According to Brichter, sitting on an exercise or birthing ball in neutral wide-legged positions prepares the body for labor by increasing blood flow, opening the pelvis, and encouraging cervical dilation. You can also try birth ball exercises such as circular hip rotations, rocking, and gentle bouncing.
Try to achieve a deep squat with your legs in a “V” position. This position can really help to open up your pelvis, move your baby down, which can also help to dilate your cervix.
According to the results of the present study, walking during late pregnancy could be an effective, safe, and acceptable method to achieve cervical ripening and spontaneous onset of labor.
Uterine abnormalities and genetic disorders affecting a fibrous type of protein that makes up your body's connective tissues (collagen) might cause an incompetent cervix. Exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic form of the hormone estrogen, before birth also has been linked to cervical insufficiency.
Medications also can be given to help induce softening and dilatation of the cervix. Oral or vaginal suppository drugs, such as misoprostol and other prostaglandins, are also commonly used to ripen the cervix.
As the baby's head drops down into the pelvis, it pushes against the cervix. This causes the cervix to relax and thin out, or efface. During pregnancy, your cervix has been closed and protected by a plug of mucus. When the cervix effaces, the mucus plug comes loose and passes out of the vagina.
Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.
Sometimes called sweeping or stripping the membranes, it is offered to women who are close to or past their due date. Why is it recommended? Stretch and sweep is used to help start labour and reduce the need for an induction. If it works, you can expect to go into labour within 48 hours.
Upward Lunge
This position can open your pelvis allowing the baby to more easily descend. Put your foot up on a chair and lunge forward. As you feel a contraction start, lean in towards your foot. You will want to make sure your support person is near to help you keep your balance.
The cervix generally needs to be dilated to 10 centimeters before it's ready for the baby to pass through. Your cervix can be dilated to a couple of centimeters for a few weeks before delivery. This softening can cause the mucus plug to be dislodged and come out.
It is not uncommon for the cervical ripening to take up to 24-36 hours!! It is also not uncommon to use different techniques to ripen the cervix. You may feel contractions during this process. If the contractions become painful, you will be able to request medication to relieve your discomfort.
It may be hard to talk or move easily. At this point, your cervix will be dilated 3 to 10 centimeters. (Dilating one centimeter an hour is textbook, but like in early labor, it's different for everyone.) If you're opting for an epidural, the time is…now!
According to Brichter, sitting on an exercise or birthing ball in neutral wide-legged positions prepares the body for labor by increasing blood flow, opening the pelvis, and encouraging cervical dilation. You can also try birth ball exercises such as circular hip rotations, rocking, and gentle bouncing.
Theoretically, the unequal walking pattern created by the curb causes the pelvis to open and allows the baby's head to descend. When the baby's head is deeper into the pelvis, there is more pressure on the cervix, causing dilation and effacement. This uneven walk should be done for about 10 minutes.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) explains that the cervix can begin dilating a few days before labor truly begins.
In a cervical cerclage, strong stiches (sutures) are used to close the cervix during pregnancy to help prevent premature birth. Typically, the stitches are removed during the last month of pregnancy. Treatments for or approaches to managing an incompetent cervix might include: Progesterone supplementation.
Your doctor or midwife may check for cervical dilation and effacement during your late third-trimester prenatal appointments. The changes usually begin several weeks before delivery, but it's not uncommon to still have a closed cervix near your due date.
Changes in your vaginal discharge
Even if the mucus plug stays intact, you may notice other changes to your vaginal discharge. “It can become more watery, stickier and thicker, or maybe a little pink before labor begins or at the early stages of labor,” says Dr. Emery.
When the cervix begins to dilate (open) several days before labor begins or at the start of labor, this plug is pushed into the vagina. When this happens you may notice an increase in vaginal discharge that's clear, pink, or slightly bloody. Some women expel the entire mucus plug.