I do believe that at this point I know the majority of American women who've gone two weeks overdue, so it was rather a surprise to me when my midwife informed me at my 35-week visit last week that I ought to go on quasi-bed-rest because I'm already 1 1/2 cm. dilated and 50% effaced. ("Quasi-bed-rest" is a highly untechnical term that just means "put up your feet for half a day and don't irritate your cervix".) This isn't a long-term deal -- after 36 weeks, she'll deliver at home, but that still means I've got to sit around until Friday. For the first few days this was exciting, but the novelty has quickly worn off. The idea of putting up my feet is appealing, but there's some inherent conflict with my nesting urges. My periods of energy are in the morning and late at night -- the quiet times in the house -- whereas when I really have a strong desire to put up my feet is the mid-day period in which the children desire to charge around the house.
Also, I just can't suspend disbelief enough to think that baby would come this early, or next week, or the week after, or any time before her due date. I'm not feeling it. And yet, when my midwife, with her thirty years of experience, tells me to take it easy, I do start to wonder. And that's the irritating part, because I don't really want to go early, and it's unlikely that I will anyway, but man, it sure would be nice not to be pregnant for 4 1/2 more weeks.
FROM THE ILLUSTRATED EDITION.
11 hours ago
11 comments:
Well, I was 2cm dilated and over 50% effaced at 36 weeks, and the doc told me to get ready--I probably wouldn't make it to my due date. Well, I showed up to my 41 week check up. They JUST DON'T KNOW! Crazy.
Elizabeth B.
I walk around for at least a month dilated to 3 or 4 and 75 percent effaced and no one has ever suggested I rest up extra. Any excuse would be nice, although I probably wouldn't actually be able to rest much.
I always hope to go early, but it never seems to happen around here.
I'll pray that all goes well for you and the little one whenever the time comes.
My own sister went around 1 1/2 cm. for six weeks, but that was her first and this is my fifth. I've always been right on time, though, and I just don't see that changing. I do wish the Braxton-Hicks would lay off a bit...
I think the midwife's main concern is that she can't deliver at home before 35 weeks, so she wants to play it safe until then. Still, even thinking about being early leads to madness, because then I'll just be mad when it doesn't happen. I do tend to dilate early, but I guess I've never been checked as early as 35 weeks so I've never been aware of being dilated that early. Bleargh.
Jordana, I was on the verge of submitting a lengthy comment over at your place today, and then was a loud pop and the transformer outside blew, and the computer went dead. (And the a/c went out, but I what I missed was my comment.) Anyway, hope you're feeling better.
Aw...well, I normally don't get checked at 35 weeks either, although with going to the hospital with contractions, I got checked then as was dilated to 1. Of course, the doctor's comment was that after 5 deliveries I probably am permanently dilated to 1. So who knows?
Could I have made any more typos in that last comment?
Here's wishing I could send you my 15y/o daughter for a mommys-helper.
For 3 of my children, I was 3 cm dilated and partially effaced from 36 weeks on. I delivered each one at 39 or 40 weeks.
Don't get your hopes up!
With my second, I was dilated to 3 and 70% effaced at 36 weeks. The doctor was in full on freak out mode. The baby could be born any minute and everything else needed to be put on hold was basically what I was told. I had to cancel a long weekend out of town (and lost the deposit) while waiting for labor to start "any minute." After a month of waiting, I ended up being induced after the due date because I was 6cm and still had not any real labor. They were afraid I would have one giant contraction and the baby would fall on the floor.
It was very stressful to spend over a month unable to make plans past lunch because labor should be starting "any minute."
I had my 36 week appt yesterday for #3 and, sure enough, I am 3cm and 70% again. Not even remotely worried about it this time. Apparently you can walk around for a long time steadily dilating and not actually go into labor.
I may not know much, since I've only had one. But I showed up at the hospital with major contractions and was only dilated 2 cm, 100% effaced. My daughter popped out 2 hours 20mins later, normal vaginal delivery. I went from 2-10cm in two hours (not my happiest two hours). So seems to me there are no real rules to baby birthing. But any excuse to take it easy, go for it.
My first two were early (39 and 36 weeks) and my third was 3 days past her EDD (labor was only 2.5hrs start to finish, though, so in retrospect that was rather nice). And my sister walked around at 5cms for over a week with her first. So yeah, you never know.
Good luck, MrsD!
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