I've been dilated some since 24 weeks. On Thursday, I was 34w 5d, and 3cm dilated 60% effaced. I stop taking progesterone this Friday, and I think this baby will come soon after that.
@rubirubi89 I see a midwife at a birthing center and they don't see the need to check so with my last and with this one I never have been. They even have me do my own strep b swab.
I would talk to your doc about it. My midwife with my first 2 at the hospital would check me at 36 and after that only if I wanted to be checked.
I wasn't checked by my midwife or anyone until I got to the hospital and was having contractions every 4-5min I was 4cm dilated and delivered the next night at 36w6d
This time around she asked me if I wanted to be checked at 34wks because I was having contractions and I said, "no, my contractions don't hurt enough yet."
I would question the checks if you really don't want them.
36 and 1 day, dr checked me today due to pelvic pain I was having today, they are worried about me going into premature labor because so far baby is breech I talk to the in on Friday to talk about manually flipping him and getting an ultrasound done... If nothing works we will be discussing c section. So far everything is tightly closed just today started having suuuuper bad pelvic pain. Could barely walk at work and then when I got home I've been having super bad lower back pain
QUESTION: from everyone's replies it seems checking for dilation is pretty useless. Have any of you asked to NOT be checked? Im really dreading being checked next week I actually considered lying to the Dr. so he won't check me. DH says thats probably not a good idea though X_X
I wouldn't lie. But you can decline them. They really mean nothing. My midwife doesn't check until your due date. And even then I can deny them.
QUESTION: from everyone's replies it seems checking for dilation is pretty useless. Have any of you asked to NOT be checked? Im really dreading being checked next week I actually considered lying to the Dr. so he won't check me. DH says thats probably not a good idea though X_X
I wouldn't lie. But you can decline them. They really mean nothing. My midwife doesn't check until your due date. And even then I can deny them.
You can deny to be checked full stop, for the rest of your pregnancy and birth too. my best friend wasn't even checked during her labour, she went with her body. Which was brave but as it was her third child she had the experience behind her. I wouldn't lie, but you can ask if the doctor thinks it is medically necessary for you at this point in time. As I said earlier, in the uk you're typically not checked until labour so unless you have any specific health reasons why denying them would be silly- just say you'd like to avoid it
FTM here. As of last week I'm 2 cm dilated & 70% effaced. Baby is also head down. I didn't expect the internal exam to be so damn uncomfortable! Ouch!
How far along are you now? I am at 36w2d right now. I went to my appointment today but no one even checked that, or at least they didn't talk to me about it.
I am 37 weeks and had my Dr's appointment yesterday and didn't know she would be checking until I got into the room. I am a FTM and didn't really know what to expect. I didn't find the exam to be painful more uncomfortable than anything. But I did experience cramping last night and just felt off but nothing major.
I found out I'm 2cm dilated & 80% effaced. She told me it doesn't give a clear indication on the baby coming early but to make sure I have all my ducks in a row just in case.
Needless to say that was the kick in the ass I needed to finally start getting my hospital bag together.
It's funny, I have had 2 friends tell me the internal checks KILL and 2 people tell me they don't hurt a bit. So when I went in today, I was a nervous wreck--i had to get my blood pressure checked twice b/c of my anxiety it was too high. Turns out the exam didn't hurt A BIT--I mean, even a pap smear was more "painful". Needless to say, I think it must be different for everyone. I'm 37 weeks tomorrow and not dilated at all, but she did say my cervix is softening. Good luck everyone:) Not much longer!
I went in for my 37 week checkup today, I was 1 cm and 40% effaced last week and this week I am 2 cm and 50% effaced.
I just spoke to a friend of mine and she was 3 cm and 80% effaced for three weeks until she finally went into labor with her first. With her second she walked around 3-4 cm and 80% effaced. She carried her second to 40 weeks then had to be induced. Just depends on the person and the baby I guess!
I know I could walk around like this forever but I feel good knowing I'm making a little progress. It's exciting knowing she could be here anytime! Good luck everyone! Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.
38 weeks tomorrow and had my checkup yesterday. Not effaced or dialated. Doctor told me I had a very strong pelvic floor, so I guess I've got that going for me, which is nice? Told me if he had to guess, I'd make it to my due date. But then he told me that he is wrong all the time, it keeps him humble. So there's that. I guess what I am learning is I better just go with the flow, because I have absolutely no control of my body from here on out. Good luck ladies-I wish us all sanity in these final weeks of waiting...
FTM here. As of last week I'm 2 cm dilated & 70% effaced. Baby is also head down. I didn't expect the internal exam to be so damn uncomfortable! Ouch!
