Question regarding manual cervix dialation

[BekZ]

DD was born 9 months ago but from time to time I have wondered about a couple of things that happened during the course of her birth.

My midwife did an internal when I was 8cm dialated. At this point she broke my waters and stretched my cervix to 10cms. Within a matter of minutes my contractions became so intense that I felt like I had lost control of the birth and with in 10 minutes and 2 pushes DD was born. All up my labour was 3 hours but mostly it is a blur.

Question: Is it normal practice to stretch the cervix? Considering that I went from 4cms to 8 cm in 2.5 hours was it really needed?

I am just thinking that I would have managed the birth better if I was left to progress without intervention.

[Tobily]

Short answers

No. Not normal practice.

And yes, you would have been fine without the intervention.

It's a shame that was done to you and that you felt you lost control afterwards...no wonder it was all a blur, short labours like that can be extremely intense

[BekZ]

Thanks Tobily

much prefered my first daughters birth. It was 10 hours and I pushed for 2 hours but some how I managed the pain and I remember everything.

With the last birth I felt that once I had the intervention it all went too quickly. All I can remember is people yelling at me to get on the bed or the baby would fall on the floor. Well I got on the bed but I don't know how because the pain was so so bad that my the room was spinning and my legs could not move...as it was Loren fell on the bed and no one caught her.

Next time around I want to be more informed so that I can birth and some what manage the whole experience better.

[Schmickers]

Hmmm. No, I've never heard of that (stretching the cervix) being done. I'll have to ask DW.