Two Qs about the onset of labor

[s_gosney]

Hi all! So I know that anything to do with labor and delivery is hugely YMMV, but I have 2 things I'm wondering about and wanted to see if anyone here knows any info.

1. I read in my babycenter email (obviously not the most reliable source) that with births after the first one that the baby typically does not drop until the delivery is imminent. At first I was ticked because I wanted this baby out of my ribs, but now he's dropped and I'm freaking out. Any experience/info?

2. Is there any evidence to support or negate the idea that internal exams at the weekly exams may prompt labor?

I ask these questions because I'm due in 3.5 weeks, and I have a final a week from Monday that I would really like to have behind me before the baby arrives and I'm trying to decide if I should try to move it up. I have an OB appointment on Thurs and will obviously ask her then, but thought I'd ask here for now.

Thanks!

Sherri
dd 10/03
ds edd 05/08

[SnuggleBuggles]

Hi all! So I know that anything to do with labor and delivery is hugely YMMV, but I have 2 things I'm wondering about and wanted to see if anyone here knows any info.

1. I read in my babycenter email (obviously not the most reliable source) that with births after the first one that the baby typically does not drop until the delivery is imminent. At first I was ticked because I wanted this baby out of my ribs, but now he's dropped and I'm freaking out. Any experience/info?

Yes, with 2nd+ babies dropping doesn't usually happen till mom is in labor. Remember baby can be lower but not officially "dropped" too for a while. Like rather than floating at a -5 baby could be a -2. Still not engaged but you could experience some relief. I wouldn't say that if baby drops labor is imminent though. No prelabor sign is that good a predictor.



2. Is there any evidence to support or negate the idea that internal exams at the weekly exams may prompt labor?

I don't think that is the case. Maybe weekly membrane stripping. Since some Dr.s and mws do this w/o your consent or permission it's always a good idea to discuss what they plan to do in there and why. Internals are not at all necessary so if you don't want one just decline. They up the risk of infection plus stats are bad predictors of when labor will happen.


The when is always a mystery but I think you'll be ok w/ a final next week. If you'd feel better about it though it wouldn't hurt to move it up. Not that this is a good predictor either but when was dd born wrt EDD?

Beth

[megs4413]

1. this is not my experience. DS dropped REALLY early, i did go into PTL, but it petered out with bed rest at 31 weeks. he stayed low until we made him come out (induction) at 38 4/7 wks.

2. i don't know about evidence, but internal exams really aren't necessary, so if you just want to decline it, just say "no thanks." i think there probably are some instances where an exam gets things going a bit or what have you...there are probably also instances, in which, no amount of internals makes a bit of difference.

if you can move the final up and still do well on it, i would do it just for peace of mind. HTH!

[s_gosney]

Thanks, Beth and Megs for your responses!


Like rather than floating at a -5 baby could be a -2. Still not engaged but you could experience some relief. I wouldn't say that if baby drops labor is imminent though. No prelabor sign is that good a predictor.


Hmm...well, unfortunately it's not quite the "relief" I was expecting. I've got some serious pressure going on in my lower belly, though that's better than it being "down there". I've had gooey discharge, but nothing like what losing my plug with dd was like, although that didn't happen until I got to the hospital with her. I've definitely had more BH contx this go-round, but nothing regular.


Internals are not at all necessary so if you don't want one just decline. They up the risk of infection plus stats are bad predictors of when labor will happen.


I'm torn on this. On one hand I'd like to have the internal just to have that info to further guide my decision (although they are unreliable as you say so maybe that negates that point), but then I don't want to hurry anything along either.


The when is always a mystery but I think you'll be ok w/ a final next week. If you'd feel better about it though it wouldn't hurt to move it up. Not that this is a good predictor either but when was dd born wrt EDD?


Well, dd was born 2 days past edd. And beyond that she was born *fast*. I was at the hospital for less than 4 hours before she was born, so I'm kind of worried about having a baby on the side of the freeway too. That's on my list to talk more with the OB about too. Oh and the final is not next week, it's May 5, so a week and a half, exactly 2 weeks before my edd. I'm sure I should just calm down. Worrying about it can't be doing anyone any good, but of course that's much easier said than done. :)

Thanks again!

Sherri
dd 10/03
ds edd 05/08

[american_mama]

I never particularly felt any of my kids drop, although with DS (#3, born last week) I did feel a need to pee more towards the end that I think was related to his position. (Of course, I was peeing all the time anyway, but there was an even more feeling that I had towards the end, and two or three people told me with this pregnancy that I looked like I had dropped, which no one ever said before.) My midwife said the same thing as other posters, that after the first one, baby's head doesn't have to engage until labor starts and even if they are low at one point, they can rebound back up another day.

2. Is there any evidence to support or negate the idea that internal exams at the weekly exams may prompt labor?

I have to believe they don't prompt labor or else there would be a whole lot more early babies, since many ob's do them regularly starting in the 36th or 38th week. I did them with my midwife with DD1 and was encouraged by my "progress," which I now see as just luck. I had one exam with DD2 and the news was discouraging, so I immediately started envisioning a long and difficult labor because I hadn't started dilating in my 38th week. I realize that it was becoming a negative thing and declined all other exams in that pregnancy and in this one.

[brittone2]

I never felt either DC drop all that much. With DS, I distinctly remember a pack of older women at the grocery store telling me there was no way I was going into labor soon because I was carrying "so high" still. I went into labor the next morning ;)

With DS, I was 2-3 cm for 3 weeks (and 75-80 percent effaced), so dilation was not a good indicator in my case of labor being imminent. I was 3 cm for at least 2 weeks IIRC and he was low...like -1 or so?. I had a ton of contractions with him in the weeks leading up to labor, and they actually calmed down the week prior to going into labor. I never had diarrhea, and no loss of mucus plug or bloody show until *in* labor (same with DD).

With DD, I didn't do any exams but did agree to one once I hit 40 weeks. No major dilation (maybe a fingertip if I remember right) at that point. We planned out how we would handle things over the next 2-3 weeks (additional US to check fluid levels, etc.) in case I didn't go into labor. I went into labor the following night and DD was born (barely) 2 days after that exam. So again, (lack of) dilation wasn't really predictive with her.

DS was a 6 hour labor from water breaking to fully delivered. With DD I was in labor for about 3 hours, and was 10 cm without being certain it was active labor. My water didn't break until the very end with her, so I just hung out and waited to feel pushy at the birth center.

In my case, I had early dilation/effacement that didn't mean birth was imminent, and then I had almost no dilation and had a baby one day and a few hours later. It is so hard to wait and not know, but I'm not sure that an exam will tell you much at all, and as a PP mentioned, it increases the risk of infection, etc.