I have a curiousity question. Since we know all women are different and every baby has different size/shaped heads why do we have to get to 10 cm? I mean if a babies head is smaller does your cervix have to get all the way to 10cm? And if you have a larger baby head do you dilate past 10cm? How does your body know, well that's 10 cm cue urge to push. I was thinking about the birth of DS and I didn't have the urge to push and he had a large head. So I began to wonder maybe I started pushing before I was really 10cm which I know can cause to swelling. Then I thought well why would I swell at 9cm but not at 10cm. What magically happens that when pushing at 10cm it's fine. I am way overthinking this but you know when you get something in your head and can't get it out. I think I will ask dr at my appt but I feel like she will give the standard mom answer, Because it does.
Re: Since you all went to med school...
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I just always thought 10cm was the max out and if baby's head doesn't fit, well there are other ways to get him out these days, I suppose.
Interesting q though - I never gave it much thought.
Centimeters of dilation may mean more during evaluation of progress.
As for pushing there is an actual reflex involved if unmedicated during labor. That feeling when someone is saying "I gotta push NOW" is because of a natural reflex from perineal nerves. Sometimes the baby can be very low prior to adequate dilation hence an early urge to push when the cervix isn't ready...which can lead to complications.
Passive descent to a lower station is common and helpful to women with an epidural.
Hope that helps!
baby #3 arrived in September 2014...cannot get ticker to work no matter what I try!
baby #3 arrived in September 2014...cannot get ticker to work no matter what I try!
VR 4/20/2013 | BFP 1/5/2014 | Baby Girl EDD 9/9/2014