Can I check myself for dilation?

You can check yourself—but it’s still crucial to work with an expert throughout your pregnancy. And if you’re checking your own cervix in preparation of a home birth, you should also be working with a certified professional midwife who’s trained in handling emergencies.

How do you check for dilation during labor?

Late in your pregnancy, your health professional may check the cervix with his or her fingers to see how much it has effaced and dilated. He or she will wear sterile gloves to do this. During labor, contractions in your uterus open (dilate) your cervix. They also help move the baby into position to be born.

Can you check your own cervix during labor?

Pregnant women can check their own cervix, but if they are not familiar with how it felt before pregnancy, it may be difficult to recognize the changes. A self-check of the cervix is not a substitute for a cervical exam by a healthcare professional, however.

How can I check my cervix for dilation at home?

Slowly insert your index and middle fingers into the vagina — being careful not to spread bacteria from the anus. 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.

Can you see your own cervix without a speculum?

If you want to actually see your cervix, place a mirror on the floor underneath your pelvis. You may have to use your nondominant hand to separate your labia for easier visualization. Before moving on to step five, you may find it helpful to apply lubricant to the fingers you plan to insert.

Do you feel dilation?

If they occur low down, just above your pubic bone, this can be a sign your cervix is dilating. It might feel something like the cramping ache you have just before, or at the start of your period. You might also feel a dull ache in the lower part of your back, which comes at regular intervals.

Is checking for dilation painful?

When exams are administered, they are experienced without pain or with minimal discomfort. Care providers inform women of the benefits and contraindications of checking the dilation and effacement of the cervix.

Can you touch cervix with finger?

It’s possible to check the position and firmness of your cervix at home. You can do this by inserting a finger into your vagina to feel for the cervix. Your middle finger may be the most effective finger to use because it’s the longest, but use whichever finger is easiest for you.

How can you tell how far your cervix is dilated?

Using your fingers, you can see how far you are dilated. If you are dilated to 10 centimeters, then your body is ready to deliver a baby. You can see how far you are dilated by figuring out how many fingers could fit into the middle of the cervix. One finger means that you are about a center in dilation.

What’s the difference between effacement and dilation during labor?

Dilation is the opening of the cervix. Both dilation and effacement happen during labor, and are necessary to allow your baby to pass through the birth canal. During labor, your cervix dilates from 0 to 10 cm and effaces from 0 to 100 percent.

When do you use your fingers to check your cervix?

Continue using your fingers to feel how far you’re dilated. Once a woman is dilated 10 centimeters, she’ll generally ready to deliver her baby. If one of your fingers entered the middle of the cervix easily, you can use additional fingers to figure out how far along your dilation is.

What are the phases of cervix dilation?

1 Early phase: The cervix will dilate from 1 to 3 centimeters with mild contractions. 2 Active phase: The cervix expands from 6 to 10 centimeters, and contractions become more intense and regular. 3 Transition phase: The cervix dilates to 10 centimeters. Transition ends when the cervix has reached 10 centimeters and is fully dilated.