Pregnancy question - What does 2 cm dialated really mean?

[JenDaveBrendan]

I was 3cm dilated for 3 weeks and 50% effaced (sp?) - and didn't go into labor on my own. I ended up being induced. So really, the Dr. can't give you much of a clue as to when you would go into labor, except "soon"
Good luck and congrats!!!!

 

[coliebird]

I'll echo everybody else. I was 2 cm dilated for weeks and I ended up going 4 days past my due date. The doctors really can't tell you when the baby is coming.

Good luck to you.

 

[Shannon G]

Like everyone else has said, I don't think the Dr. can really be anymore specific. Personally, I did not dialate in advance of labor wtih either of my children, but ended up having very fast labors both times. My SIL walked around 5 cm dialated for almost a week before her son was born. Of course, once she went into labor, look out! He came quick - 40 minutes after she arrived at the hospital.

 

[Southern4sure]

I was 2 cm dilated for the last 6 weeks of my first pregnancy. I was in labor for 36 hours and only dilated to a 6 and had a C section. One woman I know had an OB check at 40 weeks give or take a day or two and wasn't dilated at all (her appointment was at 8:00 am) she went to school to teach and her water broke at 12:30 and her baby was born at 2:30. Another woman I know went in for a regular exam at about 38 weeks and she was 5 CM's dilated, they took her up to the hospital (it is connected to our clinic) she was in labor for a few hours only AFTER they started pitocin and had her baby late that night. The moral of the story is, EVERYONE is different and there is really no predicting how or when it is going to happen.

When I was pregnant with the twins I was at 38 weeks and had dilated, effaced, NOTHING. I told the OB, fine, give me a CSection because I am DONE being pregnant. She scheduled the CSection for 4 days later and I DS was 7 lbs 5 oz and DD was 6 lb 7 oz.

Hang in there, this is the HARDEST part of your whole pregnancy. I don't like waiting for ANYTHING.

Oh how I can relate. Preg. #2, at 41 weeks I went to my 9 AM appt and was depressed when I left making another appt for a week later. No dilating, no thinning, NOTHING! By 10 PM....BAM I was in labor. Basically happened the same way with both pregnancies. #1 was a emergency C section...#2 was regular delivery.

Good Luck and hopefully soon you will be holding your little bundle of joy....

 

[puffkin]

My old boss was 4 cm dilated for about 3 weeks. They wouldn't admit her until she was at 5 cm.

She went into labor at home (didn't realize it) and felt like pushing. Realized it was labor, hopped in car and raced to hospital (10 min. away). Didn't even get in the door. Had the baby on the bench of the vestibule with an ER doctor who ran over.

Moral of story is you could go now or in a few weeks. I just wouldn't travel too far and be prepared.

 

[Jennifer S]

With both my kids I was 0 cm dilated at my check up and the doctor said "You have a least a week or two to go. Both times I had the baby the next day. BTW it was also the same doctor.

So they really have no way of knowing.

 

[Christine]

If this is your first preganancy--you can be 2 cm dilated for a LONG time--weeks. Generally, when you start to dilate during a second pregnancy it is a better predictor of time.

During my first pregnancy, I was a 2 cm for 2-3 weeks. Then when I went into very strong labor, I was STILL at 2 cm!

During my second pregnancy, I was being induced and I went to the hospital 3 days before my due date (I was not in labor). I was at 4 cm that day, but at 1 cm the week before. Go figure.

 

[rascalmom]

When I had the pelvic pre-natal checks with both of my dd's I was also 2 cm's dilated. Ended up going into labor with each of them on the same day - so there is hope that it could be soon. With first dd I was at 37 weeks, with second dd I was 39 weeks - I am completely convinced that the "check" caused my labor to start both times!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Not much, if you're me! I was 3cm for THREE weeks and even then, I had to be induced! I was due in Feb. and didn't have DD until the middle of March... ugh.

 

[poohandwendy]

It means you are eventually going to give birth. When? Anyones guess.

That is why the doctor was so vague. Even if you had previous pregnancies, they would only be an indicator of how you 'may' proceed, but not necessarily. I don't think you can even use family history as a very good indicator. It just will happen when it will happen.

I was not one to be dilated until actual labor started, as a matter of fact, I needed induced with 2 out of 3 of my children. It's such an imperfect science, predicting when baby will finally make it's way into the world. With my first child, after my last internal, my doctor said "Nothing happening, you will go to your due date" My water broke the next day (3 weeks early). You just never know.

Cool thing is tha you only have 8 more to go until you are fully dilated, if that gives you any comfort. Wishing you a speedy and comfortable labor and delivery. I hope it happens soon...that last month is no fun...the waiting and wondering. It's hard to make any concrete plans when you don't know if you will be in labor or in the hospital, or caring for your newborn.

