I'm very concerned because I'm 39 weeks pregnant and still haven't even dialated to one!?

Question

I've been going to the Doctor every monday for the past 6-7 weeks and I'm due next week and not dialating any...My doctor is very old fashioned and I know that she won't induce my labor. I'm concerned about him having a bowel movement inside and causing problems. About 5 weeks ago he already weighed 5lbs13oz....I just need some suggestions. Consulting my doc, is out of the question, shes old fashioned and Indian, not that that's bad,just not for me, I should've picked a diff. doc. but it's too late now....Any suggestions are appreciated, this is my first and I just want him to be healthy....

Answer 1

Don't worry about where you're dilated to. You could jump from being dilated 1 cm, to 8cm in a period of an hour if that baby wants to come out. Don't forget, the more internal exams you have, the higher risk of infection. If you're truly worried however, then speak to another doctor that is not so old-fashioned.  

Answer 2

I understand your worry but my oldest son was 2 weeks late and didn't have a bowel movement in utero. And I also didn't dilate at all until I actually went into labor. Give it another week before you worry too much! And congrats!!

Answer 3

you don't have to be dilated to go into labor!

Answer 4

man i know how you feel i was 39 weeks and not dialtated at all!! i was induced at 39 1/2 weeks for my asthma!! i would have prolly went over  if it wasnt for that!! but who wants to be pregnant for 2 weeks past your due date?? 2 weeks when your so close seems to be like another month!! but your baby will come soon!! hang in there!!

Answer 5

Hmm, this must be your first baby.  Don't worry about the bowl movement stuff. If the baby's going to have one, there's no way to prevent it, even with induction. Listen... induction sounds like a great idea, but it is NOT. With an induction, your labor comes hard and fast and NOW. That does not mean that your labor will be shortened either. It is better to let your body go naturally. Otherwise, you will hate your labor experience. You'll be worn out. Believe me. I was induced with my first baby after being 2 weeks late. It was so horrible and I still labored for 2 days. 2 DAYS! You don't want that. I was so weak, I couldn't hold her for several hours after that.

You will dilate when it's your time. Go find some stairs to climb. Clean your house. Take a walk. Talk to you baby and relax. It will come.  

Answer 6

dont worry you && the baby will be fine alot of women dont dilate until your in actual labor && im pretty sure if your doctor knows the right thing to do

Answer 7

There are an awful lot of misconceptions about pregnancy, labor, and birth.  While 40 weeks is considered average for human gestation, the truth is, it is just an estimation of the date of delivery (EDD) and shouldn't be looked at with too much concern as delivering any time 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after a due date is normal.  Some women begin the effacing and dilation of the early stages of labor several weeks before the actual delivery.  However, many women do not begin this process until just before going into active labor.  I know several women who have visited their doctor in the AM with no signs of impending labor yet gave birth later that evening.  Some babies do pass their first meconium during the labor and delivery, but most do not.  If an ultrasound told you that your baby weighed 5 pounds 13 ounces, this is simply an estimate based on measurements and is not to be taken as fact.  With my youngest, I had a weekly ultrasound beginning at 32 weeks due to having Gestational Diabetes and being 38 years old.  The week before she was born, they estimated her at a little over 8 pounds.  She was born at 41 weeks and only weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces.  Unless there are some medical concerns it is best to let your body and your baby call the shots when it comes to labor and delivery.  Sometime in the next 3 weeks you will most likely give birth.  Inductions can be useful, but also can come with a series of potential risks.  It sounds like your doctor is doing fine as are you.  I wouldn't worry too much about the baby passing meconium during labor and birth.  Yes, it happens, but there is no way to predict when it will.  I have given birth 4 times.  Each of my babies was born past their due dates by 9 days, 11 days, 5 days, and 7 days.  None of them had meconium problems before or during their birth.  Statistically larger babies and babies born significantly past their due dates have a greater risk of passing meconium during labor and birth, but it doesn't mean that all will.

Answer 8

Changing your dr. because you are not dialating is no reason at all. Its not their fault mother nature isn't wanting to work for you at this point. Let things happen when they are suppose to happen and do not be worried if you do not deliver next week either. Unless there is a medical reason why your baby should be taken out by C-Section of you be induced, then let nature take it course when it wants and quit worrying about things.  

