I would of asked for a female doctor to do it…??? My original doctor is a male but a female doctor ALWAYS does my private area
That happened to me my first 2 pregnancies its weird tho because my first 2 they were male doctors and my last was a female and she didn’t do that I felt violated too
Um, no. REPORT REPORT REPORT… “thrusting” their fingers inside you is unnecessary. That is beyond a cervical check/sweep. A sweep is just that, a SWEEP of the membranes, not a thrust. So sorry it happened!
3 Likes
sweeping the membranes
2 Likes
I’m so sorry you went through this- this is very similar to my story. The only difference is that she told me she wanted to do a membrane sweep. I specifically told her I did not want one. As we were only 38 weeks, I wanted to wait. She asked if she could examine me to see how far along I was and I agreed. She then did a membrane sweep after specifically telling me she wouldn’t. I have never felt so violated. I went her partner and told her what happened and refused to be seen by her. I wish I had put in a complaint to the hospital. I’m sorry this happened to you.
1 Like
My membrane sweep was never “thrusty” it was always a weird pressure on my cervix and what felt like scraping in a circle on my cervix. No thrusting involved at all. I’d report that.
5 Likes
Was he stripping your membranes? Very common practice at 39 weeks.
7 Likes
Yes years ago and no nurse in the room. Still feel violated after 24 years.
Getting a membrane sweep feels kind of like a rough cervical check. During my first sweep, with my second baby, my whole body involuntarily recoiled. It’s a lot of pressure in a highly sensitive place. But although it was super uncomfortable for 10 seconds or so, I wouldn’t say it was particularly painful. I grimaced through the awkwardness and got through it by focusing my thoughts on the hope that labor wouldn’t be far away.
2 Likes
This is why i will never have a male Dr go anywhere near my vagina let alone put his fingers in me. I will only let a female Dr or nurse do it. I just don’t feel comfortable with male Drs doing it
Sounds like stripping/sweeping the membranes. It can be very uncomfortable
1 Like
Both of my pregnancy they did that at the end and I had a woman doctor.
Why would they need to do a cervical check?? Especially if you didn’t agree to have one done prior to??
Yeah I just read how it’s pretty common for Drs to do a sweep without consent. Never happened to me, but I just read on evidenced based births how it’s pretty common.
Hard to say but I would def express your concern with a patient advocate or something to help. My first pregnancy, my dr did something similar to what you described, although he did ask if I wanted the membrane seep and advised his fingers were short so may take a few times to get in correct placing to do it. I felt all kinds of weird but not violated.
I’ve had a doc help me progress but he was NEVER forceful. I was fully informed and no “thrusting” movement was necessary. I’d absolutely report that…
He most likely was sweeping your membranes, I had it done and my water broke the next morning.
I’ve had my Dr do a membrane sweep but I was in labor and couldn’t dilate and I knew what she was doing.
Sweeping of your membranes. Had it done too. He should’ve told you before he did it.
If something your Dr does makes you uncomfortable do not just ignore it and deal with it. Report it, and switch drs, they work for you and can be “fired” just as easily. If he’s doing nothing wrong he has nothing to worry about except probably answering some questions but if he’s doing anything wrong he needs to be held accountable.
3 Likes
Yes you are supposed to be asked beforehand if you even want it done. I’d complain
4 Likes
Uhm I had a membrane sweep about 3 months ago and it did help my labor but it wasn’t thrusting. It was them putting their fingers in and then pushing back hard with pressure one good time and doing their fingers in one circular motion one time. No thrusting. None.
2 Likes
Stretch and sweep? They can be pretty aggressive… BUT, usually something that’s talked about and you would give consent to… weird that he didn’t say something before hand.
2 Likes
It doesn’t matter what his intentions were, your feelings are valid. If you felt uncomfortable report it. If he was doing a membrane sweep you should’ve been asked first so either way he’s in the wrong.
