38 weeks... and NOT DIALATING!! HELP!

Brenda - posted on 04/22/2009

Quoting Brittany:

Quoting Rachel:

You still have plenty of time! Dilation doesn't have to start early. Do you know what your amniotic fluid levels are? I have mine checked every week and they told me that you don't have to worry at all as long as you have more than 2cm of fluid. There are so many stories of people whose bodies dilate from 0 on in a short time. I totally know how you feel about just wanting to evict the small one, though. It's getting to that time! Last week at my appointment when I was checked (36 weeks) my midwife couldn't reach baby at all, and this week she could. So maybe you'll be dilated and engaged by next visit. There are lots of things that people say work to help you get ready: evening primrose oil, sex, stripping your membranes, castor oil, a friend of mine swears by eating a whole pineapple to make your stomach start cramping and bring on labor! Try to relax a little, though. You're nowhere near needing a c-section or other complications just because your body isn't quite ready yet!

I've been walking more but I'm afraid to have sex. About a month ago, sex started bringing on Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm worried sex will just make BH worse and not actually start labor. I had sex yesterday morning and I had a lot more BH and some back pain, it also feels like she's all the way inbetween my hip bones. Does it sound like sex was doing it's job?

 

My baby's position is head down. they said that her feet are to the left of my stomach, her but to the right, is that the way she's supposed to be or does she need to position herself more?

Back pain and cramping along with BH are a good sign, because they will be a sign of true labor.  Basically what you're looking for with sex is to ripen the cervix, the BH are usually a result of the physical activiity.  Drink water before and after, and it may settle BH, but not true labor.  :)

As far as positon, until the baby is engaged, it could lay any way, and that could take up until you start active labor to resolve.  Mine right now has his butt in my left side and feet in the right side right up in my ribs...lol.

Rebekah - posted on 04/22/2009

My mom went to the Dr. the morning I was born and was not dilated a single bit. Her Dr. said it would be a few more weeks and her water broke that night. THEN, with my younger brother she went to the hospital with some contractions and they sent her home b/c she wasn't dilated. By the time she got home she knew she was in labor, turned around, and rushed back to the hospital. He was crowning in the car and she delivered him in her regular clothes as soon as she got inside. I think she went from 1-10cm in less than 2 hours... So don't worry about dilating.

Cheryl - posted on 04/22/2009

Are you seeing a chiropractor or cranial/sacral practitioner who specializes in pregnant women? I had a wonderful appt a few days ago which adjusted my pelvis so my baby could descend and engage. I don't know if I'm dilated yet, but people can be dilated for weeks. And for the low fluid, I would definitely increase the amount of water you drink. Are you drinking 10 8 ounce glasses of water / day?



I would think it's too early to determine c-section at this time.

Brittany - posted on 04/22/2009

Quoting Rachel:

You still have plenty of time! Dilation doesn't have to start early. Do you know what your amniotic fluid levels are? I have mine checked every week and they told me that you don't have to worry at all as long as you have more than 2cm of fluid. There are so many stories of people whose bodies dilate from 0 on in a short time. I totally know how you feel about just wanting to evict the small one, though. It's getting to that time! Last week at my appointment when I was checked (36 weeks) my midwife couldn't reach baby at all, and this week she could. So maybe you'll be dilated and engaged by next visit. There are lots of things that people say work to help you get ready: evening primrose oil, sex, stripping your membranes, castor oil, a friend of mine swears by eating a whole pineapple to make your stomach start cramping and bring on labor! Try to relax a little, though. You're nowhere near needing a c-section or other complications just because your body isn't quite ready yet!

I've been walking more but I'm afraid to have sex. About a month ago, sex started bringing on Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm worried sex will just make BH worse and not actually start labor. I had sex yesterday morning and I had a lot more BH and some back pain, it also feels like she's all the way inbetween my hip bones. Does it sound like sex was doing it's job?

My baby's position is head down. they said that her feet are to the left of my stomach, her but to the right, is that the way she's supposed to be or does she need to position herself more?

Brittany - posted on 04/22/2009

I am also 38 weeks and can't wait to hold my little one... and have my body back lol. I went to my dr's appoint monday and I was hoping they were going to check to see if I had dilated. They didn't. They told me if I didn't have her before my due date they'd check her at my appointment after my due date... 2 weeks and 2 appointments from now. They said that they would then talk about induction... They said she'll be here by May 15 because they will not let me go past 42 weeks (I'm due May 3). Another thing they told me is to never trust a pregnant woman because we can't ever know when we're going to go into labor. I guess what they mean is there is no way to predict it, the baby could be in position for weeks or get ready within a couple days.

Keela - posted on 04/21/2009

I am 38 weeks and 3 I was checked and I havent dilated at all. My doctor wanted to strip my membranes, but since it was completly closed she couldnt. I was frustrated and she said some women dont dilate first, meaning you can go into labor without being dilated.

Angela - posted on 04/21/2009

Don't worry! With all 3 of my kids my Dr told me nothing was going on and I pretty much went in that week! With my 3rd I saw my Dr that day and nothing was going on I was thining or dilated. I ended up delivering that night!

Brenda - posted on 04/21/2009

I didn't dialate with my first until I was at my 40 week check up, and then I was finally at 1cm. Just because you aren't dialating yet, doesn't mean that you'll have complications. I did have to have an induction, just because I had pre eclampsia, but I could have gone from 1cm to 6 in a short period of time.



And don't worry if baby is high. Mine is my second and he's still super high, I mean, most women have a bump that has their belly button in the center, my bump has my belly button at the bottom!!! I'll be check at 39 weeks next week, but at 36 I was 1cm with no effacement. WIth my first, he never dropped, and he was super high as well, so much that the doctor at first though he was breech because he couldn't feel him (my doc this time checks by way of sonogram).



At worst, you may go overdue and be induced after your due date. They'll place a ripening agent against the cervix and then break your water when you are dialated a little more. The idea is that once your water breaks your body kicks in and says, hey we're in labor here, lets go. They usually augment with pitocin, which mimics oxytocin, which is what your body produces naturally.



First, relax. Sex is a good place to start because semen is a natural ripening agent and will help soften the cervix. Did your doc say if your cervix was starting to soften yet? As long as it is beginning to process of softening, there could be changes at any moment to it. Red Rasperry tea is good because it tones uterine muscles, kind of the same as walking. But, the thing is, all labor inducing methods help labor that is ready to go. There really is nothing you can do to make it start if your body isn't ready to go.



Keep in mind: full term is between 37 and 42 weeks, and every baby is ready at a different time. So you've still got four whole weeks before you need to worry.

Rachel - posted on 04/21/2009

You still have plenty of time! Dilation doesn't have to start early. Do you know what your amniotic fluid levels are? I have mine checked every week and they told me that you don't have to worry at all as long as you have more than 2cm of fluid. There are so many stories of people whose bodies dilate from 0 on in a short time. I totally know how you feel about just wanting to evict the small one, though. It's getting to that time! Last week at my appointment when I was checked (36 weeks) my midwife couldn't reach baby at all, and this week she could. So maybe you'll be dilated and engaged by next visit. There are lots of things that people say work to help you get ready: evening primrose oil, sex, stripping your membranes, castor oil, a friend of mine swears by eating a whole pineapple to make your stomach start cramping and bring on labor! Try to relax a little, though. You're nowhere near needing a c-section or other complications just because your body isn't quite ready yet!