I can feel my baby's head! (TMI)

[grapejuicemama]

So, the other day after having painful ctx all day and some vomiting and just plain uckiness, I wanted to check my cervix to be sure that it was still high and firm.

Well, I felt my baby's head through my vaginal wall! It was crazy! I could feel the very definite shape of the head and when I pushed on it very gently, I got kicked in the ribs.

It was so neat and made the baby feel so real and there and connected to me, it was like I could communicate right with him or her, but I'm wondering if it's normal at this stage? I'm 29 weeks.

Anyone else have any experience with this?

BTW-I couldn't even reach my cervix, so I'm sure it's still plenty high and firm. No pre-term worries anymore.

[Jenns_3_babies]

um, that's really weird!! I remember when I was 31 weeks w/my 2nd and my OB checked my cervix because I had gone into PTL that previous friday, and this was on monday. She felt the baby's head right there on my cervix, which was real low. It was strange feel her press up on his head and he bounced right back into place.

Question for you....I've been having strong BH for the past month, only getting more consistent w/ lots of pressure. I went to check my cervix, which I never felt before to see if it was opening. I never felt the 'lip' part of it. Just a hard curved like thing that wasn't very long at all. Did I miss something? Or is there more to the cervix behind this 1st part? I know they say you shouldn't check your cervix while pg especially if you've never done so, but I was seeing if the BH were doing anything they shouldn't have been.

I remember trying to check my cervix w/my 2nd child, and I couldn't ever reach it. Makes me wonder why I feel it now. Plus whenever I just lightly feel it, or come even close to feeling it, I get cramps that last all day sometimes into the next day. Is that normal?

[CarolynnMarilynn]

"They say you are not supposed to check your cervix while pregnant, esp for the first time"? That is a bunch of hooey -- go ahead and check -- you'll likely be much more gentle than the average OB. I have seen OBs do vaginal exams that look like they are checking tonsils from the wrong end. Get to know your body, know what is normal for you. Just make sure you have clean hands.

Try starting while sitting on the toilet - it brings everything down. When you go inside, use a finger or two. You will go up behind the pubic bone and back, almost as far as your fingers will reach. You will encounter a soft tube about the thickness of two fingers and about and inch long at this point. If you probe around you can go into the centre of the tube, but other than gentle probing, don't go in here much, as you could start dilation. On the sides of the tube you are feeling the posterior and anterior fornixes, aka known as the lower part of the uterus. You can feel the baby if it is low enough, or nothing if the baby is up higher. Towards the back of your body is the wall that is shared with the rectum. Sometimes you can feel stool there. Towards the front and the pubic bone is the bladder (and g-spot).

Hope that helps give a description. You may want to google a picture of the vaginal canal and see what you are feeling.

[CarolynnMarilynn]

I can feel the baby at different times, and sometimes not at all. I did cervical checks while trying to track my cycles and get pregnant, so why is this any different? Once I even felt a knee sweeping down over my cervix repeatedly -- that was weird!

I thought it was so cool that I was like 1/2 inch away from my baby!

Carolynn

Originally Posted by grapejuicemama

So, the other day after having painful ctx all day and some vomiting and just plain uckiness, I wanted to check my cervix to be sure that it was still high and firm.

Well, I felt my baby's head through my vaginal wall! It was crazy! I could feel the very definite shape of the head and when I pushed on it very gently, I got kicked in the ribs.

It was so neat and made the baby feel so real and there and connected to me, it was like I could communicate right with him or her, but I'm wondering if it's normal at this stage? I'm 29 weeks.

Anyone else have any experience with this?

BTW-I couldn't even reach my cervix, so I'm sure it's still plenty high and firm. No pre-term worries anymore.

[holyhelianthus]

guess what i'm going to try and do today?

[Jenns_3_babies]

thank you carolynnmarilynn!! I did try finding any kind of pictures of the cervix and such, but had no such luck. I'll try to find my cervix again in a bit. I wonder what that hard thing was I felt. I thought it was my cervix, and everytime I feel it, I cramp a bit. Plus, it would be as far as my fingers would go.

