# Dilating without contractions.



## lozzy21

Thought i would ask in here since you lovely ladies are usually clued up about the science of labour.

How common is it to dilate with out contractions and im not talking like 2-3cm but 8-9?

Im just wondering if its quite common or im some sort of freak lol

ETA Another question, what are 2nd labours usualy like?


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## Tegans Mama

I don't know but I have heard of women being in "denial" about being in labour and not noticing they're contracting, it coming through as back ache or something?


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## lozzy21

I had lots of back ache, then a few tightening's that the monitor was picking up but they were bearly there at first.


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## Nikki_d72

I'm not sure but yeeha for you! Be happy!


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## Mervs Mum

I don't think it's common but it does happen. An inde MW friend of mine was telling us about this on thursday. She thinks with hindsight she was in labour for about a week prior to giving birth. She said earlier in the week she had been at a christmas concert at the Minster and had an overwhelming urge to squat behind a pillar and give birth! :lol: she just put it down to her naughty streak! A few days later she had decided to see if she could feel her cervix to see if there was anything noticeable going on. She said she couldn't feel a thing and presumed it was so posterior that she couldn't reach it. Later hpthat evening she was putting one of her older children to bed which was a cabin bed with a small ladder. She had a whopper of a contraction and thought 'hmmm many more of those and my MW won't make the hour drive to the birth. She had another and made some phone calls to get people on their way. 20 mins later the baby was born! She said her seemingly unreachable cervix was probably fully dilated. She said it was completely pain free.

Re second labours. There is no real evidence to suggest second labours will be a certain way compared to first ones. Anecdotally they are often quicker as your body knows what to do and second stages are usually much shorter but everyone is different.


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## lozzy21

Thanks Lisa, I had lots of back ache from the friday but put it down to being pregnant. The only reason i went into hospital as there was mec in my waters so god knows what would have happend if she dident decide to do a poo.


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## lesleyann

Im not sure hun all i know was that i had painful contractions for 2hours and was 9cm? So i guess i was really really fast or a few CM before contractions started :flower:


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## lesbianlove

in my labours both of them i had no contractions, i started with very mild period pain which then turned into pressure like i just felt a lot of pressure on my cervix then my waters broke and they were born immediately after


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