Do you think being told how 'dilated' you are is beneficial?

[Mad Scientist]

Hi everyone,
this question has played on my mind ever since I had my girls. For both my births I was never at any stage told how dilated I was. I strongly believe that this helped me get through labour. The whole time I was thinking my baby is almost here when really I was prob only 4cm dilated. Had they told me that, I probably would have been so disheartened, thinking is this ever going to end, esp with my Dd1 who was born full OP. Just wondering for those of you who were told how far dilated you were, did you find it helpful or a hinderance for your state of mind during birth? I birthed with a birth centre midwife so I wonder if that is their policy.....

[{sarah}]

Absolutely not, but also a little bit yes

I thought I was a lot further than I actually was when I got to the hospital in labour with DD. I had been 3cm for the two weeks prior & after five hours of hard labour I hadn't budged. That was a killer, I couldn't believe it had been so full on for so long with no change. Three hours later no change & I was still disheartened by knowing nothing was happening.

Another hour & a half later I said I needed an epidural because I thought I wouldn't have changed again & couldn't cope. So they checked & I was up to 9cm, so 6cm in an hour & a half when there was no change for 8 hours previously. That news was absolutely awesome & gave me the energy to keep going knowing it was so so close at that stage.


(I ended up with an emergency c/s another 1.5 hours later though )

[M22]

same!! i was 4 cm for the last friggin month and i wnet to 42 weekds

badddddddddddddddddddddddddd-

[Peach*]

I would say yes and no..
I remember at one point of labour I thought in my head "**** pethadein(sp) give me an epidural!!" So I asked for the midwife to see how dialated I was and I was 8cm, so that encouraged me to hang on as I was so far along.

No obviously for the reason the other girls said, If I asked at that point and I was only say 2cm I probably would have felt like I couldnt keep going.

[Tanya]

No.... With my last 3 births I refused all requests to put hands in my vagina. I have seen in done plenty with my clients and it is not beneficial! In fact I would say it is quite the opposite.

xx

[Inertia]

No way... Having long labours, It always crushed me to be told I was "only 4 cms" or something like that...

Stupidly though, I wanted to know. Mostly because for all those hours of pain, I wanted to be told something good like 8cms..

[beckoes]

For me NO. I had an IE and being told that not to much had happened really knocked me of focus. Ended up having an epidural!!

[Ozziehoffy]

Hmmmm I never got told but think it wouldn't have been a good thing. I found out when I was pg with Elijah that when I got to hossy with Oskar I was 9cm.... with Elijah though I don't know what I was but I do know that there was slow progress with some of it as the doc commented that there wasn't any or much change in about an hour and if things didn't start moving more then they were going to discuss another c/s.... ahahahah not on my watch Nelly... had already had a VBAC and I think it kick started my body again cos he was born about half an hour later. Anyway, back to question... I think it would've disheartened me especially with Elijah.

[miss.mestiza]

imo, yes! i wasn't checked for dilation until labor! i thought it was a mandatory thing to do at your 37 week midwife appointment? i was a bit disappointed, just needed some insight on how things are going.