Stirrups (not the horse kind)

[slemslempike]

When you go for a smear test (or similar), are there stirrups?

I've usually heard Americans talking about stirrups for such incidents, while I'm under the impression that I've only heard British women refer to them for ante-natal use. When I go, I just have to do that frogs' legs thing (which is awkward if the table is against the wall on one side).

I was watching Jo Brand on Live at the Apollo, and she talked about stirrups as if they would of course be used for a smear. Have I just always had lo-tech medical care? I don't feel like I have had a particularly sheltered outlook, at least four medical professionals have investigated my nethers.

Comments

[antisoppist.livejournal.com]

I think I had stirrups when being stitched after childbirth (three times) but I was so high on gas and air (with my first birth the bastards gave me gas and air for the stitching but not for the actual birth) and post-childbirth hormones that I didn't really notice or care.

And well, I would like them to be able to see what they're doing at that point, especially the nurse who said "I'm just going to ask for a seccond opinion" which turned out to be "which side do you think this bit goes?" (yes the first labour was horrific and yes I am still bitter)

I was never told to use stirrups during labour.

For smears and IUS fitting it's been the frog thing.

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

I've had two incidents of post-childbirth stitching, one in hospital with stirrups, one at home, unsurprisingly with no stirrups. I preferred the second. The idea that I wasn't physically capable of closing my legs or getting off the bed even if I'd wanted to was pretty horrifying. OTOH, I believe it was necessary the first time for the same sort of reasons mentioned above - I believe the phrase used was "ooh, look at this! I'll just get my supervisor."

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Stirrups for stitching makes sense - as you say, you definitely want people to see (and OH MY GOD I had a full body wince at the second opinion).

[antisoppist.livejournal.com]

I suppose everyone has to learn on someone, and on balance, I'd really rather she asked if she wasn't sure. I think I'd just have preferred not to hear them discussing me like some kind of jigsaw puzzle.

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

Based on our sample size of two, it seems to be a universal approach. I definitely had a bit of "does that go this way or that way?" too.