I’m 2 cm Dilated? How much longer?

You might have been checked in the office at one of your appointments — and been told your cervix is 2 cm. But, what does that mean? Your doctor might have said something like “not long down” but what does that mean? Will you go into labor soon? Should you just go in now?

But first, how do I know so much about dilation vs labor? Hi, I’m Hilary — The Pregnancy Nurse® — I’ve been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of labor and delivery experience. I have seen a LOT of people at 2 cm dilated and I know how the corresponds to going into labor — so, I’m a good resource for you! I’m glad you’re here.

How much longer will you be pregnant if you’re 2 cm dilated?

Frankly, who knows? I mean, likely not much longer than a few weeks if you’ve had your cervix checked.

Our BEST guess as to when you’ll have your baby is your due date.

We often give too much credit to dilation in the whole equation of things. Here are a few facts for you:

• Just because you’re dilated now doesn’t mean you’ll continue dilating
• Even if you’re not dilated now, doesn’t mean you can’t have the baby in the next day
• Some people walk around for WEEKS dilated having no idea that’s the case (some women’s cervix may never fully closed last time).

Honestly, that’s not something a lot of people talk about — which is why you want to listen to experts like me, or your provider. Come join me in here to get prepared!

So, what does being 2 cm dilated tell me?

Well, your cervix open, that’s mostly what it tells you.

But, here are a few other important questions:

Is your cervix soft? Or, is it hard like a rubber tire? Softer cervixes are what we call ripened. Your cervix will start out hard like a rubber tire, but then soften to a consistency of soft cheese as it ripens. If your cervix is rock hard it isn’t as ripe (and it will take a little time for it to ripen). As practitioners we call this your cervical consistency

How low is the baby? If baby is still sky high in your abdominal cavity (meaning it hasn’t dropped) that’s not always a great sign. The lower baby is in the pelvis the more likely it is to be closer to birth. However, that doesn’t mean baby couldn’t drop ASAP and you head into labor at any time. We call this baby’s station.

Where is the cervix? Well, it’s clearly in your vagina — but is it far back (called posterior) or is right towards the front? We call this cervical positioning. Cervixes usually start out posterior (further back) and move forward as birth progresses and baby moves into the birth canal.

How thick is the cervix? Along with how soft it is, how thin is the cervix? Think of it like pulling a tight-necked sweater over your head. The knit will stretch out (and thin) as you pull it down onto your head. If your cervix is very thick, not as great. If it’s nice and thin it might be better. BUT cervixes can thin out very quickly with nice contractions. We call this effacement (and we usually measure it in a percent — so they’ll say your cervix is 50% effaced). Honestly, anything less than about 70% is still pretty thick.

Pro Tip: We don’t define active labor until 4-6 cm of labor — and you can’t really be considered in a “stage of labor” until you’re actively contracting and baby is moving into the birth canal.

Remember, LABOR is usually a few things — not just contractions — so grab my labor signs checklist right here:

So, does what my cervix is tell me anything?

Not always, but It does in a few circumstances.

• If you’re in preterm labor that’s not a great sign and we want that cervix to STOP dilating.
• If you’re having an induction it tells us what agents we should use to start your labor (and a bit about how long your induction will be — although we’re often wrong).

Let me give you the four truths of cervical exams

What your cervix is now doesn’t mean it can’t change with good labor contractions. It’s a volatile situation friends, so just be aware.

It’s not just a number. A cervical exam, in the hands of an experienced practitioner can tell us a lot about what’s going on currently. Just getting a number doesn’t tell the whole story.

Without contractions even a large dilation doesn’t mean much. I hung around at 5 cm for a long time. This can happen. I wasn’t having active contractions so I just hung out. Was I miserable? Yes, did I have a fast induction once we finally called it and got that baby out — also yes.

And finally….

Doctors like to give good news. They want you to be done being miserable almost as much as you do. They’re hopeful that 2 cm means that something is happening

So, at this point you may wonder if having your cervix checked is worth it?

If you desperately want to know it may just satisfy some curiosity for you. Or, if you’re having an induction they can be important to help you know what to expect (and when the provider should schedule it). OR if you’re in preterm labor, it can be really important to know.

The big question is if it will change your plan of care? In the cases of an induction or preterm labor — yes, important.

But, just a random check may not be worth it to you. Your provider may offer it, but it’s up to you if you take them up on it. Because as we all know, what your cervix is NOW doesn’t mean it can’t change quickly with some good contractions.

Which could start at any time {insert scary organ music}.

If you’re feeling anxious about your labor, birth, or postpartum life come join me in The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. It’s the easy way to get prepared!

I 100% get that you want to know what’s going to happen — to prepare. Labor is just one of those things in life that you just can’t know WHEN something is going to happen. That’s just the tricky (and annoying) truth of thing. You can, however, prepare for a lot of it!

And, if you’re not quite sure you’re ready for a whole class together, grab a lesson from the class for free. It’s your first step toward getting in the driver’s seat of your birth.