Dilated to 3Cm... What Does This Mean?

With my 2nd child I started dialating at 35 weeks every week we went up 1/2 to 1 cm. By 40 weeks and 5 days I was almost 5 cm and still not in labor. Hope this helps. I really don't think it matters. With my first child I was dialated 1cm and went into labor 12 hrs later and had him with in 9hrs of my water breaking.

My mother-in-law was dilated to 4cm two weeks before her due date with one of her kids and she ended up going two weeks overdue so being dilated that far that early didn't mean anything for her.

I was 4 cm and 70% effaced for over a week...Baby was a couple days late. My doctor told me impending labor didn't really have anything to do with dilation, the effacement is more of a sign.

i dont know. i have only one, and i dialated very early starting in week 35. i was up to 4 1/2 cms at 38 weeks, and she wouldnt let me go home, and my son was born a short 9 hours later (only 7 hours of that i felt because i didnt feel contractions until they broke my water. :P)
anyway,
i think its going to be shorter for you this time! :) dialating early can do nothing but help right? like you said how mnay hours it took before? LOL

good luck, and take it easy now!

With our daughter my dilation went backwards. Two weeks before she was born, I was dilated to 1 cm. A week before I wasn't dilated at all. When my water broke I was barely dilated to 1 cm and I never did dilate past 3 cm before it was decided I needed a C-section.

I did not read the other posts so sorry if I am repeating info. I was at 3 with my 2nd for 2 weeks. But I know that it can be 2 minutes, everyone is different and each pregnancy is different. So I would just deep breathe...try some lavender essential oil...either in a massage or put on a tissue and inhale...this is a natural calming agent. Put your feet up, and make everyone take care of you...take full advantage while you can!!! Good Luck hon!

I was dilated a cm. at eight months and two cm. all during my last month and my daughter came exactly on her due date (no induction). My girl-friend was dilated a cm. and went a month early. I really think that it is completely different for everyone.

It really could mean anything. I just depends on your body. I have friends that were dialated for weeks before going into labor. It just depends on your body, but every labor and delivery has the potential of being completely different.
Like my mom, it takes me FOREVER to get to a 4, but then it's super fast after that.
Sorry. I know there's no reassurance there, but get your bag ready just in case baby decides to come sooner than later, but don't get your hopes up. Good luck!!!

Everyone is different...you could stay dilated at 3 for the next two weeks or you may go into labor tomorrow. Two weeks early isn't that big of a deal. If your doctor is confident that your baby is developed enough, all should be fine. =) With my DD, I was dilated to 2 for a month, and then went into labor two weeks early. With my DS's (twins), I dilated from 1-10 within a minute (pretty scary, since they were 8 weeks early, but that happens with twins sometimes!). Every pregnancy and delivery is different, so just pay attention to your body, and if you are at all concerned about being in labor, see your physician.
Good luck to you and congratulations!

don't worry about it-you may have your baby early and it means it will just go faster. i was dialated to a 3 1/2 a week before giving birth to both of my girls. my first labor was 5 1/2 hours and my second was 4 hours. that's from the time i felt my first contraction to the time they were out. having a lot of sex helps too. i know that's the last thing that sounds fun with that big belly in the way, but if you want to have your baby early, give it a try! good luck! i hope it goes fast for you!

With my first I was dilated to 3 for two months, then went into preterm labor, they stopped it for a month, then I had her and they told me I was over due... but the date was still 27 days early according to how far along they thought i was.

with my second I went in and they tried to send me home after one hour... saying I wasn't in labor... Then they checked me after I freaked... I had gone from 1 to 10 in that hour, and had him within an hour.

So, I have learned that Doctor's and nurses do not always know what they are doing LOL AND DON"T start stressing out about it, because you can make yourself crazy at the end :) Just try to get everything else in order while you wait :)

Well, I had my 1st baby 7 months ago. I was dilated to 1 cm & had my baby 1 week later. She was 2 weeks early. My sister had her 1st baby 2 months ago, and she was dilated 1 cm, a week later she was 2 cm, a week later she was 3 cm & finally they induced her a few days after her due date. These are a few experiences that I can share with you. I have read that after your 1st baby that being dilated usually means that you will be in labor soon, but don't have any personal experience with that. :) Good luck!

