TMI: Self-Cervical Checking and other ?'s

[JRBL]

**Possible TMI WARNING**



Okay... you're warned....



Do any of you do self-checks on your cervix when in those last few weeks of pregnancy? I did with Eliya, but when I was 41 weeks and I couldn't tell one thing from another at that point. I wish I had started a little sooner, doing gentle checks, just to get the "feel" of things, so I would know what it felt like as it changed. I like to labor at home before rushing to the hospital/birthing center, but it would help me, personally, to know where I "was". I knew a gal who bought medical grade gloves just so she could do clean checks when she got into those last few weeks and was in labor.

And how long do you allow yourself to labor at home? What is your big signal that it's "time to go"? Tara, what is your main signal that things are beginning to come to a quick conclusion for you? I really wanted to labor at home as long as I could this time around, but the birthing center is almost a full hour away. Hhhmmm...

Anyways... Now that I'm getting close to being in the third trimester it's as though all I can think about is preparing for D-day. I just keep having a feeling that he'll be yet another 37 week-er for me. All my kids but Eliya were born at that gestation. That's ten weeks away now... yikes.

I can't wait!

[~Tara~]

Oh man, if I had to travel an hour to birth the kid I would have to leave after 2 contractions within 5-10 minutes

Remember with Nugget, we called mw after like 3 contractions or something crazy, she was 1.5 - 2hr away and didn't make it in time. LOL
Then with Doodles there were a couple contractions, I wasn't sure this was it yet, but called anyway because by the time I'd know for sure, that there was no turning back...it would be too late for her to make it (again at 1.5 hr away).

For me, generally, my contractions come in a hurry. I don't usually have that...oh they're about 15 minutes apart....then 7, etc. I start around 10 and within half an hour they are on top of one another. If I have 2 contractions within 10-15 minutes, this is probably it. Things will be picking up REAL quickly.

However, Warrior went and put a kink in all that by only giving sporadic twinges, hardly would call them contractions..then water broke and still, not my typical contractions. I was honestly freaking out. I didn't know WHERE I was in that game. If I were going somewhere to birth with him, I wouldn't have even thought about it when things started and even minutes before my water broke. I was soooo not thinking I was to *that* point. It never would have crossed my mind that 'now' was the time to head out, kwim? So I never would have left the house until after my water broke..and that was what...10 minutes before he was born? LOL

I am not the one to look at here. hehe

I would just say...once contractions are coming bam bam bam and you have to seriously WORK through them..you know, to stay on top of them you have to breathe and focus..no more of that 'eh, there's a contraction...ok, I'm good' but rather the 'oooh boy......................stop the world..............................moan........... ..............................stop that friggin clock from ticking!!!!........................moan........... .' then that would be a good time to head out..after like 2 of those. (in my case that probably still wouldn't get me an hour's drive)

Was that of ANY help?

[JRBL]

Yeah, T, that's how it was with Li... I was having pretty minor discomfort (not even contractions really) for the week before she was born... and then nothing really that day... just minor discomfort. Then, we prayed I would go into labor, and the next morning I awake to "HOLYMOLY *THIS* is REAL- this baby is coming NOW!" type contractions~ That was the first and only time I ever experienced that.

All the others were the "My water broke, and maaaaan I'm not even cramping..." Had to get pitocin... yadda-yadda-yadda... twelve-ish hours later I have a baby. Anywho... so I was wondering what other gals did. I hope Wyatt will be more like my others and I'll have a *bit* more time to waste between the "I think my contractions are getting regular" and "wow the baby's head just popped out!" ::snort::

[cjropher]

I checked with DD before we left for the hospital. I did NFP before hand, so I was used to knowing what was what. I was about 3-4 cm along (that's about 3 fingers or so I guess) and told dh we should go in. I hit transition on the way and started to freak out. When we got to the hospital, they said I was at 5 but I was panicking. The main reason was that it was 3 in the morning, and dh was waiting for his brother to pick the kids up from the hospital, so he was downstairs with them and I was scared he wouldn't get there in time. He got there, went to the bathroom, walked out of the bathroom as the doctor broke my water and Elizabeth was born like 2 minutes later.

Dilation checks don't tell you how much time you have!

Honestly, if you have an hour drive while in labour, go while you can still sit. I could hardly handle our 10 minute drive, there was so much pressure, the last thing I wanted to do was sit.

