Comments for Birthing with Guinever

Comment on what does being 2 centimeters dilated mean? by judyy

judyy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:10:12 +0000

im 40 weeks pregnant and ive been having some contractions small ones but strong im 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced. if i have sex do you think labor will start sooner? and is raspberry tea safe for the pregnancy? im overwhelmed i need to have this baby!!

Raspberry leaf (note the leaf part) is great for pregnancy and for toning and strengthening the uterus. There are no guarantees, butr having sex can help to start labor. Soon you will have your baby. ~blessings, Guinever

Comment on how long does it take the cervix to dilate 5 centimeters? by Laci

Laci — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:38:15 +0000

Im a little over 32 weeks pregnant with my third child. my doctor put me on bedrest because I was already dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced. If my baby is born soon is there a chance he will not have to go to the neonatal unit? Im just really afraid of something going wrong, and need some type of reassurance. Also, Ive been having pains that feel like strong menstrual cramps in my lower abdomen and back. The doctor checked and I was not contracting. What could this be?

Dear Laci, there’s always a chance your baby could go to the NICU even if he/she’s born full-term. However, of course, full-term babies have a better chance of being born healthy. The lungs will be fully developed at 36 weeks. Before then, steroids can be administered that can help the baby’s lung mature. Have you been given the steroid shots.

What you describe sounds like contractions to me or at at the very least, pressure is being put on the cervix and causing you to dilate. I’m not sure how reassuring I can be, but if the cramping continues, you should definitely get checked out again. How did the doctor determine you were not having contractions? By a contraction monitor? Perhaps you weren’t contracting when the doc checked you…
~blessings, Guinever

Comment on diary of a primipara, a birth story by Hands Free Pumping Bra

Hands Free Pumping Bra — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:38:45 +0000

A wonderful story you’ve share to me. I really love while reading the story. I’ve been expecting a daughter and I’m having a month before she comes in the outside world. I’m quite afraid coz it’s my first time but with your story it shows me the excitement of being a mother.

Thanks for sharing. It really helps me a lot.

Comment on what do contractions feel like? by Brandi

Brandi — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:42:43 +0000

I think I juat lost my mucos plug!, and I have been having what feels like menstral cramps, and a constant back pain… and I am really sore in my pelvic area! it hurts when i get up..to the point i can barely walk.. I am 34 weeks and 2 days pregnant! my cervix is soft and thinning too! should i call the dr today..or wait till my appointment tomorrw?

Brandi, becasue you’re only 34 weeks which is a little early for having a baby, I would call the doctor now so they would have time to administer steroids for the baby’s lungs if you were in labor. ~blessings, Guinever

Comment on how long does it take the cervix to dilate 5 centimeters? by ashton

ashton — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 05:56:56 +0000

hi i am 36 weeks and 2 days. i have been having contractions and i am 1 cm dilatated. me and my husband have had intercorse to help speed the process up. my baby is very big and i have a same frame i am in constant pain and i am ready to have our son. my doc said after i hit 36 weeks he will take my baby but only if i am in labor. do you have any suggestions on how to get the real process going.

Dear Ashton, because you’re only 36 weeks along, you have plenty of time to wait for labor to start on its own. I’m sorry that you’re in constant pain. Do you mean contraction pain or just all over body pain? ~blessings, Guinever

Comment on what does being 2 centimeters dilated mean? by Leigh

Leigh — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:46:21 +0000

Leigh - February 27, 2010

My first child was 8lbs 9 ounces and 1week late. My water started leaking after sex and she was born 36 hours later. I was on pitocin for 24 hours with her. Since I was about 5 months my dotor has been telling me I should induce in case this baby is bigger. My first due date was 2/26, after fist sono that was changed to 3/7. And the sonos following showed baby’s growth was a week earlier. I will be 40 weeks tomorrow and am 1.5 cm as off yesterday. My next appt is Thursday and that will be the last time I see my doc because she is going out of town. I don’t want to be induced but am starting to worry about what the doctor wa ssying about a bigger second baby. I am also very nervous that my doc is going out of town two days before my due date. I don’t want a new doctor to make hasty decisions in regards to an induction but also don’t want to harm my baby by refusing induction if she really is too big. I wish I would go into labor naturally this weekend because my doc will be on call all weekend and Monday. Is it better to refuse induction and than have a cesarean if the next sono shows a huge baby or to induce on Monday? I am worried about everything!

Dear Leigh, first of all, relax. Hang in there! Your pregnancy is almost over and before you know it, you will have your baby in your arms. Please don’t worry about your baby being too big. Ultrasound is notorious for being up to a couple of pounds off on the weight, not to mention, it is unlikely that you will grow a baby that you can’t birth vaginally.

