I felt the baby's head!

[pixiedust]

Okay, I caved and checked myself for dilation tonight LOL.. I know I'm at least 2 cm's since the two fingers I checked w/ went in WAY easy.. I'm a bit squemish about checking myself so I didn't try more.. anyway.. you could feel the bag of "waters" and just past that the baby's head. SO weird and cool at the same time

[*GreenMama*]

WOW! You have so much more guts than I do mama!

[kgrfcharlton]

Holy crap, how did you do that? I tried last night & couldn't feel anything. My MW wants me to do the perineum massages thing so while I was down there, but nothing.

[scheelimama]

I've done that too. No bag of waters, just hard baby head. I mean, I'm sure there is a bag of waters, just can't feel anything soft/squishy. And I think I'm probably 3 cm or so, same as you, 2 fingers fit easy easy, with room to spare.

[Lizzie9984]

Man, I wish I had the guts to check myself. I keep promising myself every week that I will, just to see if there's any potential progress to gauge, but I always chicken out

Congrats to you for having the guts to check yourself!

[Googy]

Wow! THat is so cool! I am way too afraid to do that--I wish I had your guts!

[chrysalis]

i want to check too! how the heck do u get around your belly to get all the way up there??? how do i know its the cervix i'm at once i get up there??? maybe i should have my doula friend check me...i want to know.

[pixiedust]

I did a google search and found a great website that told how (can't find it now of course) it did still take me several tries before I finally got it figured out. I checked myself squashed up in the bathtub.. it's the only way I can get to it LOL

[Isaac'sMa]

I have tried to check a few times and just can't tell a thing! I have no idea what I'm feeling since it all feels kind of uniformly soft to me. Harumph! I want to know!

[welldone]

I have been unable to reach my cervix. Short arms, perhaps. It's frustrating--I'd like to know what's goin' on!

[marisa]

I can't reach a durn thing until I'm almost to the pushing stage!

[chrysalis]

i don't know what to feel for. maybe i'll try again now....... i told my doula friend (also long time mw's asst and planning to be a mw someday...) i want her to check me on weds. when we get together. she says at this point we probably would feel the head. wow. how neat is that. i'll try some different positions. my luck my mom and megh will knock on the door ready to come in from outside. lol

[shelley4]

wowsers, it's hard enough for me to even wipe myself these days LOL!!!

[scheelimama]

I check while sitting on the toilet. This may be tmi, but since you all are asking, sometimes I have to use my other hand to push my fingers in just a bit farther to reach my cervix. I just use 2 fingers (washed clean before hand of course). Make sure you have enough lubrication so it's easy to get up in there.

As for how to find your cervix, surely you've noticed how uncomfortable it is when it is bumped from baby or during sex, or during an exam. You should be able to tell when you find your cervix because it's has more nerves than the rest of the vagina and is a bit uncomfortable when you touch it. Make sense? If this is not your first baby, it will probably be at least slightly open already (like 1 cm) if not more at this point. If it's more, it's kind of like a tunnel unless it's really effaced and open. HTH!