I was dilated to like 2 for weeks. Dilating can be such a slow process sometimes. I actually finally got going and my water broke, then stalled at 5cm and had to have pitocin. My labor ended up being 16 hours and delivery was close to 3. I did end up going in at exactly 38 weeks.

Good luck!

I always dilate early. I've also had all my babies early as well. I remember with my first baby I was dilated 2 cm at 36 weeks. It just means that I do the early labor without even realizing it. Also, my labors are usually not long. My first baby was born 10 days early with no complications. With my 2nd baby I was dilated at 3 cm 3 weeks early and was induced at 38 weeks with a 4 hour labor. My 3rd came at 33 weeks d/t an abruption and I had a c-section with her - no labor. My 4th baby I was dilated to 3 cm 3 weeks early and went into labor at 38 weeks exactly and my labor was about 2 1/2 to 3 hours long. I'm currently pregnant and just expect I will dilate early.

This doesn't always mean this is what will happen for you. I would be grateful as it appears your body is doing much of the work on it's own and hopefully your delivery will be uncomplicated and not too long (not too fast either).

Congratulations and good luck! Looks like baby could come at any time.

Depends, I was dilated to a 2 about 3 weeks before and a 4 two weeks before and she only came 2 days early, but she came FAST!

yep it could mean anything!! i was dilated to 3 cm for the last month of my pregnancy- my baby girl was born 4 days after her due date!!! good luck!

I stayed at a 3 for almost 2 1/2 weeks....so I think it just depends on the person...I also had to be induced.

as other moms have said it could mean anything, I was dilated to 3cm for 4 weeks (daughter arrivded a week after due date). Dilation means your body is getting ready for the labor, but it could be awhile before you actaully go into labor or maybe not. Try to get everything ready for the little one and enjoy!

I seriously was 3cm from the start of my 8th month until my son made is appearance - 2 weeks late! It means your body is getting ready, but it in no way means you are going to go any time soon.

With my daughter I was maybe 1cm and had her the next day, so it dialation really doesn't tell you much.

Pretty much means nothing..... Most women are dialated a few centimeters for weeks before going into labor. My doc said that effacing means more than dialating at this stage in the game.....

I was and both my kids were born exactly 4 days before their due dates. With our first, my water broke so we headed to the hospital. With our second, I was having contractions so we went in and I was in full blown labor. So NO, it does not have to mean that you will have the baby this early.....

It could mean nothing or it could mean your baby is coming. 38 weeks IS full-term. Congratulations. What a great thing to be thankful for next Thursday!!

It means absolutely nothing! You can walk around at 3 or 4 for WEEKS OR you can go from 0 to 10 in an hour.....

M.,

I always dialated prior to labor. Unfortunately, being at a 3 can mean anything. Some women don't get to that point until they are begging for an epidural and others don't even know they are dialated. My body was the later. I would dialate to a 6 and at my next check up the doctor would send me to the hospital to be enduced.

S.

I panicked with baby #1 when my DR said I was dilated to a 3 about 3 weeks before my due date. I was also like 50% effaced. I had my son 5 days before his due date. Went to the hospital at 7:30 AM, dilated to a 7, and had him just after 1:00, after pushing for 2 hours!

I was dilated to 4 at that point and still didn't deliver until past my due date. Your OB Gyn should be able to give you more of an idea of how close you might be to going into labor...

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Your baby can be born any time now and safely. It's considered full term. Also you can be dialated without being effaced. Some people can be dialated for weeks before delivery and some only hours.

I was dilated to 3cm five weeks before my son was due. I didn't dilate any more than that until I went into labor on his due date, and he was born around 30 hours later. It seems like things go faster with your second child, but i wouldn't worry about it too much. Even if you went into labor now, the baby should be fine. Babies are really only considered "Preterm" if they are born before 37 weeks.