Is it possible to not dilate at all...like my cervex just won't??

[Amr1324]

I am 39 weeks and 4 days...I went to my doctors appointment today and i haven't even begun dilating. My due dates on the 17th, which is sunday and my next appointment is on the 20th...my doctor says that i most likely will have to be induced then. I feel like im going to be pregnant forever and I don't want to wait another week...im ready now!!! Is it possible that I can't dilate...like somethings wrong with me cause I think atleast at this point I should be somewhat dilated!!!!HELP!!!

[MaerynPearl]

if this is your first (and it quite sounds like it is) it is 100% completely NORMAL to not begin to dilate until labor starts.

And yet, you could still go from 0 to 10 in a matter of hours.

[me&3]

I'm sure you're ready! But it looks like your baby isn't yet. No worries, though. You're not anywhere near "late" yet...

[Triciabn]

You don't have to answer these...just ask yourself....
What are you doing to prime the pump...so to speak,lol.
Sex?
Evening Primrose Oil?
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea?
Sex?
Sitting on a birth/excercise ball?
Nipple Stim?
Nip Stim and sex?

IS the baby in a good postion?
Do other lady's in your fam go early? late? on time?

You could just sit around and wait to be induced...or you could proactivly try and do something to help dilate. Do what you feel is best for you.
Tricia

[at_the_hip]

I go approx. a week over, give or take. And generally I dilate very little beforehand. With my first, she was born 9 days late...and just the day before I had a posterior, closed cervix. I dilate just fine...just happen to be one of those women whose prodomal contractions don't do as much as I'd like...LOL

[ivymae]

First pregnancies normally go to 41 weeks, and inducing any earlier will just make labor much harder on you and baby. Also, it is completely normal not to be dilated in the least before labor (I went from 0-10 in 8 hours, with the majority of that happening gin the last two).

[chattyprincess]

Start walking as much as you can! The thing that put me into labor was a REALLY bumpy car ride.

[Oceanone]

I am 40 + 4 and still no action here either. However, once labour does start, that's when it happens for me. Don't be discouraged by no early dilation. Some women can sit at 4 for weeks or more and still not have their babies anytime soon. No way would I give up and resign myself to being induced (even at my stage). There is still every chance it will happen naturally when the right time comes! I agree with the walking and being proactive advice. If nothing else you would have done what you could.

[Plummeting]

That's totally normal and your doctor is a liar if he or she is saying you will "need" to be induced on the 20th, barring any unusual complications. Going a week or two past your due date is not a reason to be induced, and going 3 days past is definitely not a reason to be induced. The majority of first time pregnancies last longer than 40 weeks, if mom isn't induced before then. If there is something wrong with you or the baby that makes it unsafe for the baby to remain in there, that is a reason to induce. Baby being 3 days past some estimated time of when most babies are born is not. For one thing, you can't be certain exactly when you conceived (sperm can live for several days and unless you were tracking, you don't know when you ovulated). For another, some women just take longer than 40 weeks to grow a baby. 40 weeks is an average, which means that about half of women will be a little before and about half will be a little after. Both are normal. If you don't want to be induced, don't. It's your body, your pregnancy and your baby. No one can make you do it. If you do want to, that's a different story entirely. Just don't let a doctor talk to you into it based on some estimated time of when the average baby will be born. It's just an estimate.

My daughter was born about 24 hours after my prenatal appt, at which I was informed baby's head was not engaged, my cervix was not effaced and I was not dilated. About 12 hours later my water broke. About 7 hours after that contractions started without requiring induction.

[DeChRi]

Totally normal! With my first I had Dr appt at 40w3d and was 0cm dialated and 0% effaced. I went into labor the next morning and DD was born by that afternoon.

[Tulafina]

Originally Posted by Plummeting

That's totally normal and your doctor is a liar if he or she is saying you will "need" to be induced on the 20th, barring any unusual complications. Going a week or two past your due date is not a reason to be induced, and going 3 days past is definitely not a reason to be induced. The majority of first time pregnancies last longer than 40 weeks, if mom isn't induced before then. If there is something wrong with you or the baby that makes it unsafe for the baby to remain in there, that is a reason to induce. Baby being 3 days past some estimated time of when most babies are born is not. For one thing, you can't be certain exactly when you conceived (sperm can live for several days and unless you were tracking, you don't know when you ovulated). For another, some women just take longer than 40 weeks to grow a baby. 40 weeks is an average, which means that about half of women will be a little before and about half will be a little after. Both are normal. If you don't want to be induced, don't. It's your body, your pregnancy and your baby. No one can make you do it. If you do want to, that's a different story entirely. Just don't let a doctor talk to you into it based on some estimated time of when the average baby will be born. It's just an estimate.

