anyone go into labor with no dilation or effacement?

ericamanuela

I know of one woman in my office who had zero dilation and no effacement and went into labor a few days later. Has this happened to anyone else or was did everyone have some type of progress before they went into active labor? I'm a little over 38 weeks and have zero progress and although I have about another week and a half I'm concerned that I'll have to be induced since I haven't made any progress.

Davesgrl2011

Many OB's don't check for progress b/c it really has nothing to do with when you will go into labor.  Your friend may have suddenly jumped from no progress to a lot of progress in just a few hours, and that was why she went into labor.  You may be closed up tight, and in two hours you may be 5cm dilated, but you wouldn't know it.  My sister is a perfect example of this- she went to the OB and was still high and tight with maybe a fingertip dilation.  That night she had some intense BH contractions, so she took a warm bath and took a tylonal PM and went to bed.  She woke up a few hours later in active labor and was pushing in the car on the way to the hospital.  She made it, but with only moments to spare. 

My other sister walked around 5cm dilated for a week and a half. 

So don't worry if you are not "progressing" b/c all you need is for that chemical to kick in in your brain and who knows?  That could be tonight or two weeks! 

octwed07

As pp have said, along with many others, progress sometimes doesn't mean much.  With DD, i was checked at my 36th week appt and was a fingertip dilated -- i was that way for 3 weeks and gave birth 3 days before my EDD.  So having no progress now may not mean anything.  Hang in there -- i know the wait and not knowing can be nerve wrecking!  

SummerMama12

Yep.  With DS, I was maybe a fingertip to a centimeter dilated, not effaced, and my water broke. You just never know. 

rebbieW

I've NEVER had progress before going into labor...was always "soft", but closed and posterior. My babies have come at 8, 10 and 8 days overdue respectively and I don't expect this one to be any different. Due June 25th and no sign of dilation or effacement.

superherostocker

I saw my doctor the day before ds was born and no progress. I went to the hospital the next morning and I was already 5cm. It took me 45 min to get to 10cm. I was in labor 3.5 hours, no previous dilation or effacement what so ever.

Aimlc1281

With DS1, I had 0 progress on Monday.  My water broke on its own Wednesday night.  When I got to the hospital, I was dilated 3 cm.  Good luck!

piedpiper07

I had zero progress.. My cervix was so high the dr could barely get to it and I went into labor the next day. 

ericamanuela

So it seems like nothing is black and white. I wonder why we even want to know this information because it doesn't mean anything. It's such a guessing game. I guess the only thing that means something to me personally is that I'm at station -1 now so that explains why I'm feeling so much discomfort.

Capt Jen

My doctor told me they check this beforehand as a reference for when you go to the hospital.  If you are dialated before you go to the hospital, they'll know whether it was how you've been walking around or if it's progress.  Makes sense to me.