how to check yourself for cervix dilation?

[mosaica]

Hi,

Does any of you know how exactly to check yourself for dilation? I know you do it internally and each finger is more or less 2 cms, but where do you - errr- point to exactly? And how do you know if your cervix is high and low? I've never felt my cervix before so I am a bit lost.

Thanks!

This is not like changing a fuse ......leave it to the professionals ....poke too far and your baby will have sore eyes .

i've never ever heard anyone say they were going to check their own dilation. surley go and see a midwife?

Well, that's what I thought. But somebody I used to know did check herself when she was in labour, there is this technique which you can follow and it is pretty accurate and safe for the baby. But at the time I wasn't pregnant so I forgot the details.

Any ideas?

I'm impressed by anyone who is able to get their hand that far 'up' and bend enough to be able to with a 9 month belly in the way!

Seriously I would have thought its very difficult. I've been a midwife for 7 years and sometimes I still find it hard. Especially in early labour they can be nearly impossible to reach, and thats when I'm coming at it from the right angle, not bending my arm back on itself.

I was a year into my training before I could find a cervix, before that it all just felt like a blob of jelly up their. I was in my last year of training before I could accurately define dilatation most of the time. Even now I sometimes get it wrong, I see other midwives get it wrong as well at times.

Once your in labour your midwife would want to do it. She's not going to take your word for it!

I have checked myself several times. My doctor says it's perfectly fine as long as I wear sterile gloves and make sure hands are extra clean. Going strong at 31 weeks! Still able to check. I do it because I have an irritable uterus and have been having Braxton Hicks every day since 22 weeks. I'd rather check it myself in the comfort of my own home every few days, or when I'm worried, than have to trek down to L&D to be checked by them and sent home.

So far mine is closed. However, I have always been told a finger is 1cm, not 2. If you reach far back and tilt at an angle, you can feel the external os. Feels like a dimple between two little puffs of skin. If you can stick a finger completely inside that's 1cm. So far I can press around but it won't slip all the way in.

How on earth could sticking your own (hopefully clean) fingers up your own hoohaa be an infection risk? Well unless your waters have gone.

Don't think I could have done it, I have pretty short arms and fingers, although I was quite familiar with the old cervix when ttc, whether it was high or low etc.

If mine was low I could easily reach it, if it was high I couldn't reach it, or could barely brush it.

When very pg it would just be a logistical impossibility .

I can only do it sat on the loo and I find bearing down as though doing a poo really helps to bring it down so I can reach it

If you look on the may antenatal thread someone posted a link on how to do it.