purple line between buttocks indicating dilation

[cogitosum]

In my yoga class tonight the instructor mentioned that to avoid internal examinations a midwife can determine how dilated you are by looking between your buttocks. A purple line indicates dilation and the length of it in relation to something shows how dilated you are... is this true? Has anyone else heard of this (particularly any healthcare professionals)?

I've looked on google and there is some information but not much - in particular how the length correlates to dilation etc.

THe reason I'm particularly keen to find out is I of course immediately I got home spread my buttocks for DH to have a look and lo and behold he was adamant there is a distinct purplish line a couple of inches long. Using a full length and handheld mirror I managed to look and he's right - there is definitely a line.

I'm 39 weeks... baby's been fully engaged for a couple of weeks. I;ve been having some very light cramping the last couple of days (so light I would barely notice if I weren't aware of every twinge) but nothing regular or even anything I'd take a paracetamol for.

So is it possible I'm a little dilated without realising and could this mean things may start happening soonish?

any advice from anyone who knows about this purple line would be fantastic!

I;ve google imaged and it does appear to be very similar to those coming up (although not as high up my back)

My mws were using this when I was having a water birth. It is a very old technique and I don't know if there is any evidence based research.

Not sure about the purple line, but ...You don't need to have any internal examinations, you are in control of your own labour and should feel empowered enough to say so (I didn't mind the internals but objected strongly to lying on a bed with a monitor on when I wanted to be upright and mobile during labour!). It's your labour, take control and put these interfering MWs in their place

it'sallgoingtobefine thanks that's interesting. So it does seem to have something in it if they were using it. The images I found were all from water births so I guess it may be common for that. I'm hoping for one too.

fairytrain the midwives here seem really supportive of hypnobirthing etc so I'm not too worried about them insisting on intervention. It's more I'm impatient to know now if I'm likely to go into labour soon!

Thank you.

I used to work in maternity services and the midwives used to mention this.

It is of course possible that you have started dilating. Good luck

OOh I really hope so. I'm bizarrely really excited about labour!

It's like TTC all this symptom spotting!

Yep when I and ds4 this is how my midwife knew how I was doing and she pointed it out to dp saying the baby would be born soon. I was in the pool, no examinations at all.