Measuring dilation?

[Mandalaia]

DH has been checking me occasionally since he is really nervous about me going into labor early and not making it to the hospital in time. For about 3 weeks I was at 1 cm which was confirmed by the midwife at last weeks appt.

Yesterday while at the store I was having some pretty strong contractions, cramping and tons of mucousy discharge. I told DH about it when he came home from work last night and he wanted to check to see if anything has changed. He said that now instead of being to put the tip of his finger into the cervix he can't feel the sides and can move his finger side to side, but he says that he thinks it's only about 1.5 cm. I'm thinking more but I don't know since I can't feel it. Is there a chart or something to see the sizes of dilation or something that explains it to help him figure out how much I'm dilated?

Thanks!

[Spark]

Here's our discussion from the December EDD board. I think some of the info and links are what you're looking for.
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=350324

Best wishes! Peaceful pregnancy and happy labor and delivery.

[RachelGS]

Isn't the general rule about one centimeter per fingertip? I think how dilated you are depends on how much he can move his finger back and forth.

But how dilated you are doesn't have anything to do with how fast your labor will go. Too much checking isn't good for you because you can introduce bacteria up into your cervix.

[Mandalaia]

Originally Posted by RachelGS

Isn't the general rule about one centimeter per fingertip? I think how dilated you are depends on how much he can move his finger back and forth.

But how dilated you are doesn't have anything to do with how fast your labor will go. Too much checking isn't good for you because you can introduce bacteria up into your cervix.

I've been worried about that too, but he doesn't do it often and is very gentle. It never hurts like when docs or the midwife does it. Also, I never knew that when they check you they actually put their finger into your cervix to check if it's thinning, DH won't do this hehe. Anyway, I get worried since this is #6 for me and my labors get shorter each time. My last baby was born an hour after my water broke and we live 30 minutes from the hospital so I am worried about making it on time. At least if I know that the contractions are actually doing something we might make it to the hospital in time.