Checked myself last night... « Back to Group Discussions

[micah_mae_]

I've been having a lot of contractions so I checked myself last night at 30 weeks ..getting soft and 1.5-2 cm..from experience I tend to be 5-6 cm by 40 weeks so I guess I'm on track!

[withlittlelungs]

woo hoo!!
I've been having a lot of contractions this past week. But I have no idea what the heck I should feel when it comes to my cervix so I don't even bother checking lol

[micah_mae_]

I've been checking myself regularly for years, luckily. I like to make sure I'm not in preterm labor when having too many ctx.

[jodieanneanton]

So, I am not the only one, micah_mae?  

I have been feeling cervical twinges lots in the last few weeks and just wondered what was up?  I am soft, about one...  I don't think I'll be checking anymore, though... I tend to be at least 2-3 by 37 weeks and have never had an 'on time' baby.  So, really there is no point.  Plus, I don't want to mess with my flora down there after all my hard work!  I was just curious if it had started yet at 31 1/2 weeks.  

[micah_mae_]

Checked again today because I've been having so much downward pressure..definitely softer and more anterior but not any more dilated so that's good. :)

[babytoes]

Okay... So this may seem like a silly question, but how do you know? I can feel my cervix but I'm not sure what I'm looking for as far as dilation and such. And when I felt it last I really had to hunt around, is that normal?

[jodieanneanton]

babytoes, I am only familiar with how my cervix feels because I have been feeling it for years (used it as a fertility sign when TTC and TTA).  I would sometimes feel it in early pregnancy b/c I was afraid of m/c and wanted too keep track of it for a bit.  I felt for the opening and I know 1 fingertip is 1 cm...  I remember trying to check myself during my first two pregnancies and having no idea what I was feeling.  

[Chapsie]

yeah, your cervix is sometimes mushy-soft and can be pretty anterior in pregnancy, making it hard to "check."  One fingertip is 1 cm and 2 fingers is 2 cm.  Stretching your fingers slightly apart is 3 cms... I know that the outer os is usually always open a little bit all the time (at least a fingertip or so) after you've given birth once or twice.  :)   

[babytoes]

I think my main problem is its pointed back, and I think I should try doing it while squating slightly with a foot on the toilette. That's what I read at least, is to try that positioning. My midwives are pretty hands off, and we will be doing very limited checking during labor. I find it to be counter productive sometimes, so I just want to go off instincts. But I am curious! I will try it again and see if I can get a better feel of it... At least I know its very squishy, although finding the front was a pain. I know that I tend to walk around at 3 for quite some time too, and being #4 baby I would be surprised if I wasn't already 1-2.