How far along are you now? I am at 36w2d right now. I went to my appointment today but no one even checked that, or at least they didn't talk to me about it.
I'm 37+5. Not every OB performs internal exams. You can ask about it, but really there's not too much of a point to them, as PPs have mentioned. On one hand it's exciting to hear about how your body is progressing, but on the other it's not a good indication of when you'll go into labor so it might get your hopes up unnecessarily.
P.S. Had my second check last week & it didn't hurt at all. Only the first was uncomfortable.
Going to be 37 weeks Friday and I'm only a fingertip dialated. That's good, I think I need a couple of extra weeks to get a bunch of things ready before baby's debut!
Part of me really wants the doctor to check just so that I know if all this pain and discomfort has actually led anywhere. Although I know it won't actually mean much by way of how much time is left.
35wks and they checked me at my appointment today and said I was dialated but didn't give me any numbers since it was a student nurse who checked but I go back in 1week for the gbs(? Think that's what it's called) and they will recheck then. LO is head down. However I will say my uterus area on the outside was VERY tender when they pressing to feel the baby and I did feel a little sick/stomach pain they checked too.
FTM here. As of last week I'm 2 cm dilated & 70% effaced. Baby is also head down. I didn't expect the internal exam to be so damn uncomfortable! Ouch!
How far along are you now? I am at 36w2d right now. I went to my appointment today but no one even checked that, or at least they didn't talk to me about it.
I'm 37+5. Not every OB performs internal exams. You can ask about it, but really there's not too much of a point to them, as PPs have mentioned. On one hand it's exciting to hear about how your body is progressing, but on the other it's not a good indication of when you'll go into labor so it might get your hopes up unnecessarily.
P.S. Had my second check last week & it didn't hurt at all. Only the first was uncomfortable.
I envy you. I've had 3 internal exams and each one hurts more than the last. I bleed more after each one too (
Although at my appointment on Friday my doctor told me that I'm 80% effaced, 2 cm dilated, baby is head down, and that she wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor before my next weekly appointment.
At my 36 week appt last Thursday the 15th, I was 50% effaced and 3cm dilated. She said her head was still behind my cervix so my measuring doesn't really say much! But holy hell does it throb and hurt down there! I feel like I've gone bareback horseback riding on the beach for an hour! I'm curious to see what they say this Thurs!
Had an ultrasound yesterday at 36W2D to estimate baby's size. I was told that at my next appt (going every week now), the doc will start checking internally every week. For now, baby is head down and is estimated at 6lb10oz, so we're just waiting him out! I don't want to be too early for planning purposes and bc my MIL is convinced he will be born before the end of October (EDD Nov. 14), and I don't want her to be right (terrible, I know).
38w+2 at my check today and the doc said I was 0,0,-2 station (unchanged for the past two weeks).
I want baby girl to "bake" another week or so but I swear hearing those numbers made me feel like an D student or something! I guess I expected SOME progress! Then again I know things can change so rapidly...I'm considering asking my doc to just keep the numbers to herself next time since I find them a source of frustration!
happy i found this post... im 37 weeks, and was checked today 3 cm and 70% with baby low. the ob said she wouldnt be surprised if i went into labor this weekend... that seems a little drastic to me and even kinda freaked me out... i would like this baby to stay in until 39 weeks... and OMG was the check uncomfortable
Just got checked again at 36 weeks. I'm now 100% effaced and 3 cm dilated and at 0 station. She said maybe two or three more weeks. She said that usually this means that I'll have an easier labor but doesn't really predict when she will come.
Am I the only one who didn't get any #s or %s?! My doctor said my cervix was "soft and short" and that she is expecting my babe to come very soon (EDD nov 18th) but I'm not dilated yet?
I didn't get any numbers but I've had several cervical exams, and this week also had an ultrasound. I'm assuming I'll go to term. At 37 weeks and baby is nowhere near my pelvis, though at least its head is pointing down. 1st baby was 2 weeks late. I'm enjoying the napping and all night sleep while it lasts, in no hurry!
Curiously, I also have really severe pelvic pain. My doctor said that is totally normal as my entire uterus is resting on my pelvis now, and that it's not a sign the baby has dropped.
Well I ended up in L&D at 34 weeks because of bleeding, and the nurses suspected the bleeding was "bloody show", but I was only 2cm and 50% effaced, no contractions, and cervix is still pretty long (but kiddo is breech, I half-suspect that if she were head-down I might've been further along). No change at my 35 week appointment.