If you’re asking me for my opinion, then I do not think it’s better to have a cesarean rather than have an induction. Ideally, your labor will start on its own. With a 3/7 due date, you still have a couple weeks before you need to consider induction as long as you and baby are healthy. ~blessings, Guinever

Comment on what are the stages of labor? by Michele

Michele — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:07:35 +0000

My daughter is 31 weeks & started signs of preterm labor. She had seen her Dr. Tuesday & all was fine, the next day we brought her back & she was a fingertip dialated & 70% effaced. They did a fFN test also which came back negative. They had also put her on a fetal monitor to check contractions & listen to baby’s heartbeat, which is very strong. We had to take her back to Dr’s again Thursday because cramping in lower pelvic area was so intense. She is on bed rest, but still not feeling well. She has an appt on Tuesday for an ultrasound to check baby, fluid levels and shortening of her cervix.
What do you think her chances of carrying baby for another 4-6 weeks?

Dear Michele, I think the bedrest is a good idea, at least for a little while. Make sure she is getting plenty of fluids. I honestly couldn’t say what her chances are of carrying another 4-6 weeks. I really think it could go either way. Signs of preterm labor can happen because of stress or overdoing things physically–could this be the case with her? Also, is she carrying really low–could be the baby is getting bigger and if he’s really low already can irritate the cervix….Keep me posted. ~blessings, Guinever

Comment on cervical dilation 101: frequently asked questions by Nicole

Nicole — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:23:48 +0000

Hello. I am 14 weeks pregnant with my third child. In July of last year I had a LEEP because of HPV. My doctor told me that it would be possible for me to have an incompetent cervix from the procedure. I had some green-mucous like discharge a few days ago and mild cramping. I havent seen my doctor since the first visit, and my next appointment is on March 10th. I tried to feel my own cervix and I am not quite sure what normal is, but I am easily able to put a finger in the end of it. I am quite worried, but I always think things are wrong when they arent. Do you think I should be worried or schedule an earlier appointment with my doctor, or just wait until the 10th?

Nicole, I think you should at least call your doctor’s office and see what they say. They may have you go in just to get checked out or maybe have you wait. Either way, that call will put your mind at ease. Are you still having the green color discharge? That would be cause for concern. ~blessings, Guinever

Comment on how long does it take the cervix to dilate 5 centimeters? by uniquecode

uniquecode — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:54:00 +0000

Hello, this is uniquecode again. I took 1 capsule of primrose on the night of 20th and in the morning of 21st.. and contractions started on the 21st lunch time. Finally, I gave birth 6am of the 22nd! =D

Congratulations. Thanks for letting me know that you had your baby. Hope you are doing well.
~many blessings, Guinever

Comment on what does being 2 centimeters dilated mean? by Leane

Leane — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:24:50 +0000

I am 39 weeks and 1 day pregnant. I have been having bouts of false labor almost everyday starting around 4:00 pm and lasting about 1/2 hour after I go to bed (going to bed usually makes it go away so I use this to determine if it’s the real thing). Although last night things got pretty uncomfortable and I thought it was the real thing. The false labor has been happening for over a week now. I lost my mucous plug/bloody show last Thursday morning and have continued to wipe away mucus since then. I am 3cm dilated and 90% effaced as of last Wednesday. The doctors tells me that the baby is engaged and pretty low down at this point. I have had plenty of cramping, backpain, everything that would make you think that labor is imminent but it doesn’t seem to be able to really start up. This is my 2nd baby. My first labor was about 45 hours and the baby was posterior. I had no cervical changes until the day things started. I had a vaginal birth much to the dismay of my doctor who pressured me the entire time to have a c-section. I’m just wondering, am I headed down the same path with this one? I can’t understand why labor has not kicked in yet and I’m starting to wonder if my body is just simply inadequate in producing effective contractions. I don’t know what to think but I certainly do not want to repeat my last experience - it was really horrible. Any thoughts on what is going on?

Leane, it sounds like your baby could be posterior again. Swaying the hips, belly dancing, doing round circles with the hips–these motions can encourage the baby to turn to a more favorable position for birth. I just want to encourage you that usually a 2nd labor is a bit easier and quicker than the first, just because your body has already done it before. Please don’t think that your body is inadequate for birth. You’re just 39 weeks. Time is on your side–you have a couple more weeks and I think you’ll go very soon. Check out the spinning babies website for more tips. ~blessings, Guinever