Early dilation often feels like menstrual cramps as the cervical changes cause pain and cramping noticed in the lower part of the uterus. It is the same sensation and location as menstrual cramps. Active labor tends to be felt in a larger area but can be a similar sensation as cramping (with more intensity of course).
Discharging a brown or pink-tinged mucus is an early sign of cervix dilation. Effacement of the cervix causes small blood vessels to break. This causes the mucus to appear as pink or brown. It's important to seek medical advice about vaginal bleeding.
Try to insert the tips of your fingers into your cervix. If one fingertip fits through your cervix, you're considered one centimeter dilated. If two fit, you're two centimeters dilated. If there's additional space in the opening, try to estimate how many fingertips would fit to determine dilation.
You can't feel your cervix thinning, but you might pick up on a few cervical effacement symptoms. When your cervix effaces, you may feel pressure down there, Thiel says. You might also notice an increase in cervical mucus or discharge. “It may feel kind of crampy,” Cackovic says.
As cervical dilation increased, there were significant increases in self-reported pain and observed pain on all the cited measures. Pain was characterized as 'discomforting' during early dilation and as 'distressing, horrible, excruciating' as dilation progressed.
If you have an uncomplicated pregnancy, your doctor or midwife will typically start checking for dilation after the 36-week mark, notes Ellson.
The cervix can be dilated to 1 centimeter for weeks before the beginning of labor. This extent of dilation only signals that the cervix is starting to prepare for labor. Most pregnant women spend some time wondering when they will go into labor, especially as the due date draws near.
Next the cervix softens, going from a consistency similar to the tip of your nose to soft and squishy like your lips. As the uterus practices contracting, the cervix moves from behind the baby's head to forward on top of its head, closer to the opening of the vagina. This is referred to as the position of the cervix.
It may be hard to talk or move easily. At this point, your cervix will be dilated 3 to 10 centimeters. (Dilating one centimeter an hour is textbook, but like in early labor, it's different for everyone.) If you're opting for an epidural, the time is…now!
Try being upright
One of your biggest allies is gravity. When you are upright—standing, sitting or kneeling—the weight of your baby presses on the cervix, encouraging it to open. An upright position may also help get your baby into the best position for birth.
Labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis. Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom. Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps.
Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.
Reach to the end of the vaginal canal and feel for the texture and thickness of your cervix. If what you feel is very hard and thick, you're likely not very effaced. If it feels mushy and thin, you may be making some progress.
Is it possible to dilate and not lose your mucus plug? You can dilate to a certain degree and not lose the mucus plug, but it will come out eventually. All pregnant people will have a mucus plug protecting the uterus from bacteria. It will always fall out before the baby is delivered.
Before labor, the cervix is typically 3.5 to 4 centimeters long. As labor begins, the cervix starts to soften, shorten and thin (efface). You might feel mild, irregular contractions or nothing at all. Effacement is often expressed in percentages.
Once your cervix reaches 3 cm dilation, you've probably entered the early stage of labor. During this stage, your cervix gradually dilates to about 6 cm. This is the longest part of labor and can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, although between 8 to 12 hours is common.
In general, once the active stage of labor kicks in, it's a safe bet to expect a steady cervical dilation every hour. Many women don't start really dilating more regularly until closer to around 6 cm. The first stage of labor ends when a woman's cervix is fully dilated to 10 cm and fully effaced (thinned out).
Cervical dilation and labor
During labor, intense contractions of the uterus help move the baby down and eventually out of the pelvis, and into the vagina. These contractions put pressure on the cervix and cause it to expand slowly.
According to Brichter, sitting on an exercise or birthing ball in neutral wide-legged positions prepares the body for labor by increasing blood flow, opening the pelvis, and encouraging cervical dilation. You can also try birth ball exercises such as circular hip rotations, rocking, and gentle bouncing.
Know the signs
contractions or tightenings. a "show", when the plug of mucus from your cervix (entrance to your womb, or uterus) comes away. backache. an urge to go to the toilet, which is caused by your baby's head pressing on your bowel.
Women feel contractions differently, but early contractions generally begin as a cramp - similar to period pains, or a mild backache. Sometimes it will feel like a tight band around the top of your womb, which can be felt externally by placing a hand on your bump.
Theoretically, the unequal walking pattern created by the curb causes the pelvis to open and allows the baby's head to descend. When the baby's head is deeper into the pelvis, there is more pressure on the cervix, causing dilation and effacement. This uneven walk should be done for about 10 minutes.