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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

women with 2 or more kids did you

13 replies

melzyR · 07/11/2011 23:06

start dilating several weeks before your due date??

I have read that if its your 2nd + pregnancy it is common to start dilating 2-3cm several weeks before actual labour? Did this happen to you? how long before labour? and was it reasonably quickish labour considering you had already started dialing prior?

The reason i am asking as i am 35weeks and i definatley feel different down there...

Could you share your stories please??

OP posts:

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effingwotnots · 07/11/2011 23:14

I didn't. I thought I had as everything seemed looser and more tender, but apparently that was my ligaments and a bit of spd. My bloody cervix was like a brick.

Fresh01 · 08/11/2011 10:31

Yes, I was around 3cm from 38 weeks with DC2, she wasn't born till 40+4.. I was told it is because things are never quite as tight up there after the first........ With DC1 I had been having contractions for 11hours when I got to hospital and was only 4cm! DC2 and DC3 were 4 hours from waters breaking (contractions started 45 mins later) to holding the baby. Trying not to think what may happen in 6 weeks when no 4 is due : )

my2centsis · 10/11/2011 00:12

iv been wondering about this to?

Northernlurker · 10/11/2011 00:21

I have no idea - I wasn't letting anybody near my cervix till I was in labour! Gereally speaking though most people will have quicker second labours than first.

cat64 · 10/11/2011 00:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

lollystix · 10/11/2011 02:25

Yes-loads of pre-labour. Ds3 was 3cm at sweep at 40 weeks. Ds4 was 5cm when arrived at hospital at 38 and a half weeks. I think (although no way of confirming) that I'd probably spent the last week waking round at 3cm due to all the string bh/contractions I'd been having. Knew from this he'd be early.

debka · 10/11/2011 07:18

Very slightly dilated beforehand, but not enough for them to break my waters when I was induced! When I did go into labour (after 2 pessaries), it was quick- 1 hour from waters breaking to birth,

twogirls1more · 10/11/2011 09:42

Yep, is often the case, (though I guess not always.) In my experience.. (I'm 39wks with no.4,) I had about 4 long wks of latent labour with no.3 and seem to be getting the same this time! grrr... Had every "sign" of imminent labour incl bouts of regular painful contractions lasting up to 3hrs wks before I progress to v established labour! I was about 3cm's dilated at 38wks with DD3, (not sure what I am this time so far though hoping all the contractions have been doing something!! ) then I went into established labour on due date! This lasted about 1.5hrs and I was already 9cm's in hospital on first examination! (I'd had so many false alarms that I never really believed it when I reached established labour!)
My MW says that although you'd think that the more kids you have the easier it would get to identify the onset of "true labour," more often than not, it becomes harder each time! In my personal experience, this just about sums it up! :(

ragged · 10/11/2011 10:00

Not that I noticed.
Am not prone to deep exploration, though.
at the thought.

wobblyweeble82 · 10/11/2011 10:04

My midwife told me that after the first, your cervix never really properly 'shuts' and is always around 1cm

With DD, my second, Iwas dilating from 36+5. My waters went at 39w and she was born 39+5. It was a long haul ...

pinkpeony · 10/11/2011 10:33

No idea either as I didn't get checked until arrived at hospital. With DC1, labour started 15-16 hours after waters broke, and I never got past 2-3cm on my own so after a while they put me on the drip and then DC1 born 3 hours later. With DC2, waters broke 1.30pm, contractions started 2pm, got to the hospital 3.30pm, they checked me then and I was already 5-6cm dilated, DC2 born at 5.30pm.

101North · 10/11/2011 10:38

nope.

labour #1 - 3 hrs 45 mins. Out of bed after 20 mins and bouncing around like a goon

labour #2 - 2 days. partial placental abruption. failed ventouse forceps delivery culminating in a 3rd degree tear, and all that entails [wince emoticon]

labour #3 - elective c-section at 38 weeks. wonderful.

absolutely no idea if i was dilated. Like most, i'm not sure how you'd know?

twogirls1more · 10/11/2011 11:38

Also... think the only way to really know for sure what's going on with your cervix is to be examined internally. (Although with a lot of my painful latent labour contractions I can feel an odd kind of stretching pain going on vv low so I wouldn't mind betting this was my cervix thinning and/or dilating.) When I put above that I was 3cm's at 38wks with DD3, that wasn't a guess, that was on MW examination! :)

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