Direct guidance
What to know or do
Use clean hands, a comfortable position and a simple product acceptable to your care team. Check first with vaginal infection, bleeding, ruptured membranes, placenta or cervical concerns, or advice to avoid vaginal insertion.
What changes the answer
- Pregnancy history, current findings and the capabilities of the planned birth setting
- Consent, communication, pain relief, support, feeding and newborn-care preferences
- How an urgent change, caesarean birth, preterm birth or neonatal admission would be handled
Check with your care team
When to get individual help
Check the exact item or situation with a doctor, midwife, pharmacist or relevant clinician; the name of a broad category is not enough for a personal decision.