Having contractions but not dialated 38W

sasha_2013 · October 2016

this was my monitor scan today have been feeling contractions since yesterday but since I'm not dialated the hospital sent me home. I'm supposed to have a c-section anyway does dialating even matter when you need a c-section??

Linsbins · October 2016

sasha_2013 said:

this was my monitor scan today have been feeling contractions since yesterday but since I'm not dialated the hospital sent me home. I'm supposed to have a c-section anyway does dialating even matter when you need a c-section??

No. Why would you think you need to be dilated for a cs? Your vagina dilates, and a cs is birth that is not through the vagina.

mrszoess · October 2016

i would suggest talking to your doctor if they haven't explained the difference between a c section and vaginal birth....

SmrBrd2012 · October 2016

I think OPs point was that she's not sure why the hospital sent her home for not being dilated, since she's having a c-sec and contractions. OP- it sounds like even though you are having some contractions, you are not in labor yet but like PP said you should talk to your doc about it.

Kurtni · October 2016

If you're dilated and in labor and having a csection because vaginal birth is unsafe, that would be a big deal. If you're dialating the baby could theoretically move into the birth canal and that would cause problems. But I really doubt they'd send you home if they were concerned about that. You can always call your doctor for better information about why a decision was made.

momof2buggs · October 2016

Kurtni said:

If you're dilated and in labor and having a csection because vaginal birth is unsafe, that would be a big deal. If you're dialating the baby could theoretically move into the birth canal and that would cause problems. But I really doubt they'd send you home if they were concerned about that. You can always call your doctor for better information about why a decision was made.

Exactly. Btw @Linsbins your vagina doesn't dilate. Your cervix does.

tripledaggerWed95976 · October 2016

I'm not a doctor but those don't look like true labor contractions to me. True labor contractions usually come in waves, are timeable (x minutes apart), and will show a pattern (sort of like a "set" of waves in the ocean). Yours don't really have any sort of pattern, and they also don't appear to be getting any stronger so they look much more like Braxton hicks than true labor contractions. I'm guessing (maybe?) they took that into account when they made the decision to send you home based on the fact that you are also not Dialated.
That said, if you are still concerned, I would suggest calling your doctor especially since you are getting a c section. It never hurts to call if you are concerned

SaphireSweetie88 · October 2016

I agree with what PP have said:

If you were having a vaginal birth then yes dialating matters. Since you're having a c-section, dialating doesn't matter since a c-section is not a vaginal birth.

Also, in my opinion, those are not labor contractions (true labor contractions).

If you're still concerned or have questions, please contact your doctor if you haven't already.

msuzannah · October 2016

Just adding in here. No you do not need to be dialated to have a c-section but one of the signs of labor (the biggest sign that it's real) is you are dialating. If you are not dialating most of the time you aren't in really labor. There are cases where women don't dilate but that's more rare. I'm sure they took a lot of things into consideration when deciding you weren't in labor but you can always check with your doctor. Also those look like the BH/contractions that I was having weeks before actually giving birth. You could see them during the NST's but it wasn't actual labor. When I was in labor they were off the chart and were really close together.

Linsbins · October 2016

Thanks @momof2buggs that's what happens when I type on little sleep. Lol.

Having contractions but not dialated 38W

Re: Having contractions but not dialated 38W

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