Definitely report it that doesn’t sound right at all, I had my membranes swept at about 3cm and I was asked first for one and for two my midwife wasnt aggressive in the slightest and there was no thrusting motion, just lots pressure at my cervix for a few moments, I personally could never have a male obgyn for reasons like this
Idk, everyone’s experience is different. I tried so hard to have my son naturally for hours, the dr used his fingers and then tried the clamps but he was just too big I ended up having to get a C-section. The Dr said the fingers method was to help but I’ll admit it was a little weird for me too but my son was my first and probably my only
It doesn’t matter if there was a reason for what he did he should have told you what the point of it was before he did it! Trust your instinct
I had my membrane scraped too (7 years ago) all I remember was feeling man handled lol there was lots of pressure and movement in there for sure an uncomfortable and pretty weird experience but we had previously discussed it. I was even told I was going to spot and was recommended to use liners for the rest of the day. Do what u feel is right, if u feel like there was ill intent, say something if not let it go. Best of luck with ur labor and delivery 
He could have just lost his grip in there and maybe did not mean to I got my first on done by a woman she did it very light and gentle but something being to gentle will not help spend up to process And the second time it was a man and he did it harder and swiped it longer
It sounds like he done a stretch and sweep but if you are/was uncomfortable I would call and speak to someone regarding this. Your feelings are very valid and you should have been told prior too
Was he trying to feel for babies head by chance I had a nurse do this to me while in the hospital with my oldest she was trying to feel if he was head first and had moved his arm from above his head
I’ve had a membrane stretch and sweep but it wasn’t thrusting, it was a push and circular motion.
Probably doing a membrane sweep but he should have verbalized that to you before he did it
That is not a membrane sweep, and even if it were, he would have told you.
Report and change if you’re able
Yea I remember 6 and half years ago being the most painful thing ever and I swear his fingers hand whatev was gonna come out the top of my head
It’s called a stretch and sweep here. It’s to bring on labor without drugs.
Checks are not necessary at all. Future reference refuse them.
But it sounds like he’s impatient or has plans so he’s trying to induce you.
Males should not be obgyns point black . Perverts tend to happy my family was asulted by a man . I will never see a man obgyn . Why would a man become a obgyn . Hmmmm does not sound like they just out to take care of women . No just me tho .
Normal. Having a baby is pretty invasive. Don’t sexualize it.
1 Like
yes he stripped your membranes. i have had it done with all 3 of my babies and they had to strip mine twice with my last 2. usually they ask you if you want them stripped and they should walk you threw it to let you know what they are doing. i would call and make a complaint if you felt violated. im sorry that happen to you…
Sounds like he was giving you a sweep but the bad part is the fact you weren’t asked. I’ve just googled it and it says this: “Membrane sweeps are not compulsory and they do not form part of a routine examination. Medical staff should always ask your permission before conducting a sweep. They should also explain the process and implications to you. A midwife or doctor should never pressurise you into having a sweep.” I’d definitely report it if I were you x
Yes. It’s called a membrane sweep but he absolutely should have ASKED if you wanted one and were comfortable
This is not abnormal. He should have been more gentle, and given you a heads up about what he was doing. but he was just doing a membrane sweep. It can be uncomfortable or painful to some women. It’s to help you start labor naturally & help you progress. He was just trying to help since you’re 39 weeks and you said things were slowing down. Your dr wasn’t trying to sexualize anything or violate you. He was trying to get things moving again for you. But he should have went about it differently.
12 Likes
I had a sweep & stretch done (with my informed consent) at 41 weeks with my second. What you describe is just that.
I am so very sorry - this is unacceptable because it’s incredibly uncomfortable when you are ready for it and a violation without communication. Please communicate that it’s not ok and the OB should ask for permission first.
I’m sorry this happened to you. 
5 Likes
Ok, everyone says it was a sweep. The doctor should have informed you but maybe he was having a busy or bad day. Give him a break. Hope you have a flawless delivery and a beautiful baby
God Bless you all!
2 Likes
If you feel violated go to the nurse request a female Dr to replace that Dr because if you feel that way you are better off changing the Dr proving that the Dr violated you is hard in some cases
I have switch out Dr’s many times it normal to want to not be place in that Position again
Or have your partner in the room when being exam insit
2 Likes
Yes. I had a double water bag. The doctor mentioned sweeping membranes but didn’t give a clear description. They always say “pressure”.
It hurt worse than than the birth of my child. I was angry and said, “That really hurt, Sausage Fingers!!” So embarrassing.
