Hehehe. OK, here's a basic cervix 101 - though I'm no expert. I do think the cervix is fascinating. Usually the cervix is like a little tube, though it is softer during pregnancy than at other times. It averages about 2.5cm long and about 2cm across and can be felt like a little nubby thing with a dimple in the middle (the os) before it starts to change. I bet that's what your hubby felt Jenni, and it being high-ish is quite normal too, as is having it pointing towards your back (posterior).
Once it starts to gear up for birth it starts to soften more and shorten, a process that can take weeks or hours depending on the woman. So for someone having a feel of it they'll notice it getting flatter. Mine has been about 1cm long ever since I lost my plug last week which would be classed as about 50% effaced (about halfway between 2.5cm and 0cm). When I had a feel last night I could no longer feel any thickness to it at all, it felt just like there was an opening without any structured edge. This means (assuming I was feeling it right) I'm now 100% effaced. This is great news for me as it means that things are moving in the right direction. It also means that my body has less work to do once I go into labour - sometimes women can go into labour with a fully closed, thick cervix and then the contractions have more work to do to get it effaced and dilating.
Here's a pic I found that may help you visualise it:
https://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTSKXlpIhhBgKsloaXoHNhH96Kz7KKwMC2E9CHFepjfOUGG7WS13g
Clare, it sounds as though you might be a lot like me, effacing rather nicely.
This is not the same as dilation. A cervix can be a few cm dilated while still not very effaced and can be fully effaced when still barely dilated at all, though the two usually go hand in hand to some degree.
The other thing to know is about the direction the cervix is pointing. It's usually posterior - so pointing towards your back, as if the opening is slightly on the front wall of your vagina. (It isn't, it's just the pressure of the baby's head that makes it appear that way.) As labour progresses the angle gradually moves around until it's pointing straight down, by which point it's normally dilating quite well but again, this can vary. The baby's head often has to come down some to exert enough pressure for this to happen, or so I believe.
So, when a midwife examines you she's be checking for those three things, effacement, dilation and how posterior your cervix is. It's a combination of these three things that give the clearest picture.
Anyone with greater knowledge than me please feel free to expand/correct any of this, but this is my understanding.
Oh, and Jenni, a midwife usually uses the first two fingers of her hand which give her the best reach but it can still be a stretch. I'm big too and only have little fingers so I can only reach the bottom edge of my cervix, but that's enough to get a sense of how effaced it is. I couldn't check for dilation even if I wanted to, I just don't have the reach.
Gina. x
well done you! 
apart from my fingers may be shrinking?!! 
!!
)
) and when I just saw your post I pointed to the picture and he knew exactly what it was right away! 
