Sharp Cervix Pinches at 36 weeks

[fertilemyrtle]

First time momma here, planning a home birth.   I'm very active and I've been feeling great, although getting a bit tired.   The baby is a mellow one it seems like.   Rolls and kicks everyday but nothing painful.   The last few weeks when s/he is most active, I will regularly feel a bit of a head butt down on the cervix.   I wouldn't say it hurts, but a little more uncomfortable than the upper belly movements.   My bff had a baby in January, and never felt anything on her cervix. 

The head has been down since at least 28 weeks, and at my 34 weeks appt. the midwife said, "Oh, that head is pretty well lodged.   Are you peeing a lot?"   Yep!   But I drink so much that I always pee a lot.   Since then though, I've been thinking about it, and realizing that the head just feels *heavy* in my pelvis towards the second half of the day.   There is this pumpkin that I'm holding in my low abdomen!

Yesterday, I walked all over.  A total of over 4 miles.  I did lots of all fours and yoga in between (I'm a yoga teacher).  On my last leg of the journey, the cervix pain was so sharp I cried out, had to stop in the street, and really thought for a moment that something big was going to happen.   It subsided after a few moments.  

This all makes me wonder if I'm going on the early side.   I've been working *so* hard on settling in to potentially not give birth until July.   To think about maybe giving birth in the first half of June is simultaneously awesome and terrifying.   Mostly, I don't want to get any hopes up and then have a miserable few weeks waiting for the baby.  

So, any thoughts?   What's happening physically, do you think?  Where should I get my head mentally?   This incident yesterday made me a little scared of labor, perhaps for the first time. I know I can/will do it, but when it's really here, it's going to be crazy!

Thanks in advance!

[carseatqueen]

I felt a lot of what you are describing, especially with my second. He was head down from 20 weeks on and really low from 32ish weeks on. It was nice to be able to breathe and not have hearburn, but I had trouble even sitting up strait for more than 5 minutes.

At 36 weeks I wouldn't be worried. You might have the baby on the early side, or your body might just be getting ready a few weeks early. I know I was 4 cm for at least 2 weeks and had him just after I was 39 weeks.

My third was breech till 37 weeks and that was just totally different pain. Nothing like a head in your ribs all the time, and when he turned- twice-Youch!

[Italiamom]

I hate to say it, but I had pains like that for the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy.  The cervix can dilate/efface over months or hours.  It could mean that you'll have a shorter actual labor, but I wouldn't take this as a sign that you'll be early. 

[fertilemyrtle]

Thanks!   I kind of wanted to hear someone say that had these pains for several weeks.  Not that I want these pains for several weeks - but more that it helps me mentally to realize that I could still "go long."   I'm going to keep walking, and of course, I'll let you all know in June and July's ddc when this babe comes :)

[maptome]

I had those pains for about 3 weeks.  It was mostly after a lot of walking, and I believe it was my cervix dilating/effacing.  I was about 3 cm dilated before I started early labor contractions.  Labor started 14 past due date and we had to do practically everything to get labor started naturally.  No worries!

[fertilemyrtle]

Originally Posted by maptome 

I had those pains for about 3 weeks.  It was mostly after a lot of walking, and I believe it was my cervix dilating/effacing.  I was about 3 cm dilated before I started early labor contractions.  Labor started 14 past due date and we had to do practically everything to get labor started naturally.  No worries!

Yeah, my gut says that's what's happening.   They say from the ultrasound that I have a long cervix (which was good to hear at 18 weeks, when you definitely don't want to dilate), so if it's effacing and getting ready now, maybe that *does* mean that when I go, it won't take forever for my cervix to open. 

We just never know.   A very interesting experience though!

[cameragirl]

I felt sharp pains when my daughter would push her head against the cervix, too. It is a pain that doesn't feel like anything else...except maybe a really bad pap smear.

[Evergreen]

Originally Posted by cameragirl 

I felt sharp pains when my daughter would push her head against the cervix, too. It is a pain that doesn't feel like anything else...except maybe a really bad pap smear.

I get them too with this pregnancy and my last. Sometimes it knocks me off my feet. Totally normal, though.