37 weeks and 1/2 cm dialated?

Question

okay moms when you were 37weeks how far were you dialated my doctor says it is normal to be only 1/2 cm dialated but i was hoping to be farther so he told me to walk alot and lots of sex also helps. is this true? i mean what helped you guys? any advise is great thanks so much.

Answer 1

Patience is what is going to help the most. I don’t think I was dilated at 37-weeks; I was barely dilated at 41-weeks (only @1cm and NO effacement, probably why my induction ended in c-section! Sorry TMI!)

Anyway, Walking will help in a lot of ways, it helps your pelvis to loosen up which allows the baby to drop further down and put pressure on your cervix aiding in dilation, it also works with gravity for the same out come. It also helps to strengthen those leg muscles that can help you get into better positions (other than flat on your back, which isn’t even the best position, because it works against gravity…) Walking up and down stairs is also beneficial for the same reasons, some say go up and down side ways also works.

Though the verdict is still out whether sperm/semen do aid in the onset of labor, sex and nipple stimulation do. Semen contains prostaglandins that are supposed to help ripen the cervix, while becoming sexually aroused releases the natural form of oxytocin, a labor-inducing hormone that is often given in the synthetic form Pitocin to medically induce labor. Nipple stimulation, whether done alone or with your partner either by hand or breast pump has been known to be very effective in starting contractions or getting contractions to become stronger.

In reality, it seems as though yours and the baby’s endocrine systems jointly control the onset of labor. Both the fetal brain and the placenta release a hormone called Corticotropin-releasing hormone CRH, it triggers the changes in the mothers’ uterus and the fetus that must precede labor. The rate at which the hormone is released is sometimes referred to as the “feto-placental clock”. The clock is faster in some women than others, which helps to explain why healthy term babies are delivered anytime between 37 and 42 weeks! (Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Simkin, Whalley and Keppler)

Actually, average first pregnancies are 41 weeks 1 day, according to a 1990 study.
(The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer)

Only 4% of babies arrive on their estimated due date, while two-thirds arrive within 10 days of the EDD.
(Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Simkin, Whalley and Keppler)

Well I hope this helps you understand the process and major changes you have to undergo before having your baby. Congrats! And have a safe birth.

Answer 2

o.k. now, chill out, I know you're in the homestretch... Walking helps some women, not all! I have had 4 children, and my youngest is 2. I was 11/2 cm dialated for 2 weeks and nothing happened, not after walking or sex, my best friend was sex, with my first child, besides the fact that through the whole entire pregnancy, I was rather horny!! So my suggestion, have sex as often as you want or can, and see if that helps, I have also heard that sperm eat away at the cervix, so maybe that's why it helps, at least me, I'm sure you have heard numerous times that this little one will come when it is ready, I say you probably have 2-3 weeks left, they will go by fast and you will never get them back, I love pregnant women!! They are awesome, so sit back and enjoy the ride... Cuz once your little one is here, alot of the quiet time takes a back seat. Good Luck and I am so excited for you!!!

Answer 3

I was 0 dialated...even @ 39 weeks, I finally dialated to 1cm @ 41 weeks (friday) and dialated to 3cm on monday.
I don't know about the walking and sex. I stayed very active both physically and sexually throughout my pregnancy, didn't seem to hlep me. I insisted on induction as I felt the baby was getting too big. Thank goodness I did because she was a 9lber and didn't want to come out. It still took more the 24 hours for me to dialate to 10 they were about to wheel me down to surgery when the doctor came in and checked one more time and bam I was there. So you never really know those little people will be born when they are good and darn ready.

Answer 4

I've had 3 kids and by 37 weeks I've been around 1-2 cm, but this doesn't indicate that labor is near. Some people walk around 3-4cm for weeks before going into labor and others aren't dialated at all and go into labor later that night. Unfortunately, there's just no way to know when labor is imminent aside from progressive contractions.
As far as moving things along, I walked and walked and walked with my 1st and 2nd and it didn't help a bit. Same with sex...the thing is, nothings going to help unless your body is ready to go into labor anyway. I drove myself crazy trying to go into labor, but just ended up stressing myself out more. My advice would be patience...I know, that's practically impossible at this point, but it's really the only way to make it without going crazy. (my 3rd is now 2 months old, so I'm not too removed from those feelings).
If you're just trying to get some dialating out of the way, my advice would be sex with orgasm because it stimulates hormones to help soften your cervix, which is half the battle :)

Answer 5

Yeah a half a cm isnt really anything.Walking is a great way to get some contractions going.Some say sex helps because when a woman orgasms it tightens uterine muscles but 1 orgasm isnt going to do anything. The other thought of sex helping onset labor is that sperm has prostiglandins which is a natural labor stimulant. But really it would take gallons of sperm to onset your labor. Your best option is walking. walking actually stimulates the uterus which can effectively onset labor. Now you have to walk for a while and keep it up till your contractions are steady and actually productive. Nature will take its course soon enough sweetie. The end is near so try to relax. Everything will work out just perfectly.

Answer 6

Walking and sex are helpful. I also kept busy by making sure the nursery was clean and ready for baby. I also cooked and froze some meals for the week after delivery. I also cleaned the house from top to bottom. Once I learned I was 1/2 cm dilated, it only took me 5 days to go into labor.

Good Luck!!

Answer 7

Okay--I wouldn't worry AT ALL that you are only 1/2 cm. dialated. Technically you still have 3 weeks to go. However, if you are antsy--things that work are: spicy food, shellfish, lots of walking, sex, driving on a bumpy road, drink a margarita (it doesn't hurt the baby at this point-I promise). Seriously I was SO ready when I was pregnant with my son my doctor recommended all of these things! Best of luck to you.

Answer 8

First off, you're only 37 weeks. You could have five weeks left. You're not even due yet! I know you're anxious, but the baby will come soon enough, and no sooner.

Second, dilation at this point means diddley-squat. You could go from nothing to 10cm in two hours, or sit at 3 cm for four weeks.

Have sex if you think you'd enjoy it. Walk if the weather's nice and you can handle it. Eat spicey food if you enjoy it. Only swallow castor oil if you like that kinda thing - doesn't sound like fun to me, though.

Answer 9

I used to be two cm from 29 weeks until 35 weeks whilst I went into labour at a three then brought 4 days later. The 4 days of early labour I used lavender oil in lotion massaged into my sacrum, strain features and begging the little one to delight pop out earlier than I had to be dedicated... 4 days of again labour.

Answer 10

I was 1 cm at 37 weeks and stayed that way LOL untill I was 42 w 1D!! I never progressed. i was induced 3 times and finelly my water broke. I was put on pictosen for OVER 36 hours full blast and ended up having a C-section.