I am pretty bummed out - I got checked today & my cervix has not dilated yet. My midwife did say I am softening & thinning some, and that the baby's head is very engaged. I was hoping to have my membranes stripped, though, but they can't unless I'm dilated. I've also been having a lot of cramps that I thought were practice contractions, but that seems unlikely if I'm not dilated at all.
Just wondering if any of you were 40 weeks & not dilated, and how fast/slow you progressed from there?
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
I was not dilated at 40 weeks so I was induced at 41 weeks.
Good luck!
pear / 1571 posts
Dilation means nothing. You can easily go from closed and tight to having a baby in your arms in 12 hours. You can also be 4 cm. at 38 weeks and go to 42 weeks. Good luck!
pomegranate / 3872 posts
I was not dilated at 40 weeks. I was induced right at 40 weeks for blood pressure spikes and we tried 3 times and I never progressed. My doctor thought if we were able to let me go I would have been a week or more overdue before I delivered.
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
On Tuesday (39+5) was "maybe 1..." And Thursday I delivered so it can happen fast!
pomegranate / 3706 posts
Don't stress! Some mamas walk around dilated to a 4 for weeks, others dilate in a day. I was only 1/2 cm for weeks and weeks, and then it all progressed pretty quickly. Every body is different, and you could change by tomorrow. It's pretty common for first time mamas to go into labor in week 41, so hang in there!
kiwi / 673 posts
I wasn't dilated at 40 weeks, either, but I went into labor a few days later. Don't stress!
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
I wasn't dilated at 40 weeks. I went into labor naturally and had my baby at 40+4.
coconut / 8305 posts
I went from "barely 1, high, but soft" to in labor basically over night..... of course I was "barely 1, high, but soft" from 38 weeks until 41+3.
Point is, pre-labor "progress" is not conducive to predicting onset of labor or how you'll progress in labor. Hope you can relax and get some rest from now until baby comes! 
apricot / 298 posts
Currently 40+1, and I've been a fingertip dilated for the last two weeks. Lots of Braxton Hicks, but absolutely no other signs of labor.
hostess / eggplant / 11068 posts
I wasn't dilated at 40weeks...At 40+5 I was only 1.5cm...I had a stretch and sweep done and went into labour the next night.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
My SIL was walking around at 6cm for almost 3 weeks before she delivered her last child!
pomegranate / 3516 posts
I was 0cm but somewhat effaced at 40 weeks and went into labor naturally at 40 + 4.
cherry / 190 posts
I was not dilated and baby was not engaged at 41w. 41w4d I was "half a centimeter" and my midwife was able to do a stretch and sweep and I went into labour that night.
Best of luck!
cantaloupe / 6730 posts
I wasn't dialated at 41 and went into labour at 41+6 (and was 6 cm 2 hours into labour. It can definitely go fast.
squash / 13199 posts
@daniellemybelle: I was not dilated by 40 weeks. I ended up being induced 4 days later due to complications
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
Add me to the list that wasn't dilated by 40 weeks! I delivered 5 days later, though.
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
At my weekly check at 39 weeks 4 days I was not dilated at all ("very soft"). Went into labor on my due date 3 days later!
cantaloupe / 6669 posts
Thanks everyone! I always predicted that I would go over my EDD, but here I am, feeling very discouraged. I am so insanely uncomfortable too at this point... I just want her out!
It's good to hear though that things can move fast. I know cervical checks don't tell you much, but I still feel like a lot of people I know were dilated before they went into labor, so it makes me nervous!
coconut / 8861 posts
I had a soft cervix at my 39 week appointment on a Thursday. By the next Monday, I went into labor. I didn't have dilation that whole time. When I was admitted, I was already 4cm after a full day of work. It can come on quick.
nectarine / 2220 posts
Don't stress. I never made it to 40 weeks, but I went to my 38 week appointment and had a cervical check and was told that I was not dilated AT ALL. LO was born less than 48 hours later.
cantaloupe / 6669 posts
@cascademom: @Sapphiresun: Wow, that's reassuring! I don't feel like anything is happening though... am I supposed to be able to "tell" at this point? I have lots of cramping but it's not regular like contractions, and no other symptoms. Discouraging!
coconut / 8861 posts
@daniellemybelle: you'll know when it's labor. I had light cramping throughout the day and just wrote it off. By 9pm, it became obvious that it was labor. Contractions are super painful cramps like worst ones ever. I didn't notice the tightening of the belly that DH was hoping was an indicator.
nectarine / 2220 posts
@daniellemybelle: I had no clue. I'd never had so much as a Braxton Hicks that I could even feel when my water broke Friday evening, and she was born Saturday morning. But when actual labour kicked in, it was obvious, so don't worry about that.
grapefruit / 4213 posts
I was induced at 41 weeks. Cervix was softened, thinned, and baby's head was far down... but I wasn't dilated at all. I had been having contractions for a month prior that never turned regular.
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