39 weeks and not dilated...any success stories?

princessandthegator

So I've had contractions and pain since about 36 weeks and for that first week the Dr was pretty sure I'd go into labor early, they just really wanted me to get to 37 weeks to make sure baby was OK. Since then I've had contractions (not in any pattern) consistently, so much so that two Sundays in a row we've been timing and pretty much going to sleep thinking if the pain is so bad I can't sleep this will mean I need to go to L & D. I've had Monday Dr appointments almost every week and have not dilated. Monday during the day and into the evening I had contractions that again were about 7 minutes apart but this time in addition to lower back pain, I felt pain in my thighs (I had a D & C in August and the pain was exactly how I felt when I took the medicine they give you to contract your uterus after surgery). Long story short, at Tuesdays appointment I was once again told I had not dilated and that the hospital I am delivering at won't induce me with an "unfavorable uterus" until 41 weeks, the only options are to wait or schedule a c-section (not the end of the world, but certainly not what I'd originally hoped for as a FTM). I have an appointment next Monday (my due date) for another check up and an ultrasound to check fluid and size. My reservation is this: I'm concerned about going 41 weeks, laboring for hours and ultimately having a c-section anyway because I didn't dilate. So I tell you all of this to ask a very simple question: Any STM who did not dilate at all, despite feeling contractions, and were still able to deliver vaginally? 

GinnyJ2012

Yes, with my first I had consistent contractions for about a week with no dilation at my 40 week appointment. At 40+4 my water broke after two very painful contractions so we went to L&D. They checked me in triage and I was just starting to dilate, but wasn't even at 1cm. That was at 5am, and he was born at 4:40pm the same day. 

newbabymakes4

With DS, I was not at all dilated after 40w - my dr did a membrane sweep at 40w2d and I delivered vaginally at 40w4d.  

princessandthegator

@GinnyJ2012 that's very encouraging! Were you scheduled for an induction, I keep hearing somehow baby gets ESP if you get scheduled and you go into labor naturally lol. At least it's what I'm hoping for.

@newbabymakes4 my Dr won't do a membrane sweep if I'm not dilated, was it very painful?

AmberLiz99

I didn't dilate a bit with my first until active labor started at 40 weeks 6 days. He was born vaginaly 17 hours later. Healthy and no complications. I only needed a small dose of pitocin after my epidural. Lots of first time moms don't dilate in advance. 

snowhite12

I was induced with my first at 39w 5d. walked into the hospital at 7am, only dilated to .5cm, started me on pitocin and we're able to break my water. Had DD 7pm that evening vaginally.
my induction was very successful and I was barely dilated. 

NLewis1

I did that with my son - had prodromal labor from 35 weeks on - ended up induced at 40 weeks and still was not dilated at all, cervix was high firm and closed. I labored for 18 hours and delivered vaginally. 

princessandthegator

I was seriously considering scheduling a c-section next week if I still wasn't dilated but hearing all of your stories makes me feel much better. Like my body isn't malfunctioning...

alysemci

My best friend went to the dr October 3 with no dilation at all and was due oct 6. Oct 4 she felt funny around mid day, went into labor on her own at night and had her baby at 4 am on oct 5

adiaz132003

My midwife told me that she has seen many moms who were not dialated at all and gave birth a day or two later.  She said every woman's body is different.  Some dialated quickly and some do it over time.  It's no indication and whether or not you can have a successful delivery.

Emztron500

I didn't start dilating at all until I was in active labour (40 weeks + 4 days). Delivered vaginally the next day.

CourtJack

No need to schedule a section b/c you're not dilated.  

snowhite12

My sister went from no dilation to 5cm in two hours when she was in active labor. She then went from 5 to 10 in less then an hour. This was with her first baby.

