August 2015

Bellyhearts. no, they do not check for dialation.
the routine check will be to see if it is "possible" for you to give birth naturally - if there is enough space for baby to come out - so they check the birth canal.
and more to check if your cervex is still holding up.
and it is also not really the average for you to dialate so long before birth, this was just how my body did it.

i have a fundamental problem with this check - because that is the first reasons gynies will give to push for a c-sec. they tell many woman that their is not enough space and baby might get stuck.
and 95% of woman is able to give birth naturally and size has nothing to do with this

they measure baby's head circumference and compare that to the birth canal.
but at 37 week, your birth canal is not nearly ready for this, so its actually bogus to compare the 2.
1 - because baby's head bones move over each other during birth so the head becomes smaller for going through the canal.
2 - because when you go into labour you hips and birth canal stretches to create space, everything softens up in order to get baby out.

Is it routine for gynae to start checking dilation from 37weeks?

hehe, jip, objectively, i had a few very comical moments during my labour.
thanx.

another thin i just remembered. what you can also mentally prepare for is that the average time for your first labour is anything between 16-28 hours

that is just an average indication and way that the hospital measure progress.

also one of the things you should prepare for, if it takes longer than that, it is still normal. there is absolutely nothing wrong with it if it takes longer.
also one of the reasons the nurses will want to inject you with something to speed up the process.

stay at home for as long as possibly.

with G i had an appointment st 37 weeks where gynie did an internal exam to check my cervix. there i was already 2 cm dialated. my next appointment was for 39 weeks and she told me that she didn't think i'll make it to the nex appointment. i was in labour for 17 and half hours then i was only 3 cm dialated, but 4 hour later i was at 9 cm and hubby could start seeing his head.

so please do not let them convince you to take additional "speeding-up" drugs - those leads to complications.

with a waterbirth you do not need to worry about germs. it is all sterile and the fluid coming out is the fluid that baby has been living in.
everyone say that a water birth is a bit easier as water really helps with relaxation.
so i would say go for it. you can always just get out if you do not like it or if your are uncomfortable.

that is also a way of the hospital to only take you when you are in active labour, but do not worry, they will not send you away before doing a checkup.
if you wait at home till your contractions is 5 min apart, then they will not send you away. even if you are not at 5 cm already

Love your story Stella.

Thanks Stella, i'll go read your story
Luckily my gynie is very pro natural birth. I'm thinking of water birth but I'm scared of any germs that can cause infection.. that's the last thing I want to worry about if I go into labour. Just another thing I remember from our class.. the dr said it takes about 1 hour to dilite 1cm. In our hospital they only let you into the labour room when you've dilited 5cm. normally children are born at 10cm. So expect at least 10 hours labour. The "stats" are based on first time moms.

Ctelly, here is a link to my birthstory - all the details if you want to read it
www.moomie.co.za/78-birth-stories/242084...obirthing-experience

another thing you have to prepare for and you and hubby must be very stren about it is not not let the nurses get into your head. hospital staff are driven for time and want to start injecting you with anything just to speed up the process. and the moment they start interfering, that also adds stress to the situation.

with this one, i will be extremely stern about it when i enter the labour ward and hubby will also send them away if they want to rush things.
i am absolutely sertain that if they didnt push me so much and just left me, if i had another 10 minutes i would have not teared.

Angy another thing should you wonder about it, if you are having a natural birth the dr will only run in right at the end when baby is about to be born. only the nurses will be there and do the checks and will phone the dr to keep him updated.
my gynie almost missed the birth completely, i don't think she was in the room a full 10 minutes.
for the most part it will only be you and hubby. the nurse/midwife will come in every hour or hour and half just to check up on you