ok, anytime i say ive been dialating since 36 weeks, everyone always comes back and says your not dialating your effacing, well, as a matter of fact, my dr has said at my 36 week appt. that i was almost a fingertip dialated, and never said a thing about effacment, and at my 39 week appt i moved up to a fingertip dialated, with baby in -3 station, but again, she never mentioned anything about effacment, now i dont mean to sound stupid, but dont you have to efface or thin i think in order to dialate??? or is it possiable to do both a once, or is it possibale im not effacing at all, just dialating??? im really confussed, and i always forget to ask her at the appt.....
im 40 weeks tuesday and thats my next appt, and so if i dont go into labour by then, how do the appt. start going??? is it like every 3 days? because obvoiusly it wont be weekly by then....
thanks for the help
2007-03-09 02:38:39 · 11 answers · asked by ruspecialenuf 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Well it sounds like you are going into labor fast I am an R.N. and you probably lost your mucus plug long ago but make no mistake your are about to have a baby start walking to make it progress a little faster.
2007-03-09 02:43:30 · answer #1 · answered by sheane561973 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To answer your question you have to efface to dialate. Effacing thins out the cervix so it can open up. However you can be like 50% effaced and have dialated to a fingertip. The more effaced you are the more your going to dialate.
A -3 station is how high/low your baby is (Right now your baby is still higher in the canal). I'm not 100% sure but I think you need to be at a +3 station by time of delivery. You may be at a 0 station during labor but in order to deliver the number will keep going up.
Have you lost your plug yet? (Have you had a white or pinkish large discharge?)
Congrats and Good Luck!
2007-03-09 02:52:59 · answer #2 · answered by Momma K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At 30 weeks, I became 1 cm dialated and 50% effaced. The effacement is how thin your cervix is, mine at 30 week was halfway to thinned out getting ready for baby to come. You were indeed dialated, the doctor's don't usually say much about effacement and they didn't make a big deal even at 30 weeks that I was 50 percent (but made a huge deal about the dialated part.)
2007-03-09 02:44:16 · answer #3 · answered by Serena 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK - you can be dilated with out being effacing.
Effacing is the thinning of the cervix which allows it to stretch for delivery and dilation is how much the cervix is opening for delivery.
You can deliver vaginally with out effacing, but it is not recommended. Doctors will assist effacement by applying testosterone (prostaglandin) gels. You CANNOT deliver vaginally without dilating. And this can be assisted with gels and/or pitocin and/or breaking your water.
With my first I was 2cm dilated with 0 effacement at 38 weeks and still at and 2cm dilated, 0 effacement at 41 weeks. At my 40 week appointment, which was a Friday, I was scheduled for induction the next week Friday. This was mainly due to his size (he ended up being 8 lbs 13 oz). He was induced, and I got the full treatment - gels to get me to ripe (effaced), pitocin for contractions, and they broke my water (that's when everything really started).
I'm in the states so I'm not sure what they will do where you are (UK?). Some doctors will strip (or sweep) your membrane. This is when your doctor would manually separate your bag of waters from the lower part of your uterus. This causes the release of hormones called prostaglandins, which may help further ripen your cervix and possibly get contractions going. In most cases, this procedure is done during an office visit. You're then sent home to wait for labor to start, usually within the next few days.
Take care - you'll do great!
2007-03-09 05:42:01 · answer #4 · answered by g-lady 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
effacement is the thinning of the cervix and dilation is the opening of the cervix. at 36 weeks i was 1 centimeter dialated at 38 week i was almost 2 centimeters dialated and 80% effaced. I am now 40 wks. and 1 day and I went to dr. on wednesday he stripped my membranes and I am still waiting. I am scheduled to go back in monday for a stress test. So good luck to you.
2007-03-09 02:49:20 · answer #5 · answered by mirah 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dilation is the opening of the cervix, efacement is the thinning out and station is where the baby is located in the birth canal. In a perfect world, you would first thin out (eface), then dialate, then baby would decend, then voila the baby is born. We don't live in a perfect world. Sometime everything can happen at the same time. Usually, though, dilation and efacement happen simultaneously. Then baby starts to decend. Sorry I couldn't give you a more definite answer, but every person is different as is every pregnancy. Good luck.
2007-03-09 03:18:24 · answer #6 · answered by nursejen 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All I know is that I am dialating and becoming effaced at the same time. I am 33weeks and 6 days today and 3cm and 80% effaced with baby at -2. They told me I will probably not make it to 36 weeks.
I am also pregnant with twins!!!
2007-03-09 03:27:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The cervix will dialate then as your baby comes down into the birth canal at around -1 then your uterus will start to efface or thin so that it can stretch as much as possible or necessary. As the baby moves down into the +1 range then you will be in active labor.
2007-03-09 02:48:00 · answer #8 · answered by elaeblue 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is different for every birth. With my first son I was at a 2 for 6 weeks but not effaced with my latest I was completely efaced and still at a two (granted it progressed quickly from there) I started dilating at 23 weeks with him and was a a 2 for 14 weeks.
2007-03-09 02:57:43 · answer #9 · answered by pebble 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My niece was dilated 3cm for 3 weeks before she had her baby. It sometimes happens, and you do not go into labor right away. I stayed 2cm for almost 6 weeks before I finally went into labor. I also had a watery discharge for 2 weeks before I delivered.
Congratulations on being a new mom. I wish you and your baby the very best. There is nothing like having a baby.
2007-03-09 02:43:35 · answer #10 · answered by Sparkles 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