How long can I really walk around at 3-4 cm dilated...

asnowracer

Here's my background: I was 2 cm for about 2 weeks until the day my son was born. (I had an appt that morning). Contractions with my son came out of nowhere that night, 5 minutes apart to start. That lasted 40 minutes then they were 1 minute apart. I dilated from 4 to fully dilated in an hour. The whole labor was 3.5 hours. So it was intense and CLEAR that it was labor.

So this one, Tuesday I had my 38 week appointment and ok'd my membranes to be stripped. I was at 2 cm and 50%. YesterdayI had painful contrax every 5 minutes while I waited for my growth ultrasound.

(U/S showed baby at 95th percentile... 8 lbs 10 oz, give or take a pound and a half.)

 Since I was contracting during the U/S the tech sent another dr. in to check me. Less than 24 hours after my 38 week appointment I was now at 3-4 cm and 80% effaced. So he gave me 2 options: Go home and walk and go to the hospital in 2 hours or just head right over. We grabbed lunch and went to L & D but I am telling you....this did not feel like labor as I knew it.

Fast forward, yeah, it was false labor. They said I was free to go and they might see me back but wouldn't know. They said wait until they are 3-5 minutes consistently.  I had contractions all over the place ALL day yesterday anywhere from every 2 minutes to every 9 minutes, and they were painful but weren't increasing. So today they're few and far between again.

You think it was just a result of my membranes being stripped? Would that have caused the dilation and how much have you heard of someone walking around this dilated?

MilMom2B

I don't know about her effacement and size of baby and number of contractions or anything like that, but going solely on dilation I had a friend walk around 4 cm dilated for almost 2 whole months. Obviously you're much further along than that and have a lot more going on, but I'm just saying ...

amygoable

MilMom2B:

I don't know about her effacement and size of baby and number of contractions or anything like that, but going solely on dilation I had a friend walk around 4 cm dilated for almost 2 whole months. Obviously you're much further along than that and have a lot more going on, but I'm just saying ...

My mom was 4 cm for a month or so. Your last labor sounds like it moved fast, though, so it seems like they'd want to keep a close eye. Good luck - I hate false labor!

matt&lateefah

At my 36 week appt I was 3cm dilated and at my 38 week appt (on Tuesday) I had progressed to 4.  I have contractions off and on all day, nothing getting closer than 10 minutes apart.  I walk and climb stairs thinking that if I can just get to 5cm I would start active labor!  I know the contractions are not BH because I have the lightening bolt feeling and the strong pain going from abd. to back.  So I guess to answer your question, I've been at least 3cm for 2 weeks. 

Kristen61607

I've been 2-3 cm's for over 6 weeks now. But I'm not really "walking around" or trying to move things along either - I've been on strict bed rest 5 of those 6 weeks and now that I can technically be "off" bed rest, I'm in too much pain to do much more than lay around all day.

mbritto4

I was a 3 externally but closed tuesday and haven't had any excitement yet. I did not get membranes stripped though.

Ginaincali

When I got my cerclage out on Friday he said I was 3cm dilated.  I had to go to Triage on Sunday to be rechecked since I was having pretty regular contractions after the surgery.  The triage nurse measured me at 2cm, 50% thinned out, and at station -3. She said 3cm was being generous, and she was probably just pushing farther down at the time.  I haven't been checked again since.  I had another NST on Tuesday and I wasn't having any contractions.  I haven't felt anything yet, but she does feel a lot lower.  I can't wait to be checked again to see where we are. 

pp709

I'm jealous of you ladies because I am only 1 cm dialated & still high

The Chicago weather isn't being condusive to me walking around outside as we've had thunderstorms all week. I just want to meet my baby already!!

raysn16

I was 3 - 4 cm dilated with both DS1 and DS2 for a couple of weeks - started dilating around 35 weeks with both of those pregnancies.  I have been 1 - 2 cm since about 33 weeks with this little guy.  Delivered the first 2 right around 39w...