self-check of cervix (tmi?)

tropicalmama

So my natural birth teacher mentioned that we could check our cervixes which I used to do when I was charting, but hadn't really thought to do during pregnancy.

So I did - and I seem to be diated and slightly effaced.  I don't know how to really check that and didn't really want to mess with things too much, but it's definitely not like the end of my nose!  More like a donut with a squishy center?  I'm not having contractions (well, lots of BH, but nothing strong or timeable), but I feel kind of silly calling my midwife to say that I checked myself.  ugh. 

This is not a "do I call?" post - it's a "anyone else had this happen" post?  I'm  only 31 weeks.

Thanks

tropicalmama

Kept looking for info and found this - guess the answer is not to worry!

https://www.givingbirthnaturally.com/cervix-dilation.html

LindseyJW

i checked my own during my second pregnancy. i had to stop because i was worrying myself too much! mine was also soft and squishy and appeared slightly dilated the first time i checked, at 27 weeks. my MW said that some women who have already dilated (as in they have already given birth) may have a cervix that presents that way during pregnancy. DD didn't come until 42 weeks and both pregnancy and labor were complication-free.

Texas77again

for women that have birthed before (also including m/c's, some cervical surgeries) the cervix will feel like a donut.  for those that are pg for the first time, their's will feel like a smiley face or frowning face. 

it is normal for it to be softer in pg and for the opening, also known as the os, to be open slightly.  there is such a thing as an internal os and an external os.  it is possible for the external to be open and the internal to be closed.  it is also common for you to be effaced at this point in a pg especially if this is not your first baby.

i would def talk to your mw about it and maybe even have her check you to confirm what you are feeling.  i am a fan of women checking themselves if they are comfortable with it.  i have even taught labor partners how to do it when i had a client that lived far away or in a rural area. 

WannaBeCrunchyMama

Texas77again:

for women that have birthed before (also including m/c's, some cervical surgeries) the cervix will feel like a donut.  for those that are pg for the first time, their's will feel like a smiley face or frowning face. 

it is normal for it to be softer in pg and for the opening, also known as the os, to be open slightly.  there is such a thing as an internal os and an external os.  it is possible for the external to be open and the internal to be closed.  it is also common for you to be effaced at this point in a pg especially if this is not your first baby.

i would def talk to your mw about it and maybe even have her check you to confirm what you are feeling.  i am a fan of women checking themselves if they are comfortable with it.  i have even taught labor partners how to do it when i had a client that lived far away or in a rural area. 

I'm interested in learning a little about checking ourselves. I thought it might be a good idea to have DH know about it so that we could avoid going to the hospital too early or something. Do you have any advice? He doesn't need to be a pro, more of a glance in there and see if anything has even happened yet kind of thing? Is this completely idiotic? 

 

Texas77again

the key is really just doing it often to feel the differences.  when i was in school i was able to check a lot of different cervixes and at different stages of pg and labor.  well, your dh won't get to do that...lol.  so he'll have to feel yours as much as you guys are comfortable with.  it is pretty easy to feel.  he would obviously wash his hands first and he would not check you if your water has broken. 

with that said, it's easy to locate the cervix, the vagina is a closed system and the cervix is the dead end.  once he has found it he can try to determine how open or dilated it is.  it is best to use a lube of some kind to make it more comfortable for you.  sex lube, olive oil, epo...all will work.

there are dilation charts on the internet that you can print out that are actual size.  of course during pg you would expect the cervix to be closed or what is called a fingertip, literally when the fingertip will fit inside the opening of the cervix. 

i would not get too caught up in effacement.  that measurement is a lot harder to determine and doesn't offer a lot of information. 

if during labor he tries to check and he can't find your cervix, usually that means that it is really far posterior and is usually a sign of early labor.  as your labor progresses your cervix will "move" more to the front and will be easier and easier to reach and assess.  one thing you can do if he is having difficulities is to make two fists and put your fists under your butt, this raises your pelvis and makes it easier to feel the cervix. 

you can take the internet print off, or make your own chart by drawing 10 circles with diameters ranging from 1cm to 10cms.  this way once he feels how open your cervix is he can then compare it to the circles on the page to see approx how far dilated you are. 

geez, this is so much easier to explain in person!  i hope i am making sense.  also at the clinic i had a dilation chart to show people and that helped for it to make sense as well. 

please ask me any questions or for clarification if i rambled. 

 

WannaBeCrunchyMama

That made sense. It basically seems like common sense, I just wanted someone to tell me who actually knew what they were doing.

So I don't know if this makes sense, but should he be actually touching my cervix? feeling the inside/how wide it is in relationship to his finger?

This is way TMI haha. It just seems to me, I would rather have DH check me and guess how dilated I am BEFORE we go to the hospital and have someone I don't know check me just to tell me I'm only 3 cm or something. 

Texas77again

yes, he's going to touch your cervix and stick his finger in the hole in the middle.  it's kinda like sticking your finger in the middle of a donut, that size opening is about 3 cms, give or take. 

in the beginning of labor he wont really be able to put a finger or two in the cervix because it won't be open enough.  he should start all exams by inserting two fingers into your vagina, then once the cervix is open enough he'll be able to put both fingers in and spread them open until both fingers are touching sides of the cervix. 

here's an example of the chart.  the number refers to how many centimeters the diameter is for each circle. 

here's what a cervix looks like when it's closed.  the last one is a real cervix. that little hole in the center is what will open to 10 cms when you are fully dilated.

 

hope that helps! 

desmerelda317

Can I just say that I'm seriously impressed anybody has the capability of checking their cervix in the 3rd trimester.  How can you manage that?  I had to do my own swab for the strep-B test and maneuvering around my belly was nearly impossible at that stage.  I felt like a circus acrobat trying to get that swab to make contact my skin lol.

WannaBeCrunchyMama

Thank you so much! I talked to my doula about this tonight and she said that for her last birth her midwife actually taught her husband how to strip her membranes

(she was 42 weeks and considering an induction)

So I guess I wasn't crazy/alone in considering this!

I know he won't be able to tell exactly because he doesn't have any medical training, but it would be really nice to have some kind of idea about what's going on down there PRIOR to packing up and heading to the hospital. Not to mention that I'd rather have DH's hands up there than some nurse I don't know.

 

also, I have family in the medical field so I think I am going to ask them for a bunch of sterile gloves to help minimize the infection factor.