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3rd Trimester
I'd like to think we all ask dumb things?!
So I had my second internal today - last one I was 80% and a 3, today I am totally thinned and a 4... I know I can be a 4 for the next million years, BUT.... I'm not sure how to word this quite right.... Anyways, so can a woman be dilated to a certain number, but still NOT be in labor? Is there a certain number where she would be in labor?.... I am a 4, but not in labor - no contractions, or anything, etc., I doubt someone would be a 9 and not in active labor, but what about a 5 or 6 or 7 and not in labor? Silly, but is there a point to where your body is so dilated, you have to start with contractions and all that? I'm rambling, but you get the point.... right? Anyone?
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Re: I'd like to think we all ask dumb things?!
i think a 5 is considered active labor??? could be wrong
I knew a girl who had no idea she was having contractions, she felt some discomfort, but she could talk, walk and everything. when she got the hospital, they were like "you're in labor! it's baby time!" -- she really had no idea
I just came here to ask this. I was due yesterday and I haven't had an internal in about two weeks. I wasn't dilated at all. I haven't had ANY contractions. Some mild discomfort but it never lasts too long. I have another doctors appointment on Friday and I'm wondering if I'm going to be completely closed. I know a few people who are due the same DAY I am, all dilated and having contractions, one with her baby already!
Is this a sure-fire reason to think I'm going to be really late?
I don't know at all if it is certain that you'll be late, but I was in the same boat with my first, and at my 40 week appointment, since I hadn't progressed at all toward labor, we scheduled an induction for the first day of week 41. I still was not dilated much at all, and having no contractions, and water bag intact on the morning of my induction. I didn't deliver until almost 23 hours after we arrived at the hospital for the induction.
I am kind of nervous about this one, because I really have no idea what active labor feels like, and am afraid I am going to look & act like a complete fool if he is completely different and "ready" early or on time.
All of this for me too!
My water broke with DS, but nothing ever happened. I had never even had a single BH contraction before I got pitocin. I have no idea what a natural contraction feels like or if my body will even do it.
It's not dumb if you don't have the answer someone else does. I can totally relate. With DD1 my water broke, no contractions nothing!! With DD2, I'm not even having any BH!! I don't know what a contraction really feels like cause I was given the pitocin and the epidural and within the hr I had her!! I feel like a FTM with all the possible labor signs, what if I don't recognize them and I live almost an hr away from my hospital!!
See, this is why I haven't decided on whether to agree to cervical checks - not because I'm worried about infection, but because it seems like dilation and effacement alone mean nothing. Two of my good friends had opposite experiences. For one, the doctor said, "Any day now!", but she finally had a c-section three weeks later. For another, the doctor said, "See you next week!", but she had her baby by noon the next day. Same doctor! So there is just no telling.
That said, Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn claims active labor begins at 5cm. Not sure how they know that, but that's what it says.
As long as the baby is doing well and you are too, there isn't a reason to be afraid. Fingers crossed that this means you will not experience birth as painful or at least as painful as some.
There are medical journals from the late 1800's of women who wake up in bed to a baby crying. They not only did not feel contractions but were not even woke up by birthing their baby.