In my youth it was mostly held my mom would always have me over her lap so she usually just hold it up there while it was registering
When I did someone I know rectal temperature. I held it in place. And she complained during the rectal temperature but she knew a core temperature had to be taken.
Mom hold it in place for the most time of the measurement with one hand. The other hand caressed my buttocks to calm me.
Only time I had a rectal when I was young, (that I remember anyway) was in the hospital when I was young. What I remember, she slid it in, left it sticking out, until she pulled it out. It was in quick, seemed like it took forever LOL, and pulled it out quick. What I also remember, I was in a ward with about 12 other beds of kids. There I was, butt out in the open, getting a rectal temp for other kids to see. I was embarrassed.
When I was on my tummy always left sticking out.Only when I was on my side, mom would hold it.I was a digital one.
At home my mom would not stay with me holding it in. I was usually laying on her bed on my stomach and she would insert the thermometer and go do something else for 5 minutes. This was something that was always discouraged in medical books.At the doctor's office the nurse would insert the thermometer and pull my underwear back up to hold the thermometer in place.
It really depended on MY mood. If I was being cooperative and would lay still on my bed (at home) or on the examination table (at my pediatrician's office) my temperature was taken underwear down to knees (sometimes ankles) the thermometer sticking out.If I was in an uncooperative mood the thermometer was held in.If I was really being a bear, I was put across mom's or the nurse's lap naked and the thermometer was held in.I hated RT until I was about 4 so I ended up across the lap mostly until 4.4-7 mostly on the table sticking out.I don't ever remember RT in the diaper position.
I remember how it was like. When the thermometer is being inserted, I first have the cold feeling of the metal tip, then I feel my rectum is being opened up by the wider extension of the thermometer and I am told to lie still while the thermometer is held in place with a firm hand so it doesn't slip out. Sometimes it feels uncomfortable, but rarely does it hurt. I know very well that if I try to move, the thermometer just feels even more in my rectum…
Those kids who got used to the procedure without any fuss I think usually left sticking out. It was the case for me and my sister for sure. I remember many times caoming back from school, when sister was in the middle of the measurement on her tummy with the glass rod between her cheeks.
@emanfun I too remember the hospital temps. Everybody would roll over on their tummy and the nurse would go around and stick a thermometer in each upturned butt. She would then go back around doing vitals. She would also ask if you had a BM. You didntbwantbto say no this or you would be taken down the hall and be given an enema on the table in the big restroom.I remember looking around seeing all those butrs with thermometers in them.My mom would put the thermometer in with no lube so it wouldn't slide back out. She woul spread my cheeks far apart when she did this.
It always seemed to me there is more of an element of dominance/infantilism when holding a rectal thermometer in place. The implication that the recipient can't hold it in him/herself
Usually left sticking out unless I was trying to push the thermometer out, then I would feel it slipping in and held in place.