Have you checked your cervix yet?

[MamaPhilly]

At my homevisit yesterday my MW said she wouldn't be surprised if I already started dilating....at 38 weeks with #2 I was 7 cm that she could "easily stretch to 9".

So last night, out of curiosity, I gave it a check. I'm 36 weeks today and easily 50% effaced and maybe 3-4 cm! Kind of psyched---I know it has no bearing on when I'll have this baby, but at least I have a little less work to do in labor!

[Lisalee2]

I've never had my cervix checked. By myself or my midwife. I don't even think I'd know what to feel for.

[my kidlets and me]

I tried once, and couldn't even reach it. So....no.

[~Demeter~]

Vaginal exams have no bearing on anything... and I find they actually stress me out more than they help me. I stopped checking last week because I was feeling more and more discouraged, I've had lots of prodromal activity with very little cervical change... this happened with my daughter as well and was a key reason I decided to induce at 42 weeks. Zen mamas club thread has an excellent blog/article on cervical checks.

[chambom]

I would have no idea how to check myself and I haven't had my MW check yet.

I want to know...but I decided it would drive me crazy no matter what she said. Now I'm thinking it would be cool to not get checked at all, to just know when it is time instead of her telling me I'm fully dialated.

[WifeofAnt]

DDCC - I checked mine (I'm 34 weeks). Not really sure what to feel for but its really soft. Its not like it matters though. When it has to change, it will. Only two things really have to pass through there, the baby and the placenta. If the baby isn't ready to come out and play then there's no sense in leaving the door open.

[butterflies]

I'm not checking because I don't want to stir up any action down there.

My dr won't do any checks until next week and that one is only because she wants to talk about the drs call schedule. (Since 1 baby is breech she's trying to make sure there's always someone with breech experience who make it there if she's not available....sigh...complicated!)

I really liked that blog posted from the Zen Mamas thread! In fact I started reading through her other articles and they were just as good.

[naturelady]

I check mine from time to time just to see what's going on with my body! My midwife was a bit rough during my first exam weeks ago (initial visit..I refuse them all internal checks from my midwife now..And I'm much more gentle than anyone else would be checking it so if I'm really curious, I'll just do it myself.) I don't do it often and I don't plan on having the midwife check me during labor.. But it's kind of nice to know what's going on from time to time. Not getting my hopes up on anything though. I want him to come when he's ready!

[MamaFern]

nope!

[AZgirl2207]

I tried and couldn't find it! I'm sure it's in there somewhere. Maybe it's just so soft that I couldn't distinguish it? For those of you who are checking, umm...how far inside is it?

(How did I get so clueless?)

[quelindo]

Originally Posted by Lisalee2

I've never had my cervix checked. By myself or my midwife. I don't even think I'd know what to feel for.

Same here!

[naturelady]

I'm no cervix expert but I guess it's easier to find you were checking it before you got prego! I'm sure there's some good info online on how to check your cervix if you really wanted to figure it out. Right now, my cervix is pretty far up in there..much harder to reach than it was pre-prego. I usually have to get in a squatting position or something funky to make it easier to find. (sorry if tmi..) It's also been towards the back but slowly migrating forward over the past two weeks if that makes any sense, lol. I'm about 2-3 cm dilated but it's been that way for a while. Who knows when this baby will come?

[kittywitty]

Wow. Mine dropped down a lot lower! I'd say at least 2cm and 80% effaced. Guess all those horrible pains I had while grocery shopping helped!

[sewcool]

I've checked mine a few times the first time loosened my plug eek the Dr. checked the next day and told me i was 2 cm and 70% so i knew then what that felt like a few days ago i check and i think I'm at 3 now but it really means nothing since i was 2 over a week ago. and with my first pregnancy i was 2 for just 2 days and then i was in labor. sooooo i stopped checking


anyone know if slightly stretching it does anything or helps at all?

[HeatherB]

I definitely think it's easier to check if you've done it pre-pregnancy. I was used to it when checking for fertility or using a menstrual cup, etc. It definitely feels different now, though! Apparently throughout pregnancy the cervix is very soft. The os (opening) will feel sort of like puckered lips with that little indent in the center. For a primip, it won't be open at all to start with. For a multip, it'll be open a bit all the time. For me, I've been able to "observe" it opening over the last couple of months (has it been that long? gee, I have no idea!).

I decline checks from my MW prelabor and will have minimal checks (if at all) in labor. But, I find it encouraging (most of the time ) and much more comfortable (i.e., not uncomfortable at all) to check myself. I'm especially curious this time around as in my last labor I went from my "normal" labor pattern, more or less, to a super-speedy labor that surprised us all. I'm not sure if I should expect something long and slow again, or something short and fast, or maybe in the middle? So while it's no guarantee at all of anything, knowing I'm nearly as far dilated NOW as I have been a day or two into labor with my last two gives us at least a hint that this will go faster.

Though no one could've predicted when my water broke last time and I was at 6cm that I'd be holding him 17 minutes later. There really is never anyway to know what will happen... But it's interesting to make observations, anyway.