; no vomiting, no spitting of saliva , no shortage of blood everything was intact. Just that I got exhausted along the line which is normal.

My contractions started on 9th July 2024 @ midnight. I managed through to morning called my sister to come drive me to the hospital because initially I taught I could drive myself to the hospital because there was no bloody show, no water break too but contractions were very regular. Then I heard the doorbell, it was my Dad and my Uncle. They brought a bad news but didn’t know how to tell me. The long and tall of it is that my mum had passed. I couldn’t control my tears 😭, having contractions and crying hmmmm it wasn’t easy at all for me. Who will bath my baby now, I had to put myself together at a point and make a decision, which I did with God being my helper.
Got to the hospital around 1pm, was checked and I was only 1cm eeii with all this regular contractions only 1cm yooooo. Evening at 8pm was 2cm, meaning I was just not progressing. They had to do what they will do by putting some infusions , contractions became more painful but still slow progress now 5cm the next morning around 10am.

Baby in distress now so emergency SC.
I even opt for it before they could say anything. I signed and was prepared for the Theater within 30mins by 12:30 in the afternoon my bundle of joy was out and crying. We stayed at the hospital ( Ga East Municipal Hospital ) 3days and was discharged. Reaching home, i want back to watch video on wound care after CS by Midwife Sally and Midwife Eunice, took my medications on time, eat well and got a support person.

Guys, within two weeks my wounds healed. I even had sex with my husband in the within a few weeks. hahahaha 😂

In fact I will encourage everybody to take the classes seriously coz it has helped me a lot.
Thanks Midwife Sally for adding me
Thanks midwives God bless you all
Thanks to the Doctors and Nurses of Ga East Municipal Hospital, Kwabenya.

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Preamble
I opted for an elective CS. I scheduled with my doctor when I was 34 weeks. The reason was that I lost my second baby three days after delivery.
Why? I had a breech birth, and according to the midwives, I didn’t push, and as a result my son suffered from oxygen deficiency. But I knew I did my best and it wasn’t my first birth too.
Because of this, I didn’t want to go through that thing called labor pain not to talk of hearing the word push to be reminded of that painful experience.

So on Friday, I was not feeling too well so I went to see the doctor. He run some tests on me but said everything was normal so he gave me some pain reliever. He scheduled the CS for the following week Wednesday , but will have to report on Tuesday for monitoring.

Yesterday, I was feeling very normal and healthy and even prepared some delicious jollof rice. I Went to bed but around 3am today Sunday, I felt the urge to go to the washroom. Then I started feeling this mild contractions but I thought it was this Braxton Hicks, so I didn’t bother and went back to bed. But the pain was becoming a bit regular, I went to the washroom and I saw the show.

But I said no, I refuse to go into labor again😭😭😭. I quickly went to heat water and went to take my bath.
The contractions became regular and a bit severe. Eeeeei, this short time(within some 15 minutes bio) I quickly called my brother to go for car keys. I called the doctor and I headed to the hospital.
I got to the hospital around 4:30am. I was quickly taken in to be prepared for my CS but not knowing, doctor hasn’t arrived yet, so I had to wait.

Within a short time, the contractions were coming at a very short intervals, that I felt the urge to visit the loo.
The midwife said because I’ve opted for CS , she will not do any VE, but she later encouraged me to have VB, that I could do it, she’ll help me.

All this while, doctor has not arrived, she called other two midwives. When I felt the third urge to visit the loo, she said I shouldn’t go again that she’ll have to do the VE 😭😭😭. Not knowing, by baby’s head was coming😳😳😳, eeeeee! This thing I said I’ll not do again. Hmmmm.
By the time the doctor arrived, I was already pushing baby out. With just two pushes my Miracle arrived at 6:15am weighing 3.3kg, with some minor tear. Just two hours of labor pain.
We truly serve a living God. Man proposes but God opposes. Original Class P, Maame Cee for your daily confessions. I always confess with faith. Thank you MS and Auntie Nira for your support and education. Let me also thank and commend the midwives at COSMAS DAMIEN HOSPITAL at Koforidua.

Thank you to all of you on this noble platform. Even though I’m not a regular contributor.
I wish all the rest of pregnant moms the safest delivery ever.
Sorry for the long post.
Forgive me.

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EDD 16th and 9th of July.

God’s own Time 26/06/2024

God was faithful throughout my pregnancy journey, I was well throughout without complications

At week 32 my baby was lying on the transverse, so I was asked by my midwife to see the doctor, which I did.

The Doctor examined me and kept me on weekly check up which I obeyed, so at week 37 he asked me to repeat a scan, if the baby hasn’t turned he will turn it himself, but I quickly requested for CS instead because my first pregnancy I lost the baby at birth so I didn’t want to take chances.

But I repeated the scan and it showed the baby was now at cephalic presentation.

But I still insisted on the CS because of my past experience and also within me I wasn’t just comfortable with Vaginal birth.

The Doctor asked me to go home and return on Wednesday for the CS.

On Wednesday I was taken to the theater and in the process of the operation they realized that the baby was coming out with BUTTOCKS and with a CORD around the NECK.

The decision I took became a divine timing for my baby to be saved. They were able to bring the baby out alive and we are both doing well. The doctors were so happy for me for insisting on CS.

Midwife Sally God bless you so much, because of your teaching on CS I wasn’t afraid to make that decision on CS, which ended up saving my baby’s life.

I pray God sees all pregnant women through.

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Don’t leave your pregnancy to chance!

CROWNING – AN IMPORTANT PHASE DURING THE SECOND STAGE OF LABOR

This is when you can see the top of your baby’s head through the opening of your vagina.

This occurs during the second stage of labor when cervix is fully dilated.

The continues contractions and maternal efforts will aid the birth of the new born

It’s an exciting time for the midwife and the client

Some midwives will even announce this to the mum to give her more hope that baby is just about to be born

She may even be allowed to touch the babies head to confirm it

At this time you need to cooperate with your doctor or midwife for the best outcome

Depending on the situation they may decide whether the mum need an episiotomy or not

The midwife will also make her observation and examination, just to make sure there is no cord that is preceding the head as the pressure on the cord at this time can cut off blood supply to the baby leading to fetal distress.

At any point during the birth process communicate all your feelings to your doctor or midwife.

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