1 Like
Yes when I had my daughter at 20 yrs old she was 10 days late. The Dr basically thrust his whole hand in there to stimulate dilation so I would have her that weekend. Hurt like hell but it worked. It’s an old school way of doing it but it definitely wasn’t sexual.
1 Like
When I had a stretch and sweep it was really rough and actually brought me to tears and I asked the nurse to stop. I really cried in the room. I think it’s supposed to be abit rough hun. Doesn’t mean it’s very nice though. Hope you are okay xxxx
Let’s just say for the sake of argument this was a legitimate procedure, based on the nature of it i feel a doctor would forewarn you what was about to occur for this very reason (so you don’t feel violated) so if he didn’t do that then I feel there is something extremely wrong with this
He could have been attempting to strip your membranes to help thin the cervix its painful and in my personal experience never helped anything. BUT he should have warned you before he started cause it is not comfortable so I’m sorry for you chicka and I hope that’s all he was doing
You should have said something when he did it. Especially since the nurse was in their. Learn to speak up it’s your body. Can always call the doctor and ask what that was all about and explain how it bothered you. Sometimes I think Doctors are so used to doing thinks automatically they don’t think about how it feels to the patient. Communicate. It’s your Doctor and your body. Or you can always change Doctors.
Fark…imagine him at bed time with his ‘consenting’ partner: “oop, legs up like this, you’ll feel a little pressure now” (jab jab) “that’s done, I’ll leave you to dress yourself…just drop your paperwork off to the receptionist” “yes, you signed consent at the registrar’s office, it’s a perfectly normal procedure aimed at getting you pregnant…”
Speak to your local trusted gp if something is a miss they will investigate it.
They take these things really seriously.
You are feeling violated, definitely reach out and talk to a professional
I’ve had it done to me with my 1st child…no warning and then when I was in labor he didn’t seem to think I should be…and then come to find out. The baby was way early. In my 3rd and 4th pregnancies I was c section and refused to be checked with the 3rd and wasn’t asked at all with the 4th. No exams but one test with the 4th. Any how I felt pretty violated with my whole experience on my first child
Had a nurse jam her fingers up my cervix she had fingers and man did that hurt. I guess at least she warned me. She didn’t tell me it would hurt worse than giving birth!
I would message the doctor and ask what procedure was performed yesterday first. After that express your concern that you felt you were not prepared and your still nit sure what happened. This is there job. You don’t need to feel bad or weird about professionally asking a professional about the procdure preformed
I would have stop the doctor by telling him “you hurting me” please stop and then make sure that you express your feelings before leaving his office. It might be "normal " for some people, but “normal does not have to be painful”…
Let him know…
I had my children’s over 20 years ago! I had the same dr for all my pregnancies,This is your 3rd with the same dr I’m assuming? My dr had to sweep my membranes with all my pregnancies because I was over due and he tugged on my uterus! He told me he would be doing this&advised I have someone be with me at that specific appt to drive me home because I would not feel like driving! He tugged 3 times which I’m assuming is what happened here… I was comfortable with my dr&his nurses as I was with him for nearly 4 years! I would of been comfortable enough to ask him or the nurse what happened and what it felt like to you!! When in doubt ask questions!
Hm I think this happened to me with my last pregnancy. A woman was checking my dilation, and my contractions were getting farther apart. What she did was so painful and I was confused as to why she was taking so long just to check me. I remember thinking wth is this woman doing down there?! I even said to her are you done?! I think now reading these comments that she was doing a sweep. She never told me that was what she was doing or asked if I wanted it done. She didn’t even tell me afterwards that it was what she did. She wasn’t thrusting her fingers in me though. If I had to describe it I’d say it felt like scraping. I’m sorry that you went through that. If I felt as you do, I think I would ask for a different doctor to deliver my baby.
If you feel violated then call the doctor and ask what the purpose of doing it was. That seems to be the most logical thing to me. The doctor needs to communicate with you but you also need to communicate with the doctor. Can’t say what I’d do about it since I’d have asked why it was done.
If doctor was wearing a glove, lord I hope so!, he was in all likelihood NOT “copping a sick feel”
Us patients must endure some embarrassing things.
