36 weeks Short Cervical Length?

[KarenSher]

I am so confused this time around.  I am 36 weeks pregnant with my second child.  My first child I had no problems, no complications and no preterm labor symptoms until waking up at 37 weeks morning to have my water break and even there was very little pain until delivery where they found me to have a retained placenta.  Baby was born fine no problems at all.  I had her in Aug 2003 born 7.7 pounds.  This time I had lost a lot of weight before finding out I was pregnant and gained 70 pounds with this pregnancy now which has seems to stop gaining at my last appointment.  I see my doctor on Wednesday but she sent me for an ultrasound on Saturday due to the fact she keeps finding the baby in breech position for over a month now.  I have had every symptom with this pregnancy and now i can barely walk- I hurt all the time!  Pressure, pain in my back - I have it all! At the ultrasound I found out that I have a 2cm cervical length and the baby is big - I was measuring around 7.5 and the baby is in the breech position.   I am 36 weeks pregnant today.  I am scared the baby is getting to big and my water will not break so I will not know i am in labor.  I have had 2 false alarms already and they felt such strong pain, cramping and was showing contractions on the monitor but it went away after a few hours.  I am not dialating and my doctor says I am closed off tight down there with no signs of softening anytime soon!  I am getting a bit scared.  I also heard that they wont even consider a c-section until 38 weeks.. What would the normal course of action be for someone like myself?

[blueeyedtabbycat]

Are you worried about having a big breech baby?? I am with you, lol! I will be 36 weeks thursday and my little girl has been breech my entire pregnancy. They wont even consider turning her untill 37 weeks. She has been measuring above the98% also. At 32 weeks she was measured to be around 5 lbs 15 ozs.  I dont think your cervix is a big problem so late in your pregnancy, especaily if your not dialating or anything. Has the doctors talked to you about trying to turn the baby to head down?? Why are you thinking c-section?? Are you worried about not getting to the hospital in time because your last labor was so painless?? And of course you only knew it was labor because of your water breaking?? I would share your concerns with your doctor, s/he can start checking you more often and maybe ease your mind by trying to turn the baby:) Good luck with everything, trust me its normal to worry. I have had most of the same thoughts as you running through my mind for the last few weeks:( We are almost there though!!!

[Tanker Chic]

At 36wks I don't think it is a big deal that your cervix has started to shorten.. i think that is pretty natural.. some people even start dilating now but don't actually go into labor until several weeks later...

I think it is just the natural progression of things... try not to stress.. even at 36wks, you will have a beautiful healthy baby...