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I didn't have a cervical check until 39 weeks. I was totally closed up and had no progress, so I didn't have my hopes up! I went into labor 6 days later!

Good topic due date twin! I'll be following - I'm considering skipping, if they're offered (my midwives haven't mentioned it yet), or possibly not having one until 38-39 weeks.

I'll probably skip them... not sure what benefit there is.

@grizz: that makes a lot of sense given the group B strep information you have. I just did my hospital tour and didn't ask about the protocol for group B strep positive mamas, I should have asked. I know they'll be testing me at my appointment next week. I'm also hoping to go natural so trying to avoid anything that would mean I'd have to be "tethered."

My midwives gave me the option starting at 39w5d to be checked. I took it then, and then at 40w5d had another check and a stretch and sweep.

i was going to skip, but curiosity got the best of me at my 39 week appt. i was 50% effaced and 1 cm dilated. i delivered 3 days later! so it doesn't mean much!

I didn't skip them....and I do think it was helpful to have them. When I went into labor the contractions weren't bad at all, but they were consistently 4 minutes apart so I went to the hospital per my doctor's orders. When I got there they checked and saw that I hadn't dilated since my last doctor's apt so they knew I wasn't ready to be there, and sent me home. Without that they'd have no clue if I were progressing fast or not.

I really wanted them because I'm the kind of person who likes as much information as possible! So I got them every week starting at 36 weeks.

I wanted them cause I wanted to know something was going on.

I didn't but I think I'll skip most of them next time. They were painful when some of the drs did them and I bled after one. I'll probably end up with a scheduled c next time so hopefully they won't push me to get them.

My midwife practice offered them starting at 38 weeks but I declined until I was a few days away from 40 weeks. I knew they didn't mean much, but I was so curious! I also wanted to know what one would feel like before I had to get checked in the middle of labor.
Turned out I was 2 cm dilated and it was encouraging. Not encouraging that I would go into labor soon (it was another week) but encouraging knowing that I was 1/5 dilated and there was that much less work to do whenever labor did start.

It's not standard at my birth center. I was pretty much ok with it, but I started to get really curious towards the end! But, the first time I got checked was when I went into labor.

I didn't have them, and I'm pretty against routine cervical checks before labor. They don't provide much information and aren't accurate predictors of labor.

I didn't have any until my midwife started trying a membrane sweep to get my labor started at 41 weeks!

They aren't even offered here as a standard practice so I didn't have my first cervical check until I was actually in labour and admitted to hospital. I see no point to them before labour and was so glad it wasn't even an option here.

I skipped them. My midwife didn't offer them either, but if she had I still would have skipped. I had 2 checked while I was in labour and that's it

I don't think they're a standard thing to do here anyway

I got them, starting at 36wks. My 36, 37, and 38 wk checks were pretty discouraging and I did feel pretty depressed/upset after hearing how little progress I made week to week. BUT at 39 wks I had made progress, and my OB stripped my membranes, and knowing that I was already 2.5cm dilated helped me make the decision to go to the hospital quickly when my water broke 2 days later (good thing, because I had a short labor!).

I just asked about this at my appointment yesterday! They said they won't do a check until 41 weeks unless I ask for it. My midwife said she has seen people at 3 or 4 centimeters for over a month or even at 6 centimeters for over a week.

I think it will just make me over think things so I am not planning on having any checks.

I wish I would have. Mine HURT

I had them pretty regularly or I had vaginal ultrasounds every 2 weeks starting at 29 weeks and going through 36 weeks (because of preterm labor issues). Then I didn't get one until my OB visit late in week 39, where I was told I was barely 1cm dilated. It was exciting to hear things were starting to progress, but frustrating 3 days later, when it turned out that it took me 21 hours to get to 3/almost 4 cm. Knowing I was starting at 1cm made me think that I should've progressed a little more quickly.

Next time... I'll probably still want them because early progress/delivering on the early side could mean I'd be a better candidate for VBAC. But VBAC possibility removed, I'd probably do without. Definitely if I was looking at a planned c-section.