Most people know that when it comes to giving birth vaginally, a woman’s cervix must go from 0 cm to 10 cm, before she can deliver her baby. Okay, so it's not just a number, it does play a pretty important role. Personally, though, I think that expecting parents can focus a little too much on the number and often times don’t realize the many other ways that labor is progressing.
For example, during the birth of my 4th daughter, I was in very active labor (if not transition) when my midwife suggested that she check the dilation of my cervix. I consented & after checking me, she told me I was 5 cm. Being very vulnerable & definitely in transition, I thought there was no way! I had to be close to done! After walking from the bathroom to the bed and a few really tough contractions, I was complete & began involuntarily pushing. I went from 5 cm to baby in my arms in about 15 minutes!
That being said, aside from contractions & cervical dilation, there are other factors that can show us progress in labor.
1.Position of Cervix- A cervix moving from posterior (near the back, hard to reach) to anterior (near the front of the vagina, easy to reach) is considered a sign of progress.
2.Effacement- The cervix starts out long & firm, but as labor progresses, the cervix shortens & thins.
3.Baby’s Station- The caregiver finds the ischial spines & estimates the distance between the spines and the baby’s head. If the head is above the spines, it’s considered a negative station. If it’s below, it’s considered a positive station.
4.Checking for Position
Anterior fontanel- The diamond shaped fontanel located near the front of baby's head is presented.
Posterior fontanel- The triangle shaped fontanel located towards the back of the baby's head is presented.
As you can see, there are quite a few factors to look at when determining progress in labor. Cervical dilation is just one of them. Try not to get stuck on the number.
Written by: Andrea Myers
