What was your experience?

Question

I’m 35w 3d. I went to my OB on Thursday and I was 5cm dilated and 60% effaced. I was told that baby girl could come at any time and if she doesn’t come on her own within the next two weeks, I will be induced at 37w. I’m so impatient and just want to meet my daughter! I’m having contractions, but they’re few and far between. 
What was your experience when you started dilating and how long did it take you to go into active labor?

Answer

What you’re dilated to doesn’t mean anything unless you’re in labor. I have a patient that comes in often who was 34w when I first saw her dilated to a 5 and she’s still a 5 now at 38 weeks

Answer

I don’t get cervix checks till after 40weeks. They’re not necessary unless for medical reasons. Some women walk around dilated for weeks and others don’t dilate till labor. When I did get checked I was barely 1 cm. Then at my 41 week appt I was just enough to do a sweep. Contractions started about 12 hrs later. Around 1 am. I slept till 8. Labored around the house: in the bath, swaying with my partner, massages, bouncing on my yoga ball. Went to the hospital when my contractions were 3 min apart at noon. I was 3 cm. Had my daughter at 3pm. I did most of my dilating in the last 3 hrs of labor.

Answer

I was in prodromal labor for 3 weeks and dilated to 2 the first week they checked (36) and then a 3 and 80% effaced from 37-38 and then got a membrane sweep a day before 39 weeks and went into labor within an hour lol ended up having her 19 hours later though. So I’d also like to say that in case there’s any prodromal labor ladies reading this-labor doesn’t always go fast just because you’ve been in prodromal labor for weeks. Everyone kept telling me that it would and I was just sad and disappointed when it didn’t go quicker. It could but I’m just saying don’t be super disappointed like me if it doesn’t!

Answer

Why would you be induced? 37 weeks is just hitting full term. Also I'm wondering why you had a cervix exam so early.
In my own experience (3 daughters ages 9, 6, and 8 months), we don't do cervix exams unless requested and that's only during labor. I went almost 41 wks with my youngest daughter. Labor comes on its own however I had 2 weeks of false labor. Happened every night at the same time. Labor was short bc of it though, 3 hours. But we home birth.

Answer

I went into labor at 30wks with my son, they stopped it. I kept dilating slowly for a couple weeks even with medication. Had him at 35 exactly. Your doc is right, it could be literally any second or it could be weeks. It depends on your body and what baby wants to do.

Answer

I was only dilated 1cm until I went into labor at 40+2 and was in active labor for over a day. It took me over 24 hours to dilate to 4cm and then the hospital finally admitted me and sent me to a birthing suit. I didn't dilate past 6cm and had to have a low dose pitocin drip.

What was your experience?

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