Hey! Pregnant mothers or if you have already had children....?

Question

I am 38 weeks pregnant and went to the Dr. last Wednesday for my weekly check up. I am only dialated as my Dr. decribed "tip of the finger" not even 1 cm. I am not due until October 16th. My Dr. told me that she was going to try to help my "move things along". She pushed on my cervix w/her finger and I have been having "false labor" contractions since. I went to the hospital a few days ago when they got really bad, like 2-3 minutes apart and they checked me. I thought for sure that I would be further dialated, but no, I wasn't. But the contractions were very painful. The nurse told me to walk for 45 mins. which I did, but to no avail. They told me to go home, maybe if I was more relaxed at home, my baby would shift into position and I would dialate more. It is now going on Sat. n I am still having contractions, but not as painful as they were that first night after my Dr. did that to my cervix. I was told that most women go into real labor 4 days after the Dr. does this. Is that true?

I am just wondering because before I was sent home, the Nurse that discharged me told me that she has never seen anyone go past 4 days of the Dr. doing that - they all went into labor. I don't feel like my baby was ready for that yet. I wasn't even due yet! Why did my Dr. do that to me? Has anyone gone through this? Tell me your stories on this ladies. I am confused. I really want to know if anyone out there this happened to, and if they went longer than 4 days before they delivered their babies.

Answer 1

This all sounds normal. Is this your first? With y 4th I had my membranes stripped 3 times and still walked around dilated to a 4 for a week the baby is going to come when it is ready. By the way don't drink Castor oil all that will do is give you the runs and raises your chances of crapping all over the table when you start pushing

Answer 2

Hi,
This is fresh in my memory from personal experience. You did the right thing by going to the hospital to be examined. If you were in labor and waited for too long than this could not be good. Is this your first baby? Labor usually lasts for longer and does not progress as quickly (usually, not always) with first baby. So you usually have time to spare to travel to the hospital. Could you be having Braxton Hicks contractions? These are false contractions but feel real at the time and usually stop and start again without a good rhythm of time. When you are in real labor the contractions will happen closely together and will not stop for a period of time. When your contractions are 5-6 minutes apart than you should be at a hospital. I would call your OB-gyn, midwife or go to the hospital to be checked if you have any questions. Your bag of water does not necessarily break on its own. Sometimes the OB-gyn has to do this. If your water breaks than you need to get to a hospital. I delivered within two days after having an internal exam to help move things along.

Answer 3

Your doctor stripped your membranes, separating them from your cervix. It is HIGHLY unethical for your doctor to do this without informed consent from you. That means she is required to have explained the procedure to you, along with any dangers and potential benefits, and obtained your consent before proceeding. Failure to do so means you can report her to the medical licensing board.

Stripping the membranes is one way to tip the scale toward going into labor . . . IF your body is just about ready to go into labor anyway. At 38 weeks, you're on the early edge of normal gestation length. The average first pregnancy lasts 41 weeks and 1 day. Normal gestation runs anywhere from 38 to 43 weeks. I think she's really pushing it by trying to get you going so soon. If your baby isn't done cooking, it isn't wise to force the issue -- your baby knows when s/he is ready to be born and will let your body know when the time comes.

I would have a serious sit down talk with your doctor about how inappropriate her actions were. You need to be able to trust the person you've chosen to catch your baby.

Good luck, mama!

Answer 4

Not sure if you and I had the same procedure, but what my doc did was to strip my membranes. That's where they use their finger to separate the placenta from the uterus. They expected my contractions to start within a couple of hours of doing this but they didn't. I was just sent to the maternity dept., and they broke my water. With my 1st, I stayed dialated at 3-4 cm for about 1 month. With my 2nd, I was at 4 cm for about 2 weeks before they broke my water. Good luck! The more patient and relaxed you are, the less your muscles are tensed and the easier it is for everything to get going!!

Answer 5

I am too having the same problem although I wasn't helped along like you and I am due on the 22. I would try the old method of taking 2 or 3 tablespoons of castor oil. It will help you have more contractions. Since you are having them already. It is so fustrated when you are at the end like this. I went to the hospital twice with the same problem and continue to have contractions. My doctor won't even check me to see if I am dilated. I took the castor oil and it made me have regular contractions and painful ones but they stop and didn't dilate me. Try having some sex and walking it helped me with my first baby. Good luck to you and if you have your baby on the 16 it will be on my mother's birthday. The day I am shooting for. I have learned just to be patient. I know you don't want to hear that, but that's the best information I got. SMILE

Answer 6

The fact that she just used her fingers tells me you are okay (remember it's perfectly safe to have sex and there is alot of poking happening there)

Don't panic. My cousin was in prelabour (that's what you are going through) for just under a week.

I would call your Dr, tell her your concerns and just to make sure you aren't losing necessary sleep (you'll need to sleep for energy for labour)

Finally see another Dr (not that I think anything is wrong with the 1st Dr that inserted her fingers into your cervix - it sounds perfectly normal)

mia

Answer 7

I don't know that your doctor should have done that at only 1 cm. I would say your baby just isn't ready to come out yet. You still have 3-4 weeks until you are past due, so I would let it ride.

Answer 8

I think what he did was strip your membranes. My doctor has done that in both my pregnancies. For the first one, in the 38th week, she did it and nothing happened. In the 39th week, she stripped them again and told me to try to have sex. Try is about all you can do at that point, but it worked. My water broke at midnight and my daughter was born that morning at 7:43 a.m. Very short labor for a first timer.
In the second pregnancy, I delivered at 38 weeks. She tried at 37 weeks to strip, and I started to dilate 1 cm but that was it. I was induced in week 38 because the baby was going to be a 10 pounder if I waited and I was ready.

Answer 9

well its called stretching yes it hurts and can cause contractions my doctor stripped my membraines twice and stretched me to a 5 plus induced me a week later just to send me home empty handed, in pain and feeling like a failue.my baby did eventually come a week later with the help of breaking my water and another induction. if your babys not ready then it wont come no maer what you or your doc does. when its ready it will happen.

Answer 10

I agree with the other posts. Get a second opinion. You could also call the labor and delivery department and have them run some tests to make sure you are ok.