Self-Checking yourself in late pregnancy? Is this safe?

[lamb18]

I have been looking at some pages online just because I am at that vurious stage and I came across a forum that had women on there that checked themselves for dilation and effacement. What are you even looking for when you do it? LOL. Is it safe to be poking around up there? LOL. I just thought that was kinda odd. Does anyone here do it? If you do, what are you looking for? How can you tell how dilated and effaced you are? LOL. Sorry I sound so stupid. LOL.

[lamb18]

Thanks for the input ladies!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I don't recommend it either.  I've heard of women doing it but not knowing what you are looking for can be dangerous.  You risk infection adn you also risk damaging the cervix.  I think something like that is best left up to your doctor or someone else trained in doing so.  

[spade22]

I agree w/ Michele.  It is not safe to check your own cervix while pregnant for a variety of reasons including accidentally inducing labor and risk of infection.

[BTS1022]

Im not ashamed to say that I have done it lol. I wanted to go into labor sooo bad the day of my oldest sons due date that I literally did everything I could. The doc refused to strip my membranes or induce me, so I checked my cervix every hour on the hour and poked and proded and did whatever I could to irritate my cervix into dialating lol. Needless to say the next day I did end up going into labor. I didnt however know what I was looking for as far as how dialated I was, I was just desperate to start labor on my own without any herbs or castor oil.

[Michele, Katy, TX]

I don't recommend it.  They don't normally check you until your last month because checking the cervix CAN cause you to go into labor.  That is what a nurse told me.  I had to go to the hospital when I was 33 weeks with my last one because I had fallen and I was having some contractions.  I asked her why she didn't check for dialation and that is what she told me.  And you wouldn't want to cause an infection either.