Cervix checkers: what's up?

[littleteapot]

This is a good idea that I blatantly stole from the May DDC. :)

For those of us who are tuned in to whats going on with our bodies and our cervices, have you checked lately? Any changes or prep? Any advice for those who are curious to check their own and haven't done it yet?

Mine has been soft, low and about 1-2cm dilated all the way through for at least 3 weeks now... but last week after baby dropped it shifted WAY back and I couldn't reach it again until today! I still can't get a finger in, but I can sort of feel it so I know there's no change. The one major difference is the baby's head is so far down that it's like there's a giant rock sticking into my vaginal canal. My last baby was still bouncing even an hour before his birth and didn't engage until 3 minutes before he was born!! This one is FIRMLY down and engaged. I can't move her head at all... it's stuck hard!  I haven't had a baby this "ready" in the typical textbook sense since my first, and my first was an overdue 44 hour labour. ;) Here's hoping that she'll be more like her brothers, who were born in 2.5 and 3 hours respectively.

[amaayeh]

I checked the other day and am soft and slightly open, but baby is still way up there and not engaged at all.  In fact, baby is oblique most of the time, although does go head down some.  I think this time will probably be like the last two in that I walk around at 4 cm from at least 35 weeks on, but I've never had one early. 

Littleteapot - What you are describing was my daughter last time.  My cervix was so high the midwife couldn't even reach it at 41 weeks.  Nothing like walking around with a head about to fall out!

[tracymom1]

Yep - still too high to really reach, too. If I stretch and contort myself I can kind of feel it, and it is soft but closed. I am only 31 weeks, though, so I know it will be a few weeks before I get any changes. From about 34 weeks on last time I was 1-2 cem dilated until I went into labor so I will start checking every week around then.

This babe is nowhere near engaged - still free floating in there!

[Momsteader]

I am fingertip open and really soft. I can feel baby's head, but it's not firmly wedged in there or anything. I've not gone early (except once when I was induced for a problem) but always dilate a lot ahead of time which has generally led to nice short labors. Twins I was 5 cm for 10 days up to almost 39w and the doc kept asking how they didn't just fall out! Hoping this babe follows the same pattern of nice dilation before actual labor and then a short labor.

[BHappy]

ok, i am really new at this.

firstly, i couldn't even reach my cervix when i tried to check it.

and, oh, on the inside back wall of my yoni i could feel a really hard ridge, like something bone-like behind the yoni wall, not very high up either. it didn't feel like a rounded head, but still very hard. i can only describe it as a ridge.

any ideas what that is?

xo

[littleteapot]

Could it be your sacrum?

[BHappy]

Originally Posted by littleteapot 

Could it be your sacrum?

hmm. i guess it could be, if things have shifted around. i never felt it before, or at least i didn't notice it... hehe

[fertilemyrtle]

I've been curious to try to feel, and this post made me finally!   I'm 31 weeks, and can't feel my cervix at all.  i'm not surprised seeing as DH has been saying the same thing when we have sex.   I can always feel my cervix when not pregnant, even if it's high.    So, this is interesting and new!

[prothyraia]

Okay.....how are you all doing this?  Is there a trick to it?  I can barely reach the opening of my vagina, much less my cervix!

[amaayeh]

I squat in the shower to check.  That way I can make sure my hands are clean and everything else is, too.  ;) 

[springbride]

I've checked a few times throughout the pregnancy, mostly out of curiosity, but also wanting to have some sort of means to compare later on.  Recently I've been feeling some strange 'twinges' or pains in what I think is my cervix, that area at least.  When I checked yesterday there was no dilation to speak of, maybe a 1 on the outer part, but closed all the way through.  

 

[jshannyn519]

Originally Posted by springbride 

I've checked a few times throughout the pregnancy, mostly out of curiosity, but also wanting to have some sort of means to compare later on.  Recently I've been feeling some strange 'twinges' or pains in what I think is my cervix, that area at least.  When I checked yesterday there was no dilation to speak of, maybe a 1 on the outer part, but closed all the way through.  

 

I feel twinges in my cervix, but it's baby poking at me with his hands and fingers. It sure doesn't feel good!

My cervix is up too high for me to really be able to reach it. I can tell that it's soft, but that's about it.
 

[rach03]

I've checked mine a few times throughout my pregnancy, but I can't reach it right now.  I've tried a couple times and I just can't get far enough up there!  I'd love to know what it's doing, though!

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by jshannyn519 

My cervix is up too high for me to really be able to reach it. I can tell that it's soft, but that's about it.

Same here. I can get at the edge but otherwise no dice. 

I find the most rewarding time for cervix checks is near the end when I come away with a fantastically, giant glob of my plug. Wait. Is that TMI?  

[amaayeh]

I checked mine today and felt a head!  Cervix is still way up high, but baby has turned head down mostly instead of oblique.  That's good and bad considering the round ligament pain I've been having the past few days....

[littleteapot]

Isn't it COOL when you can feel a head through the wall of your vagina? Even cooler when your cervix starts to open a tad and you can actually feel the wrinkles on the baby's forehead. :-D

[amaayeh]

That would be awesome!  I have never had a chance, though because my cervix stays so high until birth.  Maybe I just didn't feel last time at the right time.  Now you have me thinking and I will try to remember that!!

[Tron]

I checked mine last night and I'm about a fingertip and soft but still really thick! That's fine with me because I'm only 33 weeks! :)

[Mamatoabunch]

I have been checking and can now feel the baby's head easily. My cervix has moved more anterior as well. 

[~Nikki~]

I have no idea how to check, and frankly, have been afraid to!  I'm afraid it'll hurt, likely thanks to all those rough OB exams from my former male OB. =P

I do know that the baby is engaged, though.  Head is super super low.  When she wiggles, I can actually feel my pelvic bone shifting (it's kind of messed up right now as it is) which is a little gross haha.