Sorry grapejuicemama...I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

[UltimateSerj]

thats really cool, i checked mine a few weeks ago, long and firm! ok so even not pregnant when i have checked it i can put a finger tip in the dimple of my cervix ( when i can reach it) is that dialtion or is that normal cervix? it felt the same when when i was over due with my son and at the time i thought i was a little dialated but now since its the same i wonder? i know you can be dialated and walk around that way for months is that true too?

carolynn will you come be my midwife?!!! lol your to far away and will have your own newborn but you sound so awesome

[grapejuicemama]

Originally Posted by magstphil

guess what i'm going to try and do today?

Oh Boy! Look what I've started!

Hubby walks in: "Hon? Whatcha doin?"

"Oh, just playin with the baby."



CarolynnMarilynn-I love that you're a part of our DDC!

[Live~Laugh~Love]

Originally Posted by grapejuicemama

Oh Boy! Look what I've started!

Hubby walks in: "Hon? Whatcha doin?"

"Oh, just playin with the baby."



CarolynnMarilynn-I love that you're a part of our DDC!

LMAO... My hubby would just shake his head and walk out...














































Than he would come back and ask if he could play too... LOL


I am gonna try it too. Im excited

[CarolynnMarilynn]

Originally Posted by Jenn_wants_3

thank you carolynnmarilynn!! I did try finding any kind of pictures of the cervix and such, but had no such luck. I'll try to find my cervix again in a bit. I wonder what that hard thing was I felt. I thought it was my cervix, and everytime I feel it, I cramp a bit. Plus, it would be as far as my fingers would go.

Sorry grapejuicemama...I didn't mean to hijack your thread.

The hard thing is likely your cervix, and causing cramps touching it is normal (as long as they go away!) It can be soft and mushy, or still quite firm at this point.

[CarolynnMarilynn]

CarolynnMarilynn-I love that you're a part of our DDC![/QUOTE]

That is a wonderful compliment -- thank you so much! I don't wanna be a know-it-all!

[Live~Laugh~Love]

Originally Posted by CarolynnMarilynn

CarolynnMarilynn-I love that you're a part of our DDC!

That is a wonderful compliment -- thank you so much! I don't wanna be a know-it-all![/QUOTE]

Glad i got pregnant at the same time as you as well.. your not a know it all.. You filed with great wisdom, that you offer to us.. THANK YOU

[CarolynnMarilynn]

It is totally normal for the external os (the part you can feel in your vagina) to allow a fingertip to go in, pregnant or not, esp. if you have had babies before. I wouldn't call that dilation, it is just normal.

It is true that you can walk around dilated for months, and that is normal too, esp when just a finger or two. It is when it is changing before term that is a concern (like big changes, not subtle changes over weeks). I was 3-4 cm dilated for a month before my little stinker came out at 41 weeks (second baby, after a first at 39 weeks -- really she was just fine, it was me that was stinkin' frustrated with the pregnancy going on forever but in my defense it was because my best friend had a stillbirth at term that I attended a few months earlier and I was anxious for my babe to be born).

Second time around cervixes are typically softer and start to open up a little earlier.

And thank you for the compliment! I try to be a good, humble midwifing mama. I love what I do. I am happy to be an advisor to the April 2007 DDC!

Originally Posted by UltimateSerj

thats really cool, i checked mine a few weeks ago, long and firm! ok so even not pregnant when i have checked it i can put a finger tip in the dimple of my cervix ( when i can reach it) is that dialtion or is that normal cervix? it felt the same when when i was over due with my son and at the time i thought i was a little dialated but now since its the same i wonder? i know you can be dialated and walk around that way for months is that true too?

carolynn will you come be my midwife?!!! lol your to far away and will have your own newborn but you sound so awesome

[CarolynnMarilynn]

All this lovin' is really nice for me! Thank you lovely women!

