Dilation and home birth?

Question

I'm 38 weeks pregnant and I'm having a home birth. My midwife doesn't check dilation (unless it's necessary...like labor isn't progressing) but I'm curious if I'm dilated at all at this point. How can I know? I've heard you can check yourself?

Answer 1

I don't know the rules or what you should be looking for. But as long as your gentle then I'm sure you can have a feel! I felt my daughters head when I was only 2cm dilated. It felt like a hard slimy ball just behind my cervix. The opening was big enough to easily get my index and my middle finger on to my daughters head.  

Good luck hun xx

Answer 2

I don't know about checking for yourself, but a doctor normally checks you at your weekly visit during the last four weeks of pregnancy.  I'm curious, is this your first pregnancy? Sometimes labor and delivery drags on and on.  I don't have anything against home delivery, but after having to have an emergency c-section with my daughter last year, I was very glad to be in the hospital.  Good luck to you and the little one! Congrats!

Answer 3

You can check yourself if you have been trained to determine dilation. It is something that requires practice on a demonstration model with an instructor. To try to check yourself would be futile right now. Next time you see her just say "I'm curious. Would you please check me to see if there's any dilation."  Keep in mind that effacement and dilation doesn't tell you when active labor will start, and that unless you've gone past your due date by a week there isn't much sense in the check.

I wish I had known what I do now back when I had my children. I would definitely choose a home birth with a midwife.

Birth blessings to you.

Answer 4

I am having my baby at a birth center with a midwife and mine checks just once on/around your due date.  I still have a week and a half until my due date so i can relate to being curious about if anything id going on down there yet!!

I bet you if you asked your midwife at you next check up she would do one for you even though she usually doesn't.  That seems a safer bet than trying to figure it out on your own.... I mean, i doubt putting your hand up there is much different than making love and thats okay and safe, but they only thing is that you dont know what you are looking for up there, so even if you do feel anything, how will you know what you are feeling?

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