[JRBL]

Originally Posted by cjropher

I checked with DD before we left for the hospital. I did NFP before hand, so I was used to knowing what was what. I was about 3-4 cm along (that's about 3 fingers or so I guess) and told dh we should go in. I hit transition on the way and started to freak out. When we got to the hospital, they said I was at 5 but I was panicking. The main reason was that it was 3 in the morning, and dh was waiting for his brother to pick the kids up from the hospital, so he was downstairs with them and I was scared he wouldn't get there in time. He got there, went to the bathroom, walked out of the bathroom as the doctor broke my water and Elizabeth was born like 2 minutes later.

Dilation checks don't tell you how much time you have!

Honestly, if you have an hour drive while in labour, go while you can still sit. I could hardly handle our 10 minute drive, there was so much pressure, the last thing I wanted to do was sit.

Ha! Yeah, gal, that was me when I was in labor with Eliya... I was about in tears for that hour long drive to the hospital. It was sooo hard to sit in that car. We borrowed my MIL's civic to drive to the hospital, so I couldn't have delivered in the back seat even if we had to! ::snort:: Thanks for sharing!

[savedbygrace]

Man, my stomach must be so much bigger than everyone elses because I can't even bend over to shave my hoo haa let alone check my cervix!
What i didn't know, but learned at my last appointment is that we have 2 cervix's. the outer cervix which you can feel with you fingers *i was a 1.5 to 2* and the second which is higher up the canal and that's the one that counts. As you efface your out cervix shrinks up and you can check the inner cervix.
Anyway. My birthing center is 2 hours away, so I labor at MIL's and that's just not the same. I usually go to the hospital when my contractions are about 5 minutes apart. when I get to the hospital, I'm usually at 4 cm.
When I got to 6 with Joey it only took 30 minutes to progress to 10 and I was freaking out because he was coming so fast and it was so painful. It helped having Abby in the room. She kept me from just letting it all out.

Ok. I don't think I answered any of your questions at all. sorry.

[BlessedMommy]

I did self-check my cervix in the last couple weeks and am so glad that I learned how. I do NFP, so I was familiar with the cervix from that and also I have a guide for cervical dilation in my birth workbook.

For me, realizing that I had jumped from 3.5 to 5.5 cm in the space of a half hour was a sign that the midwife needed to come!

Caution though, don't overdo cervical checking if you choose to do it. (i.e. don't start doing it every few hours or something unless you are having tons of productive contractions and want to check your progress) It does have potential risks and drawbacks theoretically such as increased risk of infection and accidental rupture of membranes.

[JRBL]

Thanks gals! Thanks Ruth for your insight, gal~

I was doing some NFP before I got pg with Wy, so I'm pretty familiar with my cervix, but when I tried checking at 41 weeks with Li... everything was so soft, I couldn't tell what my cervix was doing... ugh. ::snort::

[Jessy]

As far as checking the cervix I know nothing, sorry.

However, as far as heading to the birthing center I waited to long. My water broke and my contractions were one on top of the other within 10 minutes. I took a shower and got dressed, we opened the door to leave to find snow blowing sideways and about 2 feet on the ground. We would typically have about a 15 minute drive but it took about 45 minutes and I was at 9cm when we got there. Unfortunately I spent my laboring in the car for the most part and it was extremely uncomfortable. Needless to say I'll be heading out ASAP this time!

[buttercup_97140]

I am with Esther...how the heck do you bend down to check your own cervix? Maybe I need to do some Yoga to limber up!
I'm with Tara, when I go into labor, I don't do early labor much, I go straight into the active, close contractions. Dh and I decided NOT to go to the birthing center and went to the hosptial because the birthcenter is about an hour and a half away in good traffic. I was NOT going to labor in the car..no way. I get too active too quickly, so we said forget that. PTL I was working when my water broke with Mak. I drove to the hospital before my contractions started. (it was only about 10 min away.) I even had to wait about three hours for contractions to really start while at the hospital, but I didn't care...I was where I wanted to be when labor really got going!

Because you have had many babies before, I would leave when you feel the contractions are real. I have seen SO many women on L and D go from just barely dialated to ready to push when her water breaks. Your cervix has been there done that many times...all you really need is that baby's head on your cervix...(we hope! )

Here's to hoping you make it on time!
Blessings,
Amber