I have had something similar done but by a woman doctor and I ended up in the ER because I started bleeding. This was when I was 19. To this day I will not see a woman doctor I have had 3 other children all with the same male doctor and he has never done this to me.
Sounds like a sweep to me but get a doctor to check your notes and if its not in your notes then say it someone, a male doctor told me id have a stretch and sweep done at 38 weeks i went it and was told it was too early and that doctor shouldn’t of said to me then had one done at 41 weeks and 1 day over due had my daughter the day after
They have to ask permission before sweeping your membranes. So if they didn’t do that, I would file a complaint. This is not okay.
My doctor did something like you described. The Next day my mucous plug came out and you’ll have to wear a pad, but it does help things along since your 39 weeks.
Sounds like a membrane sweep but, that doesn’t excuse the fact that he didn’t tell you before he did it. The fact that YOU feel it wasn’t ok, makes it not ok. I’d call down there to talk to someone about it. If this is a private practice and the doctor is in charge, talk to him about it if you want. Otherwise, find a new doctor if that trust has been broken and you aren’t comfortable there now.
It sounds like he stripped your membranes but he shouldn’t have done that without explaining it to you.
Sounds like stripping the membranes but I had female drs and they also told me they were doing this…it does hurt!!
If it wasn’t discussed with you that that has what he was going to do, report it. Women are dismissed in healthcare. We’re treated horribly.
Honestly he should’ve informed you step by step what he was doing. That goes along with bed side manner.
Girl I went through that as well were my water ended up broken and I was mad 
I was 14 and pregnant and had a male doctor do that to me but in my butt. I was so confused. Like what did my behind have to do with anything? I was stunned! But being young and clueless I just kept quiet. I later asked someone else and they said it wasn’t normal. The nurse was not in the room when it happened. Looking back, I Wish I had spoke up.
Sounds like he did a membrane sweep. Which normally they get prior consent for.
It’s called rimming your cervix & is very common practice.
Tho ideally they’ll ask & be gentle about it.
One last question. Author states that this is her 3rd pregnancy. And she never had a doctor did this before. Why did she change or doctor hopped? Wasnt it a norm to stick with one doctor that knows you well? Did the Author move state or country between birth. My country does practise differently on natal care, we have ultrasound every month for pregnant mothers and we stick to the same doctor unless its a public hospital, but even then, to do that strip as how the Author suggested the doctor did, It has to be that there is a bed ready for the mother. Mothers are not sent home once they are escalated to labour stage. So Yah…my thrid rated understanding of medical care is such. And per visit and ultrasound will not cost more then $200/- in US currency.
So I think he may have been stripping your membranes(also called membrane sweeping). He should have told you what he was doing either way tho. This would be my guess since your 39 weeks and said you mentioned your progress was slowing down. This is a procedure done to help induce labor, so you were prob right in saying he was trying to “jump start” something lol you can google membrane stripping/sweeping but essentially the doctor inserts a finger into the vagina and up through the cervix. then he manually separates your amniotic sac from the uterine lining. It says many women do find it uncomfortable/possibly slightly painful but it’s very short, only a few minutes at most. It says a woman describes the feeling as a rough cervical check. I only know about this because my sister wanted the doctor to do it and he wouldn’t for some reason. Otherwise I never would of heard of this procedure. But this procedure is for women who are near or past their due date, that have started dilating already and who are trying to help move labor along faster. From your story you check all of these boxes so I’m fairly certain this is what the doctor was doing. Again I do feel he should of told you this is what he was doing if I am correct tho. Just in general women should be told what’s going on when a doctor is up in our vaginas. That’s just a vulnerable time in general for women. But it does sounds like it was a perfect legit medical procedure he was doing. I hope you are actually able to see this comment and feel more at ease now. Congratulations on your little one.
Listen to your instincts…I always say…don’t dismiss how you felt…you need to say something…most likely it’s happening to others and maybe if you speak up…others will feel comfortable coming forward…
I feel like male doctors are a bit too rough…I had a male check my dilation and boy did it freaking hurt. With the female docs it felt uncomfortable but definitely didn’t feel like it did when the male doc checked me. The female doc said I was 6 cm and when he checked I was only 4, his fingers were the size of an ogre lol
This is why i will not have a male doctor OBGYN
I am loving the fact that there is so many self professed medical professionals here.
