When do you dilate in pregnancy

Be sure to clean the surface of your nails as well. You need to get into a right position before checking your cervix. A simple solution is to sit on your toilet.

Before going any further, you should remove your clothes on your lower half. Sit on the toilet or get in a squatting position on the floor.

Start by inserting your index and middle fingers into your vagina to check your cervix. Ensure that the back of your hand is towards your spine and your palm is facing up all the time. To feel your cervix effectively, move your fingers towards your anus, but remove your finger in case of any discomfort. Keep pushing your fingers inside your vagina until you reach your cervix. Some women will have a lower cervix, while others will have a high cervix. Once you have found the cervix, gently touch its surface.

Do not try to poke or press it with your fingers because it can cause bleeding. If your one finger can slip into the cervix, you have already started dilating. Note: You should never put anything inside your vagina, including your finger, once your water breaks.

The cervix is an important player in pregnancy, particularly when it comes to delivery. So aside from getting updates from your doctor about your stage of dilation, you can also check out some of the signs highlighted below that may let you know you're dilating. Shirazian explains, since contractions can contribute to dilation.

Still, there's no need to be alarmed or assume you're in active labor until you're having consistent contractions that are starting to feel stronger and happening closer together. But when your dilation is more advanced, say, cm along , then you might have a harder time focusing on anything but the contractions. If you lose your mucus plug, it's a solid sign your cervix is thinning and dilating. But what does it even look like? Once your contractions become predictable and unfortunately painful, they will help to dilate your cervix at a much faster pace than pre-labor has.

Once your cervix is dilated completely at 10 centimeters, you know it's just a matter of time before you meet your sweet babe. If you do feel like you are having unusual pains or contractions well before your due date, always talk to your doctor, as they can provide the best course of action for you and your little one. See All Trying Birth After. Some women will simply progress more quickly than others. A woman may reach full cervical dilation, but the baby may still need time to move down the birth canal fully to be ready for birth.

The second stage ends after the baby is delivered. It can last anywhere from minutes to hours. Women may deliver with only a few hard pushes, or push for an hour or more.

Pushing occurs only with contractions, and the mother is encouraged to rest between them. At this point, the ideal frequency of contractions will be about 2 to 3 minutes apart, lasting 60 to 90 seconds.

In general, pushing takes longer for first-time pregnant people and for women who have had epidurals. How long a woman is allowed to push depends on:. The mother should be encouraged to change positions, squat with support, and rest between contractions.

Again, every woman and baby is different. The third stage of labor is perhaps the most forgotten phase. Once the baby is born, the placenta no longer has a function, so her body must expel it. The placenta is delivered the same way as the baby, through contractions. They may not feel as strong as the contractions that are needed to expel the baby.

The doctor directs the mother to push and the delivery of the placenta is typically over with one push.