I'm 38 weeks pregnant and the doctor said my cervix is still closed?

Question

Im 38 weeks, and went to the doctors today and he checked me, he said the baby moved down into position, but the cervix is still closed. It hurt more this time when he checked me(from last week), and ive heard of doctors stripping your membranes. is there a way to tell if he did this or am i just more sensitive down there? ive been having more pressure down there since i went to the doctors also.
Im sooo ready to have this baby already!

thank u , you've all been very helpful! :)

I'm not trying to induce labor, i was just trying to see if he stripped my membranes...and i guess he would prolly tell me something like that. i would hope lol. i cant wait to meet my bundle of joy.......its supposed to be a girl!

Answer 1

This is normal with your baby moving down into position and you will feel some pressure because more than likely your bones are spreading apart to get ready to have the baby. Your cervix could thin out and you start to dialate.

Answer 2

Ouch! Your situation is totally normal and don't worry if you aren't dilating just yet. I went for my 39 week checkup last week and I'm still not dilated at all (due this Thursday, though!) and I did let my doctor know that the week before (38 weeks) I was incredibly sore after the exam. Literally, I came home from the doctor and laid in bed or sat on a yoga ball for a few hours just to try to reduce the pain..yuck..so last week the doctor was a little more gentle. It's good that the baby has moved into position and now all you have to do is wait..I know-easier said than done, right?! Good luck! Your baby will come as soon as it is ready and I'm sure it will be beautiful!! :)

Answer 3

I doubt he stripped your membranes at 38 weeks, but if he did he should have told you. Normally you have to be dilated at least a little bit for your membranes to be stripped. If you are closed, they can't get to the membranes. The cervix would have to open at least 1 centimeter. The extra sensitivity and pressure is from the baby's head lodging itself down there. Good luck, sounds like the baby is getting closer!!

Answer 4

As you near the end of your pregnancy, you may be ready for the entire process of carrying your baby to be over. You'll be eager to start a whole new phase of life and actually meet this little miracle. But you might wonder: When is it safe to try to naturally induce labor, and how do I go about accomplishing that?

You shouldn't even consider trying to begin your labor until you are around 40 weeks pregnant or overdue. That's because your due date could be inaccurate by a few weeks, and if you start your labor before 40 weeks, you might give birth to the baby before he is ready to thrive outside the womb.

Several things can be done that might make you have contractions and start your labor, but they'll only work if your body is ready. If your body isn't prepared to go into labor, you can try as much as your heart desires, but you will only frustrate yourself.

Use caution when trying any of these natural methods to begin your labor, particularly herbs and nipple stimulation. The uterus can become hyperstimulated, meaning that it'll get too little rest between contractions. This can cause the baby to receive less oxygen, resulting in fetal heart rate slowing. Before trying any of these techniques, you should discuss them with your practitioner.

Stripping the membranes
Your practitioner may offer to "strip your membranes" to help start your labor. This procedure usually feels like a vaginal examination, although it sometimes can be painful or cause cramping. The practitioner places her gloved finger through the cervix and sweeps the amniotic membranes free of their attachment to the lower part of the uterine cavity. This process is believed to release hormone-like substances called prostaglandins, which help to ready your body for labor.

While some experts believe that stripping the membranes causes you to go into labor that day, the only research on this procedure was done by a group of midwives who stripped the membranes of a group of their patients at every visit to the office after 38 weeks gestation. Their findings showed that patients who had this procedure were less likely to go past their due dates. According to the study, the procedure didn't seem to pose any complications and didn't cause the patients' waters to break.

Even though your practitioner would be the one to do the procedure (vs. the other methods that can be done by you at home), we include it here because it is a non-medical intervention.

Factors of success
Many of these natural labor-inducing approaches can be effective if your body is ready to deliver your baby. To be successful, most of these techniques require you to be having contractions or perhaps in early labor.

Don't worry, though--whether one of these measures works or your body still needs more time, your little one will be joining your family soon. Try to be patient; you'll have a lifetime together when he finally does arrive.

http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5329,00.html

Answer 5

it hurts more because the baby is down in position, and your just about ready to have this baby....don't worry if your cervix is still closed, that can change over night...Keep up on as much walking as you possibly can, let gravity help you out a bit...as for being induced like that by stripping your membranes...he would definatly let you know about that...and he probably wouldn't even do it till after 40 weeks.

