Checking your own cervix?

[lexbeach]

Our midwife does not do internal checks (though I suppose maybe she would if we wanted her to), so we don't know any "official" stats. re: dw's effacement/dilation/what have you. And we totally understand that these stats. wouldn't really mean anything re: the timing of the labor/birth. Dw just hit 38 weeks yesterday, and we are not expecting this baby to come until 41-42 weeks. But we are curious, and so I did try to check out what was going on with dw's cervix myself, untrained non-professional that I am.

And I'm not sure that I can find her cervix?

Everything feels very soft and mushy, aside from the baby's head, which is RIGHT THERE (this baby has definitely dropped sometime in the last week since dw went from measuring 37 cm at 36 weeks to measuring 35 cm at 38 weeks, and the midwife said she feels the baby's shoulders right above the pubic bone). Could it be that the cervix is just so posterior still that I can't reach it? Or is the cervix just really mushy at this point and it would take a trained professional to know what was what?

Have you or your dp checked out your cervix? What does it feel like?

Any tips for how I can find dw's?

Lex

[channelofpeace]

I have tried to check my own cervix, because well, I think it is interesting I have pretty short fingers, and I can barely reach it. It is still quite high and posterior, even though it is effacing and dialating a bit. So yeah, you could be have trouble finding it just because it might be so posterior at this point.

[Voltige]

I've only been able to reach mine once or twice in the past couple of weeks. Usually it's very posterior and VERY soft and mushy I think you would know what you were feeling, if you could find it. I just can't most of the time. The couple of times I've been able to reach it have been when I've jumped in the shower right after using the toilet (uh, after a BM). Maybe try that next time?

[JamieCatheryn]

Definitely check way to the back to search for it very posterior, and she should be squatting to bring it more within reach or, if you are checking, then having her flex her legs as if squatting but while on her back may help.

[jenneology]

I don't know about checking someone else's cervix, but when I check my own I find its easiest to check by standing with one foot on the toilet or bed while trying to find it.

Before labor started, I'm pretty sure I felt my cervix at 2 cm dilated about 2 weeks before the birth. It felt kind of like the ribbing on the neck of a crewneck T-shirt.

In labor, the first time I checked I felt baby's head and I think might have been fully dilated at the time. Next time I checked, baby's head was 2 inches from crowning (so I know at that point, complete dilation had occurred!)

But I wasn't putting much into figuring it out and accuracy because it didn't matter that much to me.

[lachingona1]

I have been checking my cervix lately and just within the last few days it has moved down enough where I can finally feel it. It is very mushy, a bit posterior, and just like Jenneology said, it feels exactly like the ribbing on a crew neck t shirt. That is a perfect way to describe it. I can also stick two fingers in it.

[Maggirayne]

It isn't easy!

Originally Posted by jenneology

I don't know about checking someone else's cervix, but when I check my own I find its easiest to check by standing with one foot on the toilet or bed while trying to find it.

But I wasn't putting much into figuring it out and accuracy because it didn't matter that much to me.

Yeah, I squat slightly in the shower. I have checked a few time, just watched my hands well before. I've been a little paranoid about accidentally stripping the membranes, so haven't tried to feel if I can get fingers in the os. Which actually I can only reach it with one finger, lol! It feels like the shape of pursed lips, but very very soft. I was wondering what dialating would feel like. Mostly I feel to see if the head has dropped.

[lexbeach]

Thanks everyone!

I found it when I checked again today; it was right there (not posterior), but I think it was just hard to know what I was feeling without knowing what it was supposed to feel like. Not really dilated at all, but a small indent where the os is, and very, very soft, and pretty short (which is nice to know since my cervix was still "long, hard, and closed" at 40 weeks last time).

Thank you all for your help!

Lex