Dr's appt. today... dialated, effaced, engaged at 35 1/2 weeks... - Page 2

[luckydog]

I'd consent to a cervix check after 41 weeks - or anytime I was facing induction. The odds go up significantly at that point that an "any day now" prediction truly does mean any day now.

With my first birth I was induced (39 weeks, cholestasis) on a completely unripe cervix. I don't think I'd proceed in the same way again (my doc put me straight onto pit to induce - no cervical ripening agents at all) - that induction failed and I had a c/s. I would absolutely want to know my Bishop's Score going into an induction situation.

[jee'smom]

Originally Posted by bdavis337

I won't get checked at my apt tomorrow (at least, they better not, b/c my 6 year old is coming with me), but it might start at my next one. I'm going to try to refuse them though, esp. since I can tell he's not in position yet, not "dropped", etc.

Most times, in second-(or more) time moms, baby doesn't "drop" until you are already in labor.

[hippy mum]

I was just wondering the other day when some of you commented on being dilated already why your mw's/ob's were doing internals this early if there was no problem. I walked around for weeks dilated with ds and know many moms who do as well. I agree with pp that it's not a prediction at all.
Also why would mw's be checking now just to talk about induction? It's toooo early. I can see talking over methods if need be so you know what to expect come 42wks, but wether you're dilated now is no factor to consider induction already.
With us, baby is engaging already and I swear it's like it could fall out any day. Ds didn't drop this early at all. Only thing she wants me to do is try to avoid squatting and letting baby drop even more into the pelvis for the next two weeks. Being how ds was 2.5hrs from start to delivery I think I'm going to opt for internals starting 37/38wks to see if my body is where it was with him. If I'm 3+cm and 70+ effaced again, I'm guessing this one will be just as quick, but who the heck knows.

[acordio]

I just had me group b strep swab done yesterday 36weeks. She asked if I wanted to be checked while she was down there and I told her no and she won't do an interal exam unless I ask her too. I would think that once I go past my edd she may want to check and see but I doubt it.

[100%mom]

Well, I did get checked a wk ago Tues. when the mw did the Strep B swab. I wanted to know if I was dialated because with my first I got checked at 35 wks and had my baby a wk later. So far this time I haven't had the baby but I'm taking it easy as I want to hold off another wk. My husband said that I can't try for another homebirth in the future if I have this one too early. Too early for him is anytime this wk. My mw is going off an ultrasound for the due date, which is July 4th, but if I went from LMP it would be June 29th. So that would mean that tomorrow I'd be 37 wks.

[phathui5]

I was walking around 3cm dilated with ds1 for the last three weeks of my pregnancy with him. With the other two, I didn't have them check and am not planning to unless I feel a need with this one.

[riomidwife]

Originally Posted by kmaj

I don't know... we ask our friends, relatives, and people that we don't even know on forums their opinions... Why is it a bad thing when your dr/midwife lends theirs? I went at 37 weeks (after checking in at 2cm 4 days earlier) and am glad I at least had a heads up that something may be coming.

Well, because dilation and effacement in pregnancy don't tell us a whole lot! So as care providers we could spout out an opinion but it wouldn't have much credibility. In your situation, your labor could just as easily have started four weeks later. My experience has been, as other's have commented, that this kind of predicting and suggesting really doesn't do women any favors, and in fact is more likely to set them up for mental/emotional stumbling blocks.

Most women do some dilating and effacing before labor even starts. Women who've previously given birth typically START labor already 3+ cms dilated. First time moms, around 1-2cms. So discovering this with a vaginal exam doesn't tell us much. And second timers walk around at 4, 5, 6 cms dilated for days or weeks all the time. Not unusual.

[kmaj]

That's fine, but my point is - why is your opinion more valid than my doctor who knows my body and my pregnancy? Essentially, you're saying don't listen to him, listen to you because you're right...

I welcome opinions of all kinds, and want to hear others' experiences but I don't think that it's right for anyone to say that someone's wrong for giving one.

[DoulaClara]

kmaj- I don't think that anyone is saying that their opinion is more valid than a doctors. I think what many are trying to point out is that there is no indication of "time left to go" in the pregnancy. A doctor pointing out a measurement of dilation and effacement is really just trivial fun, unless there is some other stuff going on. Many women here were simply sharing their experiences of walking around for weeks at a certain dilation and a certain effacement just as anecdotal support for the idea that our bodies are slowly and carefully giving us the labor our babies and our bodies need.

Hope that helps! Remember- ultimately, your body and your baby= your birth decisions. With every bit of information you recieve from your care provider, be they doctor, midwife, or what have ya: ask yourself- what does this mean in terms of my own birth choices? How does this affect me?

Clara

[kmaj]

Thanks Clara, it does make sense... guess I'm a little bit more sensitive than usual. And anxious because this pregnancy has been so different than the last, it's taken me off guard.

Here's the latest - I feel like I have my period. Been cramping for the last couple of hours straight. No beginning or end, just straight on cramps... What to make of that one?

[Lissybug]

I don't know what to make of it, just wanted to let you know I hope you're doing well

[imgr8ful]

with both of my previous labors, i've woken up in the middle of the night with what felt like period cramps. both times i was able to go back to sleep and then delivered my babies the next day.

[kmaj]

Thanks guys. I'm okay, still here. Took some tylenol and a bath and the cramping is gone. Luckily, she's a feisty little one and always beating me up, so I don't worry so much if she's okay when weird things happen to my body!

[jee'smom]

Cramping is how the beginning of labor felt to me.

[Smetana_]

My Dr. told me with DS that she doesn’t do internals unless she has a reason to do so because they don’t give any real info as to when the baby will come. The info usually will only stress out the Mom’s.
Which I found so true: At the time I was on a forum with all first time Mom’s due in Sep. And as soon as they heard they were 1cm or so dilated they got all excited and then stressed when nothing was happening… My first check was when I was in labor (3 days before edd) at 7-8 cm. Ds was born less then 3 hours later. Nice surprise!