Answer 6

I know sweetheart, and this baby will be here before you know it.

Cervix being closed means nothing. They can dilate and thin out in a matter of hours. So this doesn't mean your baby will be late, early or anything, really.

Lay down, rest and wait, conserve energy and make sure everything in baby's room is just the way you want it. If you feel up to it, stock the freezer with easily reheated food so y'all won't starve after baby comes. Get your baby announcements all filled out...

Take care,

TX Mom
not an expert

Answer 7

I am 35wks and the same. I also saw my doc. today. My cervix is still closed also, but he says my baby is very low and the pressure you feel is from the baby trying to come out. It wont be long. A couple hrs of constant contractions and you will dialate in no time. Good luck. you are doing better than me.

Answer 8

They are supposed to tell you if they did that, but actually more often than not they wont tell you...My guess is s/he did not...seeing as your cervix is still closed, s/he would not have been able to get in to try to sweep the membranes!

It is normal to still be closed at 38 weeks, I stayed closed until close to 41 weeks when I finally reached 1 cm...

Since stripping/sweeping the membranes is an induction technique I will give you more info on induction...Please know you have the right to refuse induction.

Unless it is medically necessary to have a child early induction is not the safest thing to pursue. Average first pregnancies are 41 weeks 1 day & pregnancies with prior births average 40 weeks 3 days… (The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer) It is optimal to be patient and wait until your body & baby are ready. Actually only 4% of babies arrive on their due date, while 2/3’s arrive within 10 days (that’s 38 weeks 5 days to 41 weeks 3 days)(Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Simkin, Whalley and Keppler.)

“The onset of labor seems to be under the joint control of the hormonal (endocrine) systems of mother and baby. These systems function in synchrony so that most of the time the baby is ready to be born at about the same time the mother is physically and emotionally ready to give birth and to nourish and nurture her baby. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) regulates the timing of the birth by triggering the changes in the mother’s uterus and in the fetus that must precede labor. Both the fetal brain and the placenta produce CRH. The rate at which the hormone is released is sometimes called the “feto-placental clock.” The clock is faster in some women than in others, which helps explain why healthy term babies are born at any time between thirty-seven and forty-two weeks gestation.” (Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn by Simkin, Whalley and Keppler.)

Intervention usually leads to more intervening, especially when you and your body and baby are not physically ready, and having an induction can put you at a higher risk of having a cesarean section, something that despite being the most common surgery in the U.S. carries many, many risks.

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/cesareanrisks.html

Some safe ways to try to bring on labor at home are:

Walking. And especially up & down stairs sideways. This helps the baby navigate the pelvic bones and allows the baby to put pressure on your cervix aiding in dilation.

Squatting is also good, both before labor & during. Before labor you can do squats to strengthen your legs for long periods of squatting during labor as well as stretching the joints & muscles associated with squatting. It also helps the baby put pressure on the cervix. And during labor it can open your pelvis up to 33% more, allowing more room for the baby to squeeze out!

I have heard good things about red raspberry tea (drink it chilled, hot it is gross!) It is said to strengthens/tones your uterus, thus causing your contractions to be more efficient and on occasion less painful.

The verdict is still out whether semen/sperm contain enough prostaglandin hormone to effectively ripen a cervix, but becoming sexually aroused and or having sex and nipple stimulation either by hand or breast pump have been proven on a occasion to effectively start labor contractions. That is because having sex, being sexually aroused and nipple stimulation cause your brain to release Oxytocin the natural form of the synthetic hormone Pitocin used by doctors to induce contractions.
All of the above methods are safe as they will not prematurely put you into labor, they will only push you over the edge if you are already close.

CASTOR OIL IS A LAXATIVE AND HAS NEVER BEEN PROVEN TO BE SAFE OR EFFECTIVE AT INDUCING LABOR. IT CAN PASS THE PLACENTA CAUSING THE BABY TO PASS MECONIUM (POOP) INSIDE PUTTING HIM/HER AT A HIGHER RISK OF INFECTION AND OTHER SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS!

Answer 9

The doctor would have told you if he stripped your membranes. As for the pressure, if it gets bad, call your doctor and let them know!

Answer 10

I would say you will have it from now to with in 2 weeks....
the presure means it is almost time.some cervix dont thin out untill the last min.however im no doctor.But let us know
cause you will be having a baby soon.