When your baby is ready to begin the journey through the birth canal, your cervix dilates from fully closed to 10 centimeters. This process can take hours, days, or even weeks. But once you hit active labor – about 6 cm dilated – it's usually just a matter of hours before you reach full dilation.
In the first stage of labor, the cervix will dilate to 10 centimeters (cm) in width. Dilation is typically gradual, but the cervix can widen rapidly over 1 or 2 days. A few different factors can influence how quickly dilation occurs.
The time between dilating to 1 cm and giving birth varies from woman to woman. One woman may go from having a closed cervix to giving birth in a matter of hours, while another is 1–2 cm dilated for days or weeks. Some women do not experience any dilation until they go into active labor.
Your cervix needs to open about 10cm for your baby to pass through it. This is what's called being fully dilated. In a 1st pregnancy, the time from the start of established labour to being fully dilated is usually 8 to 18 hours.
(Some OBs will go ahead and break your water at 3 or 4 centimeters.) The reasoning behind this: “Artificial rupture of membranes” (popping a hole in the amniotic sac) will usually jumpstart labor by getting serious contractions underway.
What happens when I'm 3 cm dilated? 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.
The advantages of having your water intentionally broken are: It can speed up or progress your labor by bringing your baby down closer to your cervix and increasing contractions. It can help your healthcare provider monitor your baby more closely for distress.
On average, your cervix will dilate at approximately 1 cm an hour. What you can do: Look to your labor partner and health care team for encouragement and support. Try breathing and relaxation techniques to relieve your discomfort.
It is not uncommon for the cervical ripening to take up to 24-36 hours!! It is also not uncommon to use different techniques to ripen the cervix. You may feel contractions during this process. If the contractions become painful, you will be able to request medication to relieve your discomfort.
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.
Walking doesn't induce labor contractions, which are the periodic tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscle that eventually help to push the baby out. However, a stroll can help the body prepare to give birth. In the weeks before labor, the body goes through all sorts of readying changes, DiFranco Field said.
We love Ina May Gaskin's quote, “Squat 300 times a day, you're going to give birth quickly.” However, if you have not been squatting at all, start with our minimum of 25 squats a day.
As you get closer to your due date, your cervix may start to dilate without you realizing it. Your doctor or midwife will be able to tell if this is happening when they do a routine cervical check.
But if you're close to 10 centimeters dilated the research suggests it's not an issue. Evidence suggests it's more of a theoretical fear that just adds additional stress and in some cases results in an epidural (or a higher dose of epidural) to mask that urge.
Although it is the shortest phase, the transition phase is the most challenging. Transition typically lasts 30 minutes to 2 hours as your cervix fully dilates from 8 cm to 10 cm. Contractions will last roughly 60-90 seconds with only 30 seconds to 2 minutes between.
If you're less than 4 cm dilated: You might be sent home because your labor isn't active enough for hospital admission.
Doctors have to wait until the cervix is at least 4 centimeters dilated before doing an epidural. Otherwise, the epidural will slow the process down too much. However, once the cervix becomes fully dilated it is too late for an epidural to be given.
A fully dilated cervix is 10 centimeters open.
This is about the size of a bagel, and means that when your cervix is measured with two fingers, they can be stretched 10 centimeters across.
During the transition phase of labor, the cervix dilates to the following sizes: 8 cm, the size of an apple. 9 cm, the size of a donut. 10 cm, the size of a large bagel.
Does it hurt when my waters break? No, it shouldn't hurt when your waters break or when they are broken for you. The amniotic sac, which is the part that 'breaks' doesn't have pain receptors, which are the things that cause you to feel pain.
In most cases, your healthcare provider will want to deliver your baby within 48 hours of your water breaking, although the timing can vary depending on your medical history and how many weeks you are in pregnancy.