# 4 cm at 37 weeks



## JenNicole07 (Jan 9, 2007)

So I went to the OB yesterday afternoon and had my first pelvic exam. I was surprised to hear that I am already 4 cm dilated. She said I would probably go into labor sooner than later. How soon?????? I wish someone could just tell me. The anxiety is killing me. This is my first baby. I have not had any contractions that I am aware of. I just don't know if I can go another 3 weeks knowing it could happen at any time. So, did this happen to anyone else? Anyone think it will happen soon? And if so how soon? I am dying for at least some confirmation!

Due Jan 27


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## pigpokey (Feb 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenNicole07* 
So I went to the OB yesterday afternoon and had my first pelvic exam. I was surprised to hear that I am already 4 cm dilated. She said I would probably go into labor sooner than later. How soon?????? I wish someone could just tell me. The anxiety is killing me. This is my first baby. I have not had any contractions that I am aware of. I just don't know if I can go another 3 weeks knowing it could happen at any time. So, did this happen to anyone else? Anyone think it will happen soon? And if so how soon? I am dying for at least some confirmation!

Due Jan 27

Nature may have you waiting 4 or 5 weeks, not three. The average length of a completely natural pregnancy for first time moms is 41 weeks. Mine were 41+3 and 41+1 before I was in labor.

That's fabulous that you are dilating already.


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## 4lilfarmers (Feb 9, 2006)

a dear friend of mine just had her first baby (at 42 weeks) after walking around 4 cm and 100 effaced since week 36 or 37. i'd just be excited that i was already dialating...she ended up with a 5 hour labor!


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## sweetpeasmom (Nov 20, 2003)

could be today, could be next week, could be in four weeks. In other words there really is no way of knowing until it happens. I was 5 cm for about 5 weeks with little or no contractions. Just think of it as extra credit when you do go into labor.
easy labor vibes for you


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## BelgianSheepDog (Mar 31, 2006)

I was dilated to 4 cm at the end of 37 weeks. I had my baby at 40w 2d. You'll live.


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *JenNicole07* 
So I went to the OB yesterday afternoon and had my first pelvic exam. I was surprised to hear that I am already 4 cm dilated. She said I would probably go into labor sooner than later. How soon?????? I wish someone could just tell me.

heh heh.....this is why pelvic exams during late pregnancy are pretty useless, in my opinion!

All you know is how dialated your cervix was at that moment at that prenatal appointment. That data cannot be used to predict.......ANYTHING!

Funny that a pretty useless measurement is a routine procedure...and here's your OB, who cannot offer you any predictive information based on that 4cm.

What if you're 5 cm right now?!? Who knows.

Keep pigpokey's post in mind, too--a term pregnancy is anytime between 37 and 42 weeks ("overdue" is _OVER_ 42 weeks.)

Birth is a bit mysterious--that is OK. Take this 4cm as a sign that YOUR BODY knows just how to prepare for, and birth, a baby.

(My only advice would be to avoid any induction/"we'll get you going with Pitocin, you're so near labor anyway" offers from your OB. Let's just say that I took my OBs advice with my "favorable cervix," as he called it--and I endured a first birth, complete with Pitocin and epidural, and I'd never do that again--too painful--and I had my second baby a home.)


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## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

Quote:

The anxiety is killing me. This is my first baby. I have not had any contractions that I am aware of. I just don't know if I can go another 3 weeks knowing it could happen at any time. So, did this happen to anyone else? Anyone think it will happen soon? And if so how soon? I am dying for at least some confirmation!
Which is one of the reasons I hate knowing how dialated I am! Its either that or you get depressed cause you aren't!







i was dialated to 4 and completely effaced with baby at zero station for 6 weeks before (still had a 36 hour labor). Absolutly no way of knowing when or how your labor will progress before hand. The one thing with starting out really dialated is you often go straight into active labor. No warm up at all. Just BAM!


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## Sagesgirl (Nov 22, 2001)

Tell that doctor to keep her hands to herself! I am serious. Letting her perform internal exams for NO reason is only going to encourage her to "offer" other unneeded interventions. My cousin was induced solely on the basis of being dialated. She went around for a month dialated to four centimeters and then was induced because "he was obviously ready to come out." Uh, no, if he was ready to come out he'd have done it on his own!

As others have said: being dialated now means NOTHING. At all. It could be tomorrow, it could be next week, it could be a week "past due". Dialation prior to labor has nothing to do with when labor will start.


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## cchrissyy (Apr 22, 2003)

I've had 3 babies where I was 4cm by that time.
take your pick!









1st- born on his due date
2nd born 9 days late
3rd born 14 days early.


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## homebirthbaby (Aug 10, 2006)

I was 3+ cm at 36.6 weeks and 4 cm at 37.6 weeks, I didn't go into labor until 39 1/2 weeks. (1st pregnancy)
Don't hold your breath


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## lolar2 (Nov 8, 2005)

The ONE thing that is useful for, IMO, is that if something medical comes up such that you HAVE to be induced, you know that at least your chances of its working are a little better.


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## tinyshoes (Mar 6, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lolar2* 
The ONE thing that is useful for, IMO, is that if something medical comes up such that you HAVE to be induced, you know that at least your chances of its working are a little better.

true....

.....but of course, even though a ripe cervix means an induction might actually function, it's important to keep in mind an induced labor includes so much unpleasantness, like an IV of Pit going in your arm, required constant fetal monitors strapped to the belly, the Pit contractions are difficult to tolerate so then an epidural is usually required for comfort, which means a bladder catheter, and so on..... (the cascade of interventions!)

And all because a mama's body was so ripe and ready--to have a baby ON HER OWN anyway!!!!! ironic....


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## Vespertina (Sep 30, 2006)

I was 5 cm for a few days before being induced with pitocin at 6.5 cm after arom at 5.5 cm didn't send me into labor. She was born at 38 weeks. My labor with her was just over 3 hours.

I walked around at 6 cm before being induced the second time. I was NOT in labor. I was having nothing more than BH and a low dull backache and pelvic pressure. From the time contractions started to birth was 1 hr 27 mins, though it took just under an hour for them to even to warm up. I didn't start real "labor" until transition, which lasted 30 mins.

It can be days or weeks. I know a handful of women, excluding myself, who can walk around at 5+ w/o going into labor. Odd as it seems, it does happen.


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