Who's checking their own cervix? « Back to Group Discussions

[LDoulaSteph]

I've resisted then urge to check my cervix and today I finally caved and checked. I've never done it before so I'm not totally sure I'm doing it right. I reached right to the back and didn't feel anything "hard and nose like" anywhere in there. It all feels pretty soft and spongy. Any thoughts?? I'm 38 weeks with #2 and DD #1 came at 40+1. I definitely am feeling some labour prep feelings :)

Im abandoning my inner doula here to ask this 

thanks!!

[wildmansmom]

I'm refusing checks at the OB but I have caved twice and checked myself! 

Both times I've had to put nearly my entire hand up to reach the cervix, if I try with a few fingers like when I'm charting I can't get anywhere close.

At 39 weeks my cervix was medium, posterior and still long.

When I checked a few days ago (just before 40 weeks) it was getting soft and spongy and probably somewhat effaced, but I didn't stay up there long enough to measure how far - it was enough to know I was making progress. 

I don't know when the cervix is "supposed" to start getting soft, but I know with DS I was checked at 40 weeks and was only 50% and soft, so the same this time.  I delivered DS within a week, with some help to dilate the cervix since I was stuck at 2. 

[SamiPolizzi]

I want to so bad, but I can't reach it!! It's so frustrating!!!

[MrsBerkley]

I attempted it in the shower the other day,but I have literally no idea what I'm feeling! 

[storygirlcindy]

I check mine every now and then but can only reach it about 50% of the time, and then only with some serious gymnastics, LOL. I can never get my finger far enough in to actually insert it into my cervix, though. 

Wildmansmom, I am dying to know how you got your whole hand up there, LOL! Getting a finger up there in my very gravid state is pretty impressive, in my opinion. I'm not sure I could contort my body enough to fit more than that! (I also have small hands/shorty fingers...)

[spughy]

I can feel enough of it to have a general idea what's going on.  If you push out your pelvic floor muscle while you're feeling for it you generally have better luck - but in late pregnancy the cervix - well mine anyway - is so soft that it's difficult to distinguish from the surrounding tissue.

I dunno that it's actually useful to poke around in there, it's more like a party trick (just for you!) than something that would provide you with any actual information unless you're very successful at ignoring labour and you check and can actually feel a head there.

[LDoulaSteph]

I've been checking in the shower the last few mornings and now I'm sure I have NO IDEA what I'm doing LOL. Today I got a little further in there and I think I felt something a little hard so now I don't know if my cervix is as "ready" as I thought it was. Sigh!!! I just want this baby out LOL.

My friends threw me a beautiful surprise blessing way yesterday and it did remind me to just relax and wait for this little one. My curiosity is still probably going to get the best of me but I'm going to stop focusing on what I'm feeling in there, or not feeling LOL. 

Can't wait to see who is next in the "I'm in labor" thread :)

[wildmansmom]

Storygirl-I squat and I have very small hands but long fingers ...maybe that helps? Remember a head comes out so surely a hand can go in lol.

Doulasteph what a good thought. Relax before baby and I hope your blessingway was wonderful.

[storygirlcindy]

WMM - oh, I'm sure a hand can go in, I just can't contort my body nearly that much around my big old belly! LOL. The best way I can get it is if I squat and kind of use my ankle to force my finger in as far as possible. Sometimes I can reach it that way, sometimes not. I'm often not sure quite what I'm feeling despite TTC for a long time and checking my cervix all through - the pregnant cervix is definitely different!!! I wish I was really good at it, though. After 3 months of prodromal labor, it would be really helpful to be able to have a good idea of how dilated I am or am not! (Sadly... every time I HAVE felt it it doesn't feel all that dilated so I'm guessing I'm still not really past 1cm.)

[wildmansmom]

Originally Posted by storygirlcindy 

WMM - oh, I'm sure a hand can go in, I just can't contort my body nearly that much around my big old belly! LOL. The best way I can get it is if I squat and kind of use my ankle to force my finger in as far as possible. Sometimes I can reach it that way, sometimes not. I'm often not sure quite what I'm feeling despite TTC for a long time and checking my cervix all through - the pregnant cervix is definitely different!!! I wish I was really good at it, though. After 3 months of prodromal labor, it would be really helpful to be able to have a good idea of how dilated I am or am not! (Sadly... every time I HAVE felt it it doesn't feel all that dilated so I'm guessing I'm still not really past 1cm.)

LOL - And, it's not really an indication.  I was 1cm dilated at 1pm and started pushing at 5pm with DS... so anything can happen!  But I agree, I like to check just to see if these contractions are making any changes.

[storygirlcindy]

Oh, I know. It just might be helpful in my "labor as long at home as possible before going to the hospital" plan. Then again, since with everything I've been experiencing it's unlikely that I'l actually recognize early labor (LOL), we might be having the "oh my gosh this baby is coming get to the hospital NOW" scenario anyway!