Answer 9

you are way off on your assumptions. what does dilation have to do with your baby having a bowel movement in utero? nothing.

you can be dilated to a 4 for weeks before going into labor and likewise you can have 0 dilation and go into labor. dilation, effacement and engagement has nothing to do with when you will go into labor.

also generally babies who are in stress are the ones who end up passing meconium in utero, many times during a labor that has been induced with pitocin so be glad that your doctor isn't induction happy.

and don't trust ultrasound weight estimates beause they are wrong. after 24 weeks of gestation the head is more disproportionate to the size of the body and every woman i know who has had a weight guesstimate a few weeks before their baby was born was always extremely wrong, the weight guess was always way higher than what was actually the case.

Answer 10

This is an excellent reason to NOT have internal checks at every visit.  All it does is make you anxious.  Being dilated, or not dilated, at 39 weeks means nothing.  You can be dilated 4 cm. at 39 weeks, and not go into labor for another 3 weeks.  Or you can be tightly shut now, and go into labor in an hour. (And give birth by dinner time.)

You aren't even 'due' for another week, so anything that happens now is pretty much irrelevent.

The odds of baby passing mecononium en utero is VERY low, and isn't really of concern until you are far overdue (42 weeks+) or baby is stressed for some unrelated reason.

Relax.  You will go into labor when your body and your baby are ready -- almost certainly sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.

(Baby's weight is also irrelevelent. There is no way to know for sure how much he weighs -- ultrasound is VERY innaccurate for this sort of thing.  He will be born when he's ready, and will weigh what nature intends him to weigh.)

Answer 11

Just relax he will be here sooner than you think. The older doctors is who you want to deal with they have more experience than these docs who just finished school. You know some things get better with age. I didn't dilate neither. It happened at once. Your body is different from others we all are. You might go to the doctor next week and be dilated at 5 who knows. Babies come when they are ready. She will not leave you prego she knows that. I wish you the best of luck. Get plenty of rest because it'll be over REAL SOON.:)

Answer 12

First off-it is really hard for them to tell you the weight of your baby inide you-it's basically a guess! I did not dialate at all...not even after my water broke. I was is labor for 8 hours before I allowed them to use the pitocin & the IV pain meds. If you go into labor & do not dialate, even if you are unsure of your doc, they must induce you if your water breaks. I finally allowed them to do it because if the baby is in there too long after the water breaks then there can be serious problems. Also, don't forget that 40 weeks is an average...some women go to 41 or 42 weeks. Talk to your doc about your concerns...she'll understand & it'll be fine! Good luck & enjoy him! Time goes by really fast after they're born!

Answer 13

I didn't dilate until I was well into labor with both of my two kids (both natural births with no problems). The first time I went all 10 centimeters in 30 minutes.

Try not to worry. Just because you hear other women talk about walking around being dilated x amount for weeks does not mean that you will be like that too - and it does not mean anything is wrong.

Answer 14

I'm 38 weeks and haven't dilated yet either. Don't worry. My sister-in-law went to the doctor at 39 weeks and wasn't dilated at all. She went into labor that night and delivered the next morning. You can go from 0 to 5 or 6 within a few hours when labor starts. Good Luck!

Answer 15

It is very normal to not dilate before labor. I know with looking at different websites and hearing about other peoples stories of being dilated to 1-2cm a few weeks before their due date, makes you feel anxious. But believe me, that is no indication that your baby will or will not be born late. I have three children and all of my children were born late. My first was a week late, 2nd was 4 days late, and 3rd was 2 days late. I gave birth last Christmas morning (2007), my due date was 12/23/07 (Sunday) on Monday (23rd) I went to the doctor, was told that I wasnt dialated, and told to make an appt for the following Monday. So here it is Christmas Eve and I am very upset because I wanted very much for the doctor to tell me some "good news". At 10pm that night, I got up from the couch to get something to drink and my water broke!. This is just my last delivery, but the other two were very similar as well. I never dilated prior to labor, babies never dropped, didnt loose mucus plug, nothing. All my labors started with no typical symptoms. None of my children had bowel movements in utero either. Im sure that you are anxious to hold your little one in your arms, but dont stress yourself out about it. Your baby will come when he/she is ready. On the isse of bowel movements, this is something that "could" happen, not something that definately "will" happen if you go over your due date. Good luck to you and early congrats!

Answer 16

Some women don't dilate at all until they actually go into labor.  That could be your situation.  Your baby could also end up being late, which is fine; plenty of women have gone 41 and 42 weeks and had perfectly healthy babies!  Aside from consulting your Dr which you say you can't do, all you can do is wait patiently.  Good luck.

Answer 17

DONT STRESS OVER IT IF YOUR NOT DIALATED AT ALL ITS TOO EARLY!!!  WAIT A LITTLE LONGER - HE WILL COME