My daughter was born about 24 hours after my prenatal appt, at which I was informed baby's head was not engaged, my cervix was not effaced and I was not dilated. About 12 hours later my water broke. About 7 hours after that contractions started without requiring induction.

I had zero dilation, had a med/hard cervix, and it was slightly posterior with 20% effacement. That was 9 days past my EDD....

I had him(my first baby) the next day after beginning labour at 4:30am....he was born by lunch. I am so happy that I did not agree to the induction they were pushing on me. I would not have had the birth experience that I was hoping for.

[mntnmom]

The average first baby (without induction) is actually born a little past 41 weeks! As long as baby's heart is strong there is no reason to induce for post dates!! I have never heard of a woman who just never dilated.
You can find lots of good info here, but agreeing to an induction before your body is ready is great way to end up with a C-section! If you're hoping for a more natural birth, don't let him induce you.
My 3rd babe was born at 41wks, my 4th at 42. Waiting really sucks, but I let them induce me with #2, and it was awful!!

[coltynsmom]

please please don't rush it. i was 2 weeks late with NO dialation and my doc insisted on induction. i ended up with a c section because my body was just not ready. please just give your babe the time he/she needs you will be glad you did.

[laohaire]

Please research induction before you consent to it. Don't consent to it until you've reserached it and feel comfortable with that choice. Informed consent.

Personally I would NOT consent to it based on the facts that you've shared. Saying no is not always easy, there will be a lot of pressure. You should understand the reasons behind the pressure before making your choice. Those reasons aren't what they may seem to be.

[gcgirl]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

if this is your first (and it quite sounds like it is) it is 100% completely NORMAL to not begin to dilate until labor starts.

And yet, you could still go from 0 to 10 in a matter of hours.

Totally normal. I was actually at 3 cm when I checked in for induction (my choice, long story), then I went from 4cm to complete in 30 MINUTES! Even if you're not dilated at all yet, it could go FAST.

[BlackSheepPDX]

Pshaw. The average is 8 days past "40 weeks" (without interventions) for first time moms. I went to 41w5d, and had a 7 hour labor, start to finish. At 39w4d, you can bet I wouldn't have been dilating yet either. Plus, my DD wasn't "overcooked" at all, and there's a good chance she was ACTUALLY right on time, as I had an early US THIS time and was 1w4d earlier than LMP predicted...hmmmm. Our body isn't an alarm clock, and the turkey timer doesn't pop at exactly the same time for everyone.

I had an NST at 41w to allay any fears about continuing to wait, but as everyone has said, there is no good reason that a pregnancy showing no complications should be induced, and certainly not at only 3 days past "due." Stand your ground, trust your body.

[itsajenism]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

if this is your first (and it quite sounds like it is) it is 100% completely NORMAL to not begin to dilate until labor starts.

And yet, you could still go from 0 to 10 in a matter of hours.

With my first, I didn't dilate at all until I went into labor, and then went from 0-10 in 5.5 hours.

[MaerynPearl]

my son I was induced at 4 days past 40 weeks, but not due to being over... due to tests showing that he may be in distress... and after having a placental abruption at 17 weeks... I was not going to risk keeping him in there and then losing him due to it. Never found out whether or not anything was wrong, but I do not regret my decision to induce under those circumstances.

however, I would personally never induce unless under similar circumstances where the baby may actually be at risk. It makes it so much more painful and does put you at an increased risk of many things happening. Its really only worth doing when the benefits outweigh the risk. And getting your baby here a week earlier is not a benefit.

[RedOakMomma]

Don't induce. With first-time moms, it's really highly correlated with c-section.

I was facing an induction "deadline" with my doctor in my first pregnancy and he said I could go an extra week if I came in for fetal monitoring twice that week. I did, and I also WALKED LIKE CRAZY. Miles and miles. Up big, big hills.

I ended up going into labor the day before that extra week was up.

(Another thing that helped, and I should mention, was mentally letting go a little. I was so wound up and stressed about the birth, and the deadlines, that I think my body was holding me like a vice. I had to have several calm, quiet conversations with myself and the babies about my fears, my stress, and my worries about labor before I was able to let go and trust my body.)

[umsami]

If they are talking induction, you should familiarize yourself with the term Bishop's Score...and ask for yours! http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/preg...icles/173.html Look at the correlation between scores and c-section rates.

WIth my first, I needed to be induced due to gestational diabetes...and wasn't dilating. I ended up going to an acupuncturist... and it made all the difference in the World. Give it a try.

There are also accupressure points you can try. http://pregnancychildbirth.suite101....o_induce_labor