Checking your cervix yourself?

[sbrinton]

I have an unusual question. I thought I would ask here as you won't think I am crazy for wanting to know what's going on in my body...

We're not considering UC as I have a high-risk pregnancy. I've been dealing with contractions since early in my second trimester and I've been on medication and bed rest for months. I am now about 26 weeks pregnant.

But that said, through the end of all of my previous pregnancies, I was in and out of the hospital with preterm labor. Somewhere along the way, I got sick of going into the hospital to just have the nurse or midwife tell me that I was still 3 cm dilated and to go back home...so I figured I would learn a little more about my own cervix. I've always been very careful, washed hands carefully and been very gentle. But this is one thing I really don't think I could tell my OB or perinatologist!

In this pregnancy, I've made myself familiar with what is going on up there. The doctors do a weekly ultrasound to see how long the cervix is, but I guess I think there is a "qualitative" side to a cervical check too. For example, the ultrasound shows that my cervix is about 2 cm long (roughly 50% effaced).

I don't spend a lot of time in there fooling around as I don't want to cause any trouble. I guess I'm not sure what to do with this information. For example, last night my contractions were getting worse so I did a check and noticed that my cervix seemed shorter (less than 1 fingertip long, almost like a little lip) and I could feel the baby's head just above that area. Cervix was still closed on the inside, but open at the external os and very soft.

This is very clearly a change from a few weeks ago when my cervix felt more like the tip of a nose.

Am I crazy to do this? Any advice? What should I do with this information?

[Arwyn]

Moving this to main Birth and Beyond.

[Arwyn]

You're absolutely not crazy for doing it! If there's information that "experts" are acquiring about your own body, there's absolutely no reason not to access it yourself.

If you're concerned about the amount of effacement, contact your doctor. Say matter of factly that you check yourself, you're educated on cervical changes in preterm labor, and you've noticed a significant change in the past two weeks, since your last ultrasound. Don't let them dismiss your information; a good doctor will welcome the information, and will want to act on by confirming it themselves, and you'll go from there.

[AugustineM]

I agree with everything Arwyn said. I think it's great to empower yourself and learn more about your body -- it gives you more control and knowledge. And I would do the same thing -- just tell them you know how to check your own cervix and you've noticed changes. The changes you describe sound quite accurate and clinical!

GL!

[mytwogirls]

Tell your doc your changes. I think you did just fine!

[Just1More]

My midwife told me how to check for my last pg. And it was a good thing I knew...because I happened to check and discovered that while I wasn't sure I was even in labor, I just thought it was more bh. I couldn't decide if what I was feeling was real but...I was about 5.5cm! When what I thought was "active labor" kicked in later that night...it was actually transition. I would have stayed home too long thinking that it was just active labor and I had hours to go... From the first truly painful contraction, it was 29 minutes until ds was born. Had I not checked...we would have had a homebirth, totally unplanned and unprepared. Checking is good!

My midwife said that opening at the bottom side of the cervix means nothing. If you can feel the water sac....that's different. So, if you can feel the actual sac, then measure dialation. Otherwise, it's just normal changed of the cervix. I would, though, request my cervix be checked if I were you, if there was a chance of perterm labor and I knew there had been a significant change. You don't have to say you checked your cervix if that embarrasses you. Just say (as long as it's true), you've been feeling more contractions, you feel off, whatever is true, and ask to be checked.

Oh, and I found it was helpful to compare my finger to a ruler so I could have a good idea when I was checking...it helped me to log change to be able to write down an objective measurement, instead of my subjective memory from time to time.

[Juniperberry]

I'd tell your doctor of any changes. There's no problem in checking yourself.

[phatchristy]

OK, well maybe you ladies can help me then with this one...when I was in labor with my last birth honestly everything just felt like a pile of mush. I mean, so soft and squishy I couldn't tell where/what I was looking for.

I had the mw check when I couldn't tell and I was around 9 and full effaced. Would it have been easier to figure out where things were if I'd started checking earlier?

[lifeguard]

I definitely think it would have been easier to to know what was going on if you were already familiar with how things had been feeling all along.

I personally think it's bull that women are discouraged from checking their own cervix. It's MY body & quite honestly I'm more gentle then anyone else would be!

[knitted_in_the_wom]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

I personally think it's bull that women are discouraged from checking their own cervix. It's MY body & quite honestly I'm more gentle then anyone else would be!

Oh definitely! I mean really, we're allowed/encouraged to have sex...but it is just SO taboo for us to put our own fingers in there???

Jenn

[Moonchild77]

Position baby

Well, then I have a further question:

I was - with my first child - already 4 cm far, without feeling contractions and such, I did loose my mucus and went to the hospital, then they broke my water (:-( ) and my son was born 3 hours later.

This time I want a UC or a home birth with a very sweet and calm midwife, I found, but this is the q: she is not sure how the baby is positioned: head down or not.
So, next visit, I will be 38 weeks almost then (2 days short) , she either wants to check manually, or let me have an ultrasound.
This if she cannot decide how the baby lies.

Neither feels right, what do you think?
How can she feel the head/feet, when I am not in labour yet??

I do not understand....
thanks,
Véronique, Rotterdam, the NEtherlands.

[phatchristy]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

I definitely think it would have been easier to to know what was going on if you were already familiar with how things had been feeling all along.

Well, I've checked my cervix many times here, in fact do NFP when I'm not preggo so am quite used to checking. However, when I go into labor honestly by the time it hurts it seems I'm in transition. I've never felt the urge to check before that. So, it sounds like you're thinking that if I had checked it earlier in labor maybe it would have been easier? Both times I wanted to know where I was my cervix was near complete. LOL

Right now I can't reach my cervix at all...it's way up there...I know at the end of pregnancy it will be easier to find.

[sbrinton]

Thanks for the encouragement that I'm not crazy or putting the baby at risk. It seems like a perfectly reasonable thing for me to do, especially because there is variation between different doctors who check my cervix both manually and by ultrasound. I've educated myself about what the ultrasound technicians are measuring so that if there is a variation from week to week, I can tell if it's due to my body changing or due to a different caregiver.

I know I need to be especially careful as I'm also on "pelvic rest" to help prevent preterm labor. The most important things with this are, from what I understand, avoiding semen because of prostaglandins and orgasm because of oxytocin - both of which cause contractions.

I guess I will continue to do this - when I feel it is necessary to make the decision whether or not to go into the hospital.