First. No. Second. Did u ask for them to "jump start anything. Sorry. Wrong wrong wrong.
Dear Whoever is ‘replying to my name’. Unfortunately, due to too many folks who are ‘replying with my name. It does not show up, it only send me a notification that you did ‘reply to Woo Li Meng Micki’’. So I have a hard time finding your comment, wasnt helping that I am viewing it from a moving public transit train. So if I am not replying to you, is because I have not seen your comments. Not because I am wrong. If I am wrong, I will apologize. Not like some people here who throw accusations and question my gender or my vagina and then keep silent as they can be caught out being the actual jerk.
There’s nothing wrong with a warning and simple explanation.
This is exactly how medical practitioners weasel their way into thinking they know our bodies better than ourselves and then end up inflicting minor and major trauma. Catching someone by surprise for the relaxed effect is bullshit and totally not okay - informed consent is an ethical requirement of medical practice. But this should ESPECIALLY not happen with a pregnant person. The actions you’ve described sounds like a membrane sweep, which is an intervention in her natural labor process that you were not given the choice to consent to. We’ve been mislead to believe that doctors know best, but this intervention that can complicate and shift the course of your birth experience, it has far more implications than a surprise poke/jab from a doctor in a surgical procedure - you should have been given the choice. No one should be feeling violated post doctor visit which is why I personally switched to a midwife and had a home birth because my OB always left me feeling violated, impersonal and uninformed. Not the energy I would want in the most precious moments of my life, the birth of my children (or any time I’m receiving medical care honestly). I’m so glad I did. I’m so sorry this happened to you, I would absolutely address this with your doctor and let him know that you did not appreciate not being informed what was going to happen, and won’t tolerate that manor of operating (without informed consent) during your birth. You can say it more softly of course, but stand your ground mama! I really urge you to take a moment to sit down before your birth and write down a birth plan. I know you’ve already had babies, but if you have preferences (which most of us do/should) like wanting to be informed before any action is taken regarding you or your baby during your birth and labor then someone else (your partner) can enforce that in the throes of labor when you’re likely not able. Stand up for yourself mama! You deserve to feel respected, sovereign and safe in your body and in the care of your medical providers. Your body is intelligent and wise, you know more than your provider concerning your body and baby. I hope you have an intimate, safe, healthy, sovereign and empowered birth 
Call him out.I like female doctors waaaaaaay better, bot perfect by no stretch, but at least none of this type of deal!
Ask don’t sound right ask a different obgyn or two
Was there a nurse in the room. Always must have a nurse in the room.
He was probably stripping you, that way you dilate faster
Asked, “WHAT was that about? I didn’t like it”
Sounds like he swiped your membrane…
Im guy never experienced lol
Why didn’t you ask right then and there when it happened??
If your doctor had been a women, would this be a concern?
Can’t you get your partner to do that before the appointment?
He stripped your membranes!
#1 you don’t need permission to know something was done to you that you didn’t like agüiten chilexpress promotion. #2. Others have explained here that they are told and well aware and prepared for any procedural anything that is done inside their bodies. #3 you definitely need a new doctor period… you are an expert on what you feel how you have been treated please don’t second-guess yourself you have every right to comfort and thorough communication during any procedure.
My doc stuck his hand in and said he could feel my sons head. I almost cried, it hurt so bad. That was on a Monday morning, I had my son on Thursday morning. I do not think your doc intended to make you feel as you do. Depth perception isn’t exactly on our side in this scenario.
My body can’t dilate. But when I was pregnant with my first child, I remember my doctor, (a female) she was amazing, checking me at 34 or 35 weeks and I felt like she was trying to skewer me. And then I went into labor at 36w6d and the nurses were checking again then. With no dilation, it was a lot of painful shoving to verify. The epidural is the only thing that made the cervix checks bearable.
I would ask yours about it, but hopefully it’s normal procedure. Maybe he thought he felt the head or something.
Definitely just a sweep of your membranes 
1 Like