Well, today I went to an u/s school to get a free 3D u/s. It was very informative. My baby is right on target. He is also very, very low, I almost got a vagina u/s :lol
They did find me to be at 3 cm dilated. I already called my midwife to find out about things I can do to keep this baby inside until 10/18, which is when I turn 37 weeks.
I will be taking it easy and drinking lots of fluids. If you girls got any other ideas let me know.
Here are 2 photos of Matthew.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b50/yasmel/Matthew/Face.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b50/yasmel/Matthew/face2.jpg

Keep your activity levels low and practice daily meditation/relaxation. It might sound flaky, but try visualizations of keeping your baby in and not going into labor, verbalize your wish for your baby to stay put.

The fact that you're dilated to 3 cm now could mean you are about to go into labor or it could mean..... Nothing at all!!

If you hadn't had this ultrasound today you would never have known you were 3 cm. So think of all the pregnant ladies out there who never know. I was 3 cm for several weeks with my last baby.

Also, did they check your cervix? Because if they were looking at if through abdominal ultrasound I believe the internal os can dilate before the external and vice versa.

It was just an u/s. I have an appt. w/ my Midwife on Monday, do you think is a bad idea to have her check or should I just leave my cervix alone?

I would leave the cervix alone.

I was 4 cm for 6 weeks before my 2nd was born. I also had ptl with my 3rd, and he was 16 days late lol. You can also undialate...I've had that happen, its very discouraging :lol

Def take it easy, maybe even pelvic rest. Drink plenty of water.

I was having the same problem. I was having a lot of "productive contractions" and the baby was very low. My midwife put me on bed rest, which was not easy when you have four kids, but we made it work. I wasn't allowed to do any lifting (that included laundry baskets'!), no housework, no walks, no yardwork (yes I was goofy enough to ask) basically I could lay down or sit (recline) in a recliner and that was it. It wasn't fun but I believe it worked... I made 36 weeks yesterday. Now, to be really honest I did cheat a little by sitting up a little longer than I should which helped to keep me sane but if I had a contraction I would go back down.

Don't give up, your homebirth is still a possibility!!! Feel free to email me if you need to talk more.

Best wishes!!!

My Midwife told me to call her in the afternoon and she would have more things for me, but for now she told me to drink lots of water and whenever I can at home to get on all fours w/ my butt up in the air to take the pressure off my cervix.

A dialated cervix is not an indication of impending labor, dear. Plenty of women walk around 3-4 cm dialated long before birth.

It's fairly easy to make a mistake on those exams too, so you might not even be 3 cms in the first place. I would just take it easy and try not to worry.

Thank you, I will take it easy and try to remember that u/s are just estimates. Thank you all for your responses.

Abdominal u/s is highly inaccurate for determining cervical dilation (they couldn't even tell on mine when I was hospitalized for PPROM and I wouldn't let them check me via the vagina:)). So don't worry quite yet! :) If you have any actual signs of PTL, then yes, I'd get things checked out. But you may not even be 3cm, and even if you are, it may just be how your body is doing things since you've had a baby before. :)

why would thry be checking your dialation this early at all?

I would ignore it and take it easy.

How did you find out about this place to get a free u/s? I'd like to search for something like that near me.

How did you find out about this place to get a free u/s? I'd like to search for something like that near me.

There are a lot of u/s schools here in Miami, FL. This one somebody told me about it when I was about 4 months preg. I called them and got on their list and then called back in August to schedule the appt. It was awesome. I had like 8 students around me, some of them were brave enough to try by themselves but most of it was done by the professor while explaining to the students everything.

Love the pictures!! Risks, hype, whatever...I have to admit, I think ultrasound pics are cool :)
Oh and to add my "i know someone who was dilated to ____" story: I konw someone who walked around dilated to 5 for a month before she went into labor. She was 6 or 7 when she finally went into labor :) Anyway, take it easy mama and enjoy your growing babe. I second the ideas to talk to your baby and visualize. Those are good things to do no matter what!

Namaste, Tara

you've already had two babies. being 3 cm dilated doesn't mean a whole lot unless you are having bloody show and/or cramping.

HTH!