Bee112309

I was induced with my 2nd daughter at 41 weeks exactly, effaced but not dilated at all. It was a long induction, but I was able to deliver her vaginally with no issues. Also, and this is aimed at your doctor, I would majorly side-eye any OB who wanted to schedule a c-section for not being dilated, and would tell him/her that that is not an option that should even be mentioned again. That is not a valid reason to perform major abdominal surgery on someone, in my opinion.

colesmom33

I gave birth to my son at 40w2d and wasn't dilated at all.  I went in to "ripen my cervix" before being induced and I went went from a 2 to a 10 in three hours.

BMD8181

What @Bee112309 said!  I think as a FTM you are just anxious (perfectly understandable!) and I think you'd regret going with a scheduled  c-section without giving your body the opportunity to go into labor on your own. I believe that it is very common for women not to dilate at all until the very end. Unless you have another issue going on that you didn't mention, I'd also question any OB that gave you advice to schedule a c-section so prematurely. 

newbabymakes4

I thought the membrane sweep was painful, yes, but it was just as it happened, not lingering.  But my friends told me that cervix checks were the worst pain they'd ever experienced, and I don't find those uncomfortable.  So I think it depends on the person.

princessandthegator

@Bee112309 & @BMD8181 In his defense, it was more of an answer to a question than a recommendation. I had my husband come with me to the appointment because I'd been having those thigh pains and contractions in the morning of my appointment and when he said I hadn't dilated my husband asked him what our options were. He said we should wait until 41 weeks and that the only other option was to schedule a c-section.I also have this semi irrational fear of something happening to the baby after 40 weeks. I know that is very rarely the case, but it's still scary. From what I see though, there's still a high probability that vaginal delivery is possible so that's definitely reassuring.Not that I trust I don't trust the medical professionals, it just gets old hearing that everything is "normal". You're so conditioned to think pain is abnormal, it's hard to trust them when they tell you to wait it out. 

RMLandy

I'm just super curious why C section and not induction?

NLewis1

mrsmartinez16 said:

@Bee112309 & @BMD8181 In his defense, it was more of an answer to a question than a recommendation. I had my husband come with me to the appointment because I'd been having those thigh pains and contractions in the morning of my appointment and when he said I hadn't dilated my husband asked him what our options were. He said we should wait until 41 weeks and that the only other option was to schedule a c-section.I also have this semi irrational fear of something happening to the baby after 40 weeks. I know that is very rarely the case, but it's still scary. From what I see though, there's still a high probability that vaginal delivery is possible so that's definitely reassuring.Not that I trust I don't trust the medical professionals, it just gets old hearing that everything is "normal". You're so conditioned to think pain is abnormal, it's hard to trust them when they tell you to wait it out. 

but it IS normal and you DO just have to wait it out with labor.... 

princessandthegator

@RMLandy The hospital I am delivering at won't allow inductions unless you're 39 weeks (IF you've dilated) or 41 weeks. I don't fully understand either, it's my first time doing all of this...you can see my frustration. 

Tawny87

newbabymakes4 said:

I thought the membrane sweep was painful, yes, but it was just as it happened, not lingering.  But my friends told me that cervix checks were the worst pain they'd ever experienced, and I don't find those uncomfortable.  So I think it depends on the person.

I had my membranes stripped this morning and my dr kept apologizing and I was all its not that bad... I think everyone's threshold is different but for me it wasn't bad.

HeartLikeMine3

With DS I went in to be induced with zero effacement and no dilation. They did cervaquil over night started pitocin and broke my water the next morning I delivered vaginally at 4pm. Very sucessful induction. 

MynaBird

With my first, I was not at all dilated at my 41-week appointment. My water ended up breaking spontaneously at 41w5d and I delivered 25 hours later, a few hours before my scheduled induction would have started.

Boonhilde

I didn't dilate for forever. I was 41 weeks when I went to the hospital for contractions. I was dilated at a TWO! I was in so much pain I couldn't believe it! They only admitted me because I was a week over and three days away from my induction date. Half the day later I was at a 5 so I got an epidural. Hours later and they gave me Pictocin. About an hour later I was at a 9. They prepped me and baby came before the doctor was in the room.