40 wks 3 cm and 70% effaced

[Anonymous]

I am due today and as of yesterday I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced and baby is at a -1 position but still no contractions. How long does anyone think I could go? This is driving me crazy! And I am so nervous.......and scared. Has anyone been through this?

[Anonymous]

this was me 2 weeks ago. people are going to tell you to relax and not to stress out. they will also tell you that there's no way of knowing how long this could go on. it will absolutely drive you crazy.

i won't say any of that, because i know you probably have already heard it. here's my 3 cents. have a glass of wine. take a hot bath. take a long walk if you feel up to it. get a massage. do pampery things that make you feel good. my personal experience involves taking a ton of castor oil, tons of sex, tons of walking, yoga, stressing out, etc. my midwife swept my membranes at 41 weeks and i went into labor that night. if you are 3cm, this is definitely an option for you. your baby is also nice and low, but any sort of hip shaking you can do to help him or her move lower would be good. i took a lot of evening primrose oil towards the end but am not convinced it had much effect, but you can try that.

it's really true that the baby will come when it's ready, but i know that's not much help to you know. just trust me when i say that it'll all be worth it when you look in that little face for the first time.

[Maymomma]

Glad to know I'm not the only one. Thanks for your input!

[Anonymous]

This is one reason why I plan on skipping the weekly cervical checks. You can stay at 3cm for weeks, this constant checking serves no purpose and tends to drive us expectant mothers nuts.

[Anonymous]

that baby is coming any day now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is one reason why I plan on skipping the weekly cervical checks. You can stay at 3cm for weeks, this constant checking serves no purpose and tends to drive us expectant mothers nuts.

I think you need to know yourself. I didn't get checked until 39 weeks, when I was at 3 cms. I'm now at 40 weeks and glad to know that I am at least 3 cms. I realize I could still go so long as to need an induction at 42 weeks or for cause but that is unlikely statistically regardless of how dialated one is. So if getting checked will drive you crazy, don't, but if doing it once toward the end may help you, go for it.

[Anonymous]

I am in the same boat as you!! Now I am 40w 6d, 2cm, 80% effaced. I *think* I lost my mucus plug two days ago and have been having mild contractions but nothing real I don't think. I've been eating spicy foods, walking, having sex and am actually considering castor oil at this stage. Ugh. It is more psychological than anything else I feel, but I just can't wait to meet our baby. I am tentatively scheduled to be induced on Sunday, which I am okay with but I would rather avoid the induction process. Does anyone have any input/opinion on whether castor oil might help? Would it be better to do that than a medical induction (if it were to work)? I have read mixed reviews on castor oil but am actually thinking about it now...

[Anonymous]

For what it is worth, for each of my 2 previous pregnancies, I went pretty much from 1 cm dilated (50% effaced) into labor and then - within 2-3 hours of active labor starting - to 10 cm dilated and pushing out my little babies.

All this to say that for some women, being 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced may mean you are close, but for others, it means nothing. So hard to tell and each pregnancy is different.

OP - I feel for you. I'm 31 weeks pregnant with my third and still - even knowing that the pregnancy won't last forever and that the baby is actually much easier to care for when in my belly - I find myself praying that I'll go early (not too early, but 39 weeks would be nice).

Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

I had your stats at 36 weeks. I delivered a day shy of 42 weeks. I was dilated, effaced, with the head engaged for over 6 weeks. Don't be scared -- your baby will be here soon! Women have been doing this for millenia. Try to relax as much as you can. Do things that you won't be able to do once the baby arrives -- see a movie, organize your closet, read a dense novel, sit at a cafe and linger over a latte, do yoga, nap ... whatever makes you feel good.

[Anonymous]

First-time moms, on average, deliver 5-7 days after their due date. I like the PP's suggestion--have a glass of wine, walk a lot, take a soothing bath. Most of all, rest and relax and store up your energy. I stopped working on my due date and rented a bunch of movies I had been wanting to see...spent the week pampering myself, and went into labor a week later.

[Anonymous]

that's why i'm not getting ANY CCs.

[Anonymous]

For the woman that is considering it I did the castor oil (on advice of two friends who also swore by it) and it absolutely worked. I took it in the morning when husband left for work. Had some diarrhea starting about 4-5 hrs later. I was afraid it didn't do the trick so I took a little more around 4pm. At that point I just thought I had gas or cramps from the pooping, how should I have known it was my first baby. Water broke at 7:20, got stuff ready, took dog out, got to Sibley at 7:40 and son born at 8:22. Castor oil was the best thing I ever did, things were so greased up down there he slid right out!