how long does it take to efface?

[cicely_m]

yesterday, per my midwife, i was "a little bit" effaced. not much.
so... does that mean that next week i would be "a little bit more?" does total effacement take days, or weeks? or is it one of those things that can happen all at once?

[smokeylo]

It takes as long as it takes just like dilation you can sit partially effaced for a long time, or not be effaced at all and go into labor. Wish there were more ways to make predictions!

[celynen]

My first pregnancy, it took weeks. This one, it took a day.

[zulupetalz]

it varies from person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy. With a first baby, though, it takes longer and it isn't uncommon to enter labor without being very effaced. As much as we'd like to believe that checking dilation and effacement gives us a clue as to when labor will start, it doesn't.

[Kitten]

DS: 2 weeks to get to 50% effaced, 45 min in labor to get from 50% effaced and 4 cm to spontaneously pushing. It really hugely varies.