Check your own cervix?

[Eaglevoice]

I've never done it, don't even know what I'd be looking for...
Do any of you check yours? How can you tell how dialated you are, etc?

[slightly crunchy]

I checked mine while ttc for several months so I feel pretty comfortable with it. However, in the past few weeks I have tried to check several times and was only able to feel it well, once.

If you can feel the opening, you can tell how dilated you are by measuring how many cm the tip of your fingers are, and then how far apart they would be for 3-4 cm plus. If you can fit one fingertip in the os, that is about one cm for most people. Two fingers is about 2.5 cm, for me.

[mightymoo]

I have tried out of curiosity (I also have done the cervical checks for fertility before) but I just can't reach that far in back, either my cervix is really far back, my fingers are too short or my vagina is really long. :LOL

[Marlet]

I check mine but lately it seems to be more out of trying to prove I can still reach that part of me! :LOL I did a little before we got pregnant so I know what it felt like before and I can compare it to that. I measured my fingers and am 1 for one finger and 2-2.5 for two fingers. I have a book in my living room right now that shows the dilation circles (how many is ten etc.) and I can fit about four or five fingers in the whole thing so that's what I'm going for. :LOL

[cathicog]

you only need to use 2 fingers, and just stretch them out

like you do if you are "walking in the yellow pages". That is how you determine dilation, but the better thing, is not even checking! The cervix is usually pretty far back and rotates more to the front during labor. I would leave it alone, as each time you check(though it is better you checking than a doc or nurse) it introduces the possibility of infection...You will know how dilated you are when the ctx are about a minute apart and lasting 90 seconds long, and you get kinda spacey, it's pushing time!