Trying to understand my old labour notes: cervix dilating and then contracting?!

[morningpaper]

I've been reading through my old labour notes.

7.30pm: 4cm dilated
2 hours later: 8 cm dilated
1 hour later: 6-7cm dilated (different midwife)

Is cervical dilation not a very SCIENTIFIC measurement? Or did my cervix go into reverse thrust? I'm confused.

[Aragon]

Hi mp,

not a very scientific measurement unfortunately. I always think that when you get a reverse dilation like that it's because the head is not well applied to the cervix and has altered position. Either that or just a different midwife feeling things differently.

[kgc]

I think they are taught how to measure the cervix and as they cannot see it and can only feel it I presume it will differ from midwife to midwife - I also think it depends on the midwifes experience.

[morningpaper]

Bit annoying isn't it.

I might have dilated 4cm in 2 hours or 2 cm in 3 hours. Big difference isn't it?

[Aragon]

My old midwifery testbook says around 0.5cm - 1cm an hour is "normal" (whatever that is). In my experience dilation is all very well but not if the baby's head is not well applied - then you get all sorts of variations in measurement as a cervix not well applied to the baby's head (or vice versa) is much more easy to stretch and then you get an overestimated dilation.

[pupuce]

Morningpaper whilst it may appear confusing to me it still reads the same in terms of labour
at 7h30 you were just in established labour
and 2 or 3 hours later you were on the verge to transition but not ready to push, still some woek to do. (between 6 and 8 cm there is very little) - also some MWs like to talk positively (!8 cm may (?) have been a slight over-exageration)
What happened next though?

Yes MWs have different readings on same woman ALSO you can actually "go backwards" in dilation too... I have seen 5cm go down to 2 !

[morningpaper]

Next I was in labour for another fun-packed 8 hours, they let me push at 9cm. So I guess the conservative estimate was probably correct.

[dinny]

MP, how do you get your notes?

[morningpaper]

Dinny: I photocopied them before I was handed over to Health Visitor care (until then I still had them in my Maternity notes folder).

[hoxtonchick]

write to your hospital dinny, they have a legal obligation to give them to you. will rip you off for photocopying charges though....

[Heathcliffscathy]

[quick thread hijack] hox, when shall we meet? we are not so far....

[hoxtonchick]

hi soph! not next tuesday as i'm giving birth.....

[mears]

It is definately not an exact science and some people (especially junior doctors) are rubbish at it

My question would be why did you need so many internal examinations morningpaper?

[pupuce]

Mears - EXCELLENT question!!!!!

[dinny]

why do hospitals keep them?

Hoxtonchick, are you due next week???!!!! Can't believe it's time already!

[hoxtonchick]

i'm due on the 10th july dinny, but i'm being induced at 38 weeks due to my diabetes (blah blah blah!). am a little scared.... but excited too.

[morningpaper]

I think the first was when I went in.

The second was when I asked for an epidural and they wanted to check my progress.

The third was at the changeover of midwife and she wanted a good poke around.

Didn't bother me at all TBH, I didn't feel a thing, I would have had my own arm up there too if I could have reached...

[kgc]

Hi again MP

I think that all was fine but maybe - considering earlier replies you had either dilated then retracted slightly because of baby's positioning or it was to do with a difference in midwifes techniques. Hope that you are feeling a bit better about it all.

[mears]

dinny - hospitals keep your notes for 25 years incase you want to sue!

[piglit]

I went from 9 cms to 6 cms when ds flipped round and became back to back. I just burst into tears when they told me I'd gone backwards! Makes me shudder just thinking about it....

[morningpaper]