Had my appointment today, 37w2d and I'm high and closed which she said is normal for where I'm at. With all the BH and crotch lightening I was thinking I'd be moving in the right direction, but baby wants to stay put for now. I'm fine with that... But my back might not be. ;-)
Had my appt this past Monday; I was 36w6d. OB said I was 50% effaced and 0 dilated, but baby girl's head is down and low. I had some intense contractions all day following my exam which hopefully worked a little bit more on my cervix to get it closer to letting LO out. I would be happy if she was born closer to 39 weeks, but if she decides to stay in a little longer than I guess I just have to be patient.
I'm 37 weeks today. At my appointment yesterday my cervix was still "long, hard, and tightly closed" but csection scheduled in 15 days. But I was really hoping for a vbac!
37w 5d. At yesterday's appointment they said I was 1cm 50% effaced. Nice to know somethings happening although I'm not reading into what this could mean for delivery at all.
Nope! Nope Nope Nope. Was checked today....absolutely miserable now. Baby's head is 'right there but yeah- you're closed and definitely need that gel'.
I know the cervical check feels and affects everyone differently. I'm loving my NST recliner right now.
37 weeks and about 2 cm and posterior. Not effaced. They just pushed my due date back a week today, was 38 weeks but am measuring small consistently for a month now so they said November 10th. So frustrating but at least she is happy and healthy in there. Ugh. My first 2 girls came early and I was told basically not to expect that this time. 3rd babies man, they are wild cards.
@abraleesy - thanks for that info! I honestly thought he must have dropped a long time ago because of the pelvic pain I was experiencing. Now maybe I'm not so sure where he is (if he's engaged at all). I know he's dropped because there's more room for him to kick my ribs, but I honestly thought that's what all my pelvic pain was, too. You learn something new every day.
I am actually kind of excited to get checked on Friday. I was 1.5 cm when I had to go the L&D for contractions at 28 weeks, so I am interested to see if there has been any progress since then. I will only be 36 weeks though, so hoping for not too much progress!
Still closed at 38W5D I was having contractions all day Sunday and Monday so I was hoping that would help move things along, but I guess not. My cousin went from closed to active labor in one day though, so I guess there's that hope to hold on to (:
Wow, you all seem so far along! I'm a FTM at 39w2d and yesterday I was 1 cm and 30%. My doctor felt my baby is ready and didn't need anymore time, so he stripped my membrane yesterday to try and move things along naturally. I didn't even know it was a thing!
The moment I've been dreading has arrived. Waiting to be checked for dilation.
update: That wasn't so bad. mostly weird. 2 cm dilated!
:!!
Yay! Glad it wasn't too bad. My second time wasn't as bad as the first. For one, it was a different doc, and two, I was bracing myself for the worst! He could tell I was dreading it and kept asking if I was ok while he was checking.
Two whole CM??? How far along are you? He considered me still closed yesterday at 37W2D but said I was about 70% effaced. Also mentioned baby's head was very low. Good luck!
Re: Dilation and Effacement
I would talk to your doc about it. My midwife with my first 2 at the hospital would check me at 36 and after that only if I wanted to be checked.
This time around she asked me if I wanted to be checked at 34wks because I was having contractions and I said, "no, my contractions don't hurt enough yet."
I would question the checks if you really don't want them.
My midwife doesn't check until your due date. And even then I can deny them.
I just spoke to a friend of mine and she was 3 cm and 80% effaced for three weeks until she finally went into labor with her first. With her second she walked around 3-4 cm and 80% effaced. She carried her second to 40 weeks then had to be induced. Just depends on the person and the baby I guess!
I know I could walk around like this forever but I feel good knowing I'm making a little progress. It's exciting knowing she could be here anytime! Good luck everyone! Keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers.
Dr checked me early this time (34wk) because baby felt low. 0cm, effacing but didn't say percentage, -1 station.
However I will say my uterus area on the outside was VERY tender when they pressing to feel the baby and I did feel a little sick/stomach pain they checked too.
I envy you. I've had 3 internal exams and each one hurts more than the last. I bleed more after each one too
Although at my appointment on Friday my doctor told me that I'm 80% effaced, 2 cm dilated, baby is head down, and that she wouldn't be surprised if I went into labor before my next weekly appointment.
I want baby girl to "bake" another week or so but I swear hearing those numbers made me feel like an D student or something! I guess I expected SOME progress! Then again I know things can change so rapidly...I'm considering asking my doc to just keep the numbers to herself next time since I find them a source of frustration!
Curiously, I also have really severe pelvic pain. My doctor said that is totally normal as my entire uterus is resting on my pelvis now, and that it's not a sign the baby has dropped.
I know the cervical check feels and affects everyone differently. I'm loving my NST recliner right now.
Two whole CM??? How far along are you? He considered me still closed yesterday at 37W2D but said I was about 70% effaced. Also mentioned baby's head was very low. Good luck!