Can you DIY check how dilated you are?

[notanumber]

So.... dilation, eh?

I'm remembering how horribly disappointed I was to rock up to the hospital when in labour with DS fully expecting to be told that I was nine centimetres and would be pushing within the hour only to be faced with, "Hmmmm, well you're about two centimetres so not actually in established labour."

I'd quite like not to repeat that experience, so I'm wondering, can you identify how dilated you are at home yourself or should you just keep your mitts out and leave all the fanjo rummaging to the midwives?

Great question! I still have a long way to go till labour but would love to know the answer to your question. Lets bump this!!

You may need someone with you to check your buttocks!

Yes, I checked myself before I went to hospital.

I checked with one leg raised resting on toilet (with lid down). When I first checked right at the start I could feel cervix, soft but like a little nose/bump. A couple of hours later it was flat but still closed. A couple of hours after than I found feel it was around 2cm open.

Also wanted to add that especially 2nd time round it can be quite quick between 2cm open... I left the house when I was 2cm open (on hospital's advice) and DS2 (DC3) was born 2.5 hours later.