I've always been curious to know, everytime I read a birth story and the mom says the doctors checked to see how dilated she was, I always wonder how they do they check? Do they just use their fingers? Or do they have some special device they use to tell you how far along you are progessing in labor.
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fingers!
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wow so how they be sure exactly how many cm you are dilated?
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@Mrsbells: they know by feel... I don't want to get too graphic here, but one of my nurses "helped" me along at one point....
maybe a more medicinally-minded person can help here
All I know is they go up there with the fingers and say "you're four, almost four and a half"... etc.
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Yes fingers. It isn't an exact science, because fingers are different sizes!
That's why occasionally you will have one nurse tell you that you're 5, and then the doctor will come in and call you a 4. You haven't regressed, just different fingers. -
Yup, just fingers and they get all up in there, lol. The way I understand it is that if they can stick all four fingers in at once that's about the 10cm mark.
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Oh I get it... for some reason I kinda thought they had a better more accurate way of telling.
For those who have already been through this, is it really uncomfortable having them check you while you are in pain? -
I had an issue with this because my doctor told me I was 3 centimeters before labor then I went to the hospital when I was in labor and they told me 2. I know it's just different finger sizes, but it doesn't feel good to move backwards!
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@Mrsbells: It's uncomfortable, but you're basically just a big ball of discomfort with contractions anyway. When my epidural had taken effect I didn't feel it at all, not even any pressure.
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I got a lot of different readings when I was in labor, too. The day before my water broke I was 90% effaced and 3cm (or was it 4cm?) dilated when I got checked at my doctor's appointment. When I was between 6 and 8 different staff told me different things and one person tried to tell me I was less effaced, not like you can go backwards there either, lol. I didn't find the checks too bad. There was a lot of pressure, but they tried to be very quick.
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@artbee: How frustrating that must be!
@tina: Wow.. thanks for explaining to me!
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@Boogs: oh yes, I forgot that they are VERY quick. I found it helpful to take in a big breath of air and blow out when they did it.
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I'm a LD RN ... It's fingers and by feel. It's all subjective and youre very likely to get different results. Everyone has a different way of telling but it's always based on 2 fingers not more... Owe that would hurt. But like if you can only fit one finger it's "one", a peace sign gesture is like "four to five" ... But another RN could be different. We try to be as quick as possible.
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@policewife10811: Good to know! So how do you know between 8-10?
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If you take your index and middle finger and spread as far apart as possible that's 8 for me. 9 is a little cervix left. 10 is nothing left. I have little hands and fingers so might not be as far apart for someone else. But you teach your brain these things so when your checking someone you know by feel.
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@policewife10811: It's so crazy to actually see that with your hand! Thanks for the info!
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Fingers! I actually didn't mind the slight discomfort....I wanted to know how far dilated I was!
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@policewife10811: Thats very interesting!
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@Boogs: you're welcome
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like a normal pelvic exam. last appt. my doc told me she could feel the baby's head and how many cm I was dilated and effaced.
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omg gross. i didn't realize that.
i just got my cervical checked (because i was having some crazy braxton hicks and they wanted to make sure everything was okay down there).... OMG SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PAINFUL! i hope it's not that painful during labor lol... like hsg painful!
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they use their fingers. I was in so much pain (pre epidural) that i couldn't even feel it.
my nurse was stretching me too and i didn't feel it!
All I know is they go up there with the fingers and say "you're four, almost four and a half"... etc.
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