Effacement and dilation question

[SnuggleBuggles]

All it means is how far you have to go when labor starts. And even then it can't tell how long your labor will be. For example, you could be 4cm for weeks but still have a slow to average length labor. Or you could be 1cm and have a super fast labor.

I didn't ask for any checks with ds2 and it was great!!! It was so nice not to be obsessing about a meaningless stat ( because even though I knew the stat didn't mean anything logically I am sure I would be reading too much into things). Now that you have a baseline I highly recommend skipping further internals, at least for a few weeks. You'll minimize the chance of infection and maybe have less stress.

Btw, I had been 1-2cm, 70-80%, -1 from 38-41w5d with ds1. I had one check at 41w3d w/ ds2 and I was 1cm and 25%. I was in labor 3 hours later (membranes had been stripped). I have a feeling that if they had told me that 1cm, 25% stat sooner I would have been upset. Glad I didn't know!

Beth

Beth

[MamaMolly]

Ha ha, I appreciate the advice. I wasn't nearly so stressed about the timing until yesterday. Now I'm stressed that she'll do something like flip back over before I go into labor. Stay, baby, stay!

Try not to worry about her moving. If she does, she can always move back!

And FWIW I have to agree about the misery aspect. I remember walking through the Target parking lot with DD on Friday (at 36 weeks) and thinking that I didn't know how I could make it another 4 weeks, much less to the door of Target. I went into labor that Saturday night, had her Sunday afternoon.

They come when they come, try to rest as much as you can, it will be over before you know it!

[jgenie]

I was 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced at my last ob appt - no BH - I delivered 11 hours later! Make sure your bag is packed and your cell phone is fully charged every night!!

[sariana]

I agree with PPs that it doesn't mean much. I was 50% effaced at 24 weeks with DD (baby #2). Since DS had arrived at 32 weeks, I was put on bed rest at 24 with #2. I made it to almost 36 weeks, so I was 50% effaced for almost 12 weeks.

Most babies stay head down. Some do not, and get born healthy anyway. So don't worry; just prepare to fall in love with your little one.

[Momof3Labs]

For the positioning, check out spinningbabies.com. Since she's already in a good position, try to avoid sitting back in a reclining position. Sit leaning forward, lay on your left side, get down on your hands and knees and wash the baseboards, that kind of stuff.

[caheinz]

It doesn't mean a thing.

My OB for the twins actually didn't do cervical exams once I was past the risk of pre-term labor. When I asked why, he explained that it wouldn't change anything -- nothing he saw could inform him in any way about what we should do.

He also explained that he had seen enough faces of women he had examined in late pregnancy that it really wasn't worth doing them anymore!