 

[Stacerita]

Seems like a lot of us are 2cm dilated for a while before we go into labor. I was for just over a week. Once I was admitted and in full labor, it took no time to go to 10cm. So fast that the nurses failed to call my doc even though he was at home waiting for the call. I had called him ahead of time to give the heads up of me going to the hospital. He said to call back if I was admitted. The nurses were sure since I was a first timer that it was either false labor (nothing false about it trust me) or that I would move slow. Haha, I really fooled them.

But you can go a while at 2cm. As you can see lots of us do. The one thing that sticks out from my lamaze class was when they tell you that you will dilate to 10 cm, you really have no idea how big that is. Well, that is till they show you and relate it to something you know. 10cm is roughly the size of the lid of a nut can. Thats the prop the lamaze coached used. Everytime im at the supermarket in the nut aisle, all I can think about it dilation.

 

[PaulaSue]

I was 2 cm for over 2 weeks with my first. She was 10 days late.
Best Wishes!

 

[leighe]

Thanks for all of the responses. I re-read my original post and realized that I sounded a little snippy. Sorry - I think I'm starting to get a little tired of being pregnant. My due date is January 26 so I would like to go at least a week longer. I don't know if family history has anything to do with it but my mom had all of us (3) about two weeks early. She told me that the dr told her she was 2 cm dilated with my sister (baby #3) on a Thursday and she was born on Sunday morning. She remembers because my dad made her take her hospital suitcase to my Thanksgiving play at school on Friday( I was in 1st grade). He was a little freaked out because my brother (baby #2) was born in a stairwell at the hospital and almost in the car. Please, oh please don't let that be me!

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement! I actually want to make it until at least Jan 12 because that's when our semester ends at the high school and I want to review my kids and give them their finals myself.

 

[mcnuss]

Thanks for all of the responses. I re-read my original post and realized that I sounded a little snippy. Sorry - I think I'm starting to get a little tired of being pregnant. My due date is January 26 so I would like to go at least a week longer. I don't know if family history has anything to do with it but my mom had all of us (3) about two weeks early. She told me that the dr told her she was 2 cm dilated with my sister (baby #3) on a Thursday and she was born on Sunday morning. She remembers because my dad made her take her hospital suitcase to my Thanksgiving play at school on Friday( I was in 1st grade). He was a little freaked out because my brother (baby #2) was born in a stairwell at the hospital and almost in the car. Please, oh please don't let that be me!

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement! I actually want to make it until at least Jan 12 because that's when our semester ends at the high school and I want to review my kids and give them their finals myself.

You are about 4 weeks away from your due date. Don't rush it!!! Enjoy being pregnant. Savor every moment of that precious baby being all yours. I was only able to have one baby, and I try to relive my pregnancy in my head bc it was so magical. Everyone seems to be in such a hurry to get their babies out; I say pregnancy is 40 weeks for a reason - let that baby cook for as long as s/he needs! It's not about us anymore.

 

[dcgrumpy]

like others have said it doesn't mean anything as far as when you will have the baby. Some people can walk around 2cm dilated for weeks, and others like me can be in hard labor for hours and hours and not get past 1cm


ETA
my sister was 2cm dilated for a few weeks and she still had to be induced and never dialated any further and had a c-section.

 

[Regina]

The Doctors really don't know. I wasn't dilated at all when I went for my exam two weeks before I had my first. I remember the Doctor saying "you never know, but I'll probably be seeing you back next week" meaning the weekly exam. I gave birth to my son the next day.

I hope that your little guy is willing to wait a couple of more weeks.

 

[littleclover]

I was 2cm for about 8 weeks but then had a very easy labor. 3hrs and my DS was here. Technically, I consider myself in labor for 2 months since I had to go on maternity leave but my best friend disagrees. She was just jealous since she had to 27hrs of labor, hard labor. Bless her cause I don't think I could have handled that.

Good luck and best wishes on the rest of your pregnancy.

 

[Tiffann4k]

Gosh I was 2-4 cm for the last over a month so Its hard to tell and everyone is different

 

[bumcat]

Well if the dis'ers can't narrow it down for you then neither can your dr but your baby can. LOL

I was dilated way too early and my dr. wanted to put me on bed rest. Don't rush it, they come when they are suppose to.

 

[KellyLynn]

Iam 3 cm dialiated and thining out. I have been this way for almost 2 months and I am only 29 weeks. This is my 4th baby so when my body decieds to go full blown labor I will be giving birth in the car or worse yet kitchen floor.