I have checked my cervix with both pregnancies. I washed my hands in the shower and hiked up a leg.

With my first, I could feel it easily and that his head was *right there*. Went on for weeks before my water broke, 4 days past due. OB confirmed his head was *right there* once we got to the hospital. Second one I had a hard time reaching, it was way, way up there and no hard head this time. For many weeks until i got induced for medical reasons at 39w.

I’m just impressed that you’d be able to even reach up there at 9 months pregnant.

I checked my cervix regularly when trying to conceive, and had no problem reaching it and feeling when it was soft, high, open, etc and I was "fertile".

I also tried checking it when I was 9 months pregnant and found it extremely hard to reach! My belly just got in the way.

Also, as others have said, it is predictive of basically nothing in terms of labor.

You won't be able to reach it.

It's pointless, tells you nothing and only carries risk. Why would you do this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:checking cervical dilation or effacement won't really tell you how close you are - i was 3cm dilated and 50% effaced .... for 3.5 weeks before labor! it just got my hopes up that baby was coming soon

OP here - I read an article about how to check your cervix and all I could think was DUH this sounds SO easy and I did it all the time when trying to get pregnant but then after my shower last night I checked and I couldn't tell what I was touching. It was so far up.

haha i love this

And I was 4 cm dilated for a WEEK before my second decided to come out.

Anonymous wrote:I had a cervical check at my 39w appointment. Very high and only dilated "barely a fingertip", according to my midwife. Water broke and DD was born the next day.

Cervical checks don't mean much.

Same except DD was born two days later. Part of me wonders if the cervix check actually led me to go into labor (at 38 and 3).

I had a cervical check at my 39w appointment. Very high and only dilated "barely a fingertip", according to my midwife. Water broke and DD was born the next day.

Cervical checks don't mean much.

Anonymous wrote:checking cervical dilation or effacement won't really tell you how close you are - i was 3cm dilated and 50% effaced .... for 3.5 weeks before labor! it just got my hopes up that baby was coming soon

OP here - I read an article about how to check your cervix and all I could think was DUH this sounds SO easy and I did it all the time when trying to get pregnant but then after my shower last night I checked and I couldn't tell what I was touching. It was so far up.

checking cervical dilation or effacement won't really tell you how close you are - i was 3cm dilated and 50% effaced .... for 3.5 weeks before labor! it just got my hopes up that baby was coming soon

Is it such a bad thing to check my own cervix? Just to see if it's dilated at all. I would obviously wash the hell out of my hands first. But I'm so curious and can't wait.