[grapejuicemama]

You're welcome! Now can I take advantage of you for a moment?:
This feels like a silly question coming from a veteranX2, but is it still ok to have intercourse if you are able to feel that head there? Or should I look for alternatives? Or should I check before hoppin' in the sack?

[Jenns_3_babies]

ok, so i just checked mine. It's nothing like I felt before. Before I felt something really hard, but I didn't go as far as I could've. This time I had to really stretch my finger and I believe I found it. BUT it wasn't hard at all, it was really soft. I could feel the sides of it, and ran my finger side to side. I could feel the lip of it. It was slightly open, like a slit, but I could easily put my finger inside. I didn't go in far, just enough that I knew I could.

Does that sound right? Maybe I did indeed find it? This is my 3rd baby and I read that afterwards the opening of the cervix changes from a oval opening to more of a slit (I think).

Was it supposed to be so soft? I went back as far as I could 'to the end of the road'

BTW, it was pretty cool I could feel the baby kicking me in the wall while doing this

[CarolynnMarilynn]

Originally Posted by grapejuicemama

You're welcome! Now can I take advantage of you for a moment?:
This feels like a silly question coming from a veteranX2, but is it still ok to have intercourse if you are able to feel that head there? Or should I look for alternatives? Or should I check before hoppin' in the sack?

It is totally ok (and good for you and babe) to continue to have intercourse. The rule of thumb is, if it doesn't hurt you in your tender bits, then you are a-ok! Of course, some people like hurt tender bits, and if that is the case, PM me and we can talk specifics! :

Carolynn

[CarolynnMarilynn]

Originally Posted by Jenn_wants_3

ok, so i just checked mine. It's nothing like I felt before. Before I felt something really hard, but I didn't go as far as I could've. This time I had to really stretch my finger and I believe I found it. BUT it wasn't hard at all, it was really soft. I could feel the sides of it, and ran my finger side to side. I could feel the lip of it. It was slightly open, like a slit, but I could easily put my finger inside. I didn't go in far, just enough that I knew I could.

Does that sound right? Maybe I did indeed find it? This is my 3rd baby and I read that afterwards the opening of the cervix changes from a oval opening to more of a slit (I think).

Was it supposed to be so soft? I went back as far as I could 'to the end of the road'

BTW, it was pretty cool I could feel the baby kicking me in the wall while doing this

That sounds totally right for a cervix. You found it! It is often really soft this time in pregnancy for a multip, soft like lips or labia. I am not sure what the hard thing you found earlier - maybe a contraction made your cervix rigid for a bit? Or it could have been a Nabothian cyst, or a ridge or cervix, or your pubic bone?

And while we are on the subject, it is normal to have yellow-y clumpy discharge, or runny discharge at this point. It should smell nice and clean, maybe a bit tangy or strong, but not fishy or yucky. The colour can be white to yellow, but green (unless just tinged green) or dark yellow would be abnormal. Sometimes cervixes can bleed with the tiniest, gentlest touch, but it should be spotting or less and gone after a few hours after an exam (or dark after being bright red). If it smells yeasty and is really clumpy like cottage cheese, it could be yeast. It is also normal to make undies really damp. As Ina May Gaskin calls us, we are "juicy" in pregnancy!

[wildthing]

Carolyn, you are awesome. You explain things very, very well. You remind me of my preceptor. I always enjoy your posts.

Maybe we should start an "Ask Carolyn" thread! Kidding....I wouldn't put you on the spot like that!

[hanno]

Thanks to this thread I did some 'poking' around and used a hand mirror for the first time. My goodness I barely recognize myself down there. The cervix is higher than it used to be and less tilted back, everything is kinda puffier, some bits that used to be futher up are now visible and my vagina is really big and open (!!!!!) I also found saw that I have yeast, so I'll need to take care of that before I get any discomfort. All the changes are kind of overwhelming!