Can you tell when you are dialating???

[AriQueen]

Sorry ladies this is my first pregnancy and I'm a bit clueless on what to expect of what to look for. I have a very silly question to ask....can you tell or feel when you are dilating? For the last couple of days (more like the last 2 days) I have felt a weird sensation in my vagina, kind of like a tingling or like something is pulling. I know from my last appt two weeks ago the baby was already head down so I'm not sure if it's the baby's head compressing down on my V or if I am dialating. My OB meassured by cervix last time I was there (meassured by just putting his hand down there as if he was performing a pap smear, as well as inserting that metal looking thing) and told me  my cervix was completely shot.

I don't know if that has changed since the last two weeks but it feels really weird. For those that are already dilating, are you able to tell any different?

Any comments suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks ladies,

[amberd5191]

Wow that freaks me out a bit...my OB just checked my cervix manually at my last visit.

[NicMom]

Michele, I heard the same thing from the nurses at the hospital. They don't check unless they really have to because it can cause you to dialate. Thank goodness for the technology of ultrasounds. Now if they could only figure out how to measure your cervix without using the dildo wand thing that would be great!

[Michele, Katy, TX]

I say no also.  There is def discomfort down there though.  I know I am in a lot of pain right now "down there".  But I remember w/ my last pregnancy being uncomfortable and thought sure I was dialating early.  At 36 weeks, I was only at a 1.  And my discomfort had started way before that 36 wk mark.  I am always at a 1 like clockwork w/ all my kids at 36 weeks.  But I heard that they don't want to manually check w/ their hands at this stage.  That it's better to check your cervix via u/s because checking the cervix manually can actually cause you to go into labor, which they don't want yet of course.  A nurse told me that actually.

[amberd5191]

I say no also. It never hurts to go get it checked out when your in doubt. :)

[NicMom]

I'd say no. When I had my last I was dialated to 3 and had no idea. With this one I thought for sure I would be around 2 or 3 last time I went in and I was only at 1. You can look online to see how to check yourself, but I leave it to the professionals ;-)

[chantal21]

I get that tingling, pulling feeling down there as well. It almost burned a little bit yesterday. But now that I know I am 1cm maybe that's why? I have no clue. But I wouldn't have known I was dilated. Now with my son, once my midwife checked me and told me I was 4-5cm I went home until labor became more consistent and tried to check myself and I could feel how open it was. But other than your doc telling you, I think it's pretty hard to tell. If you have been feeling strange or getting contractions, let them know. I'm sure they wouldn't mind checking you to give you peace of mind. I know I feel a lot better knowing what's going on with me now.

[AriQueen]

YvetteY,

I think what I meant to say was my cervix was short, mean I guess I was not dialated at all. This was two weeks ago, but I still feel this strange pulling/pressure feeling down there. Oh by the way, I am constanly feeling the baby's hiccups...lol I guess it's because he is head down...before I could barely feel it at all, but now it's more frequent.

Thanks for the advice ladies.

[cure65roses]

I agree, it's confusing.  I have had 3 preterm deliveries in the past, (33, 35, 36 wks) and each time when I finally decided to go in to the hosptial to get checked to see if I was in labor, the babies came within an hour and a half upon arrival at the hospital...  I just wasn't sure if it was "the real thing or not."    

Not to mention with these twins I am in constant pain and uncomfortable anyway.  I am afraid it's really going to be hard to tell this time.

I'm glad you asked this question.  I'm curious about other's experiences as well.

[YvetteY]

Well when you are in labor you are dialating, and you can feel the contractions.  The contractions push baby downward and cause the cervix to dialate.   But some women will dialate to about 3 cm and not even realize it and this can happen weeks before labor.   So in general what you will feel are contractions which causes dialations, but you're not actually feeling the dialation itself.

did you mean cervix is completely shot or short?   If you meant short, that is what is suppose to happen.  Your cervix will shorten, but that's not dialation.

Also you don't have feeling inside your cervix.   You may have been feeling pressure.  

[Latrice414]

PS:  In pregnancy, there is no Silly questions.

[Latrice414]

Im going to take a educated guess and say no.  After watching all these birthing stories on tv, women go in to get checked and dr like your 3 cm dialated and there like really.  I no with my first pregnancy i didnt no, or couldnt feel it.  I no with all the hormones you get your va gina becomes engorged, may feel swollen or puffy and to me it makes the outside and inside feel discomforting.    Mayb some of the other ladies may have some answers or different stories.