How does dilating & effacing feel like?

I've been feeling crampy, achy, and increased pressure down there for the past week or 2, and when I finally got checked yesterday, my OB said my cervix is soft, but I'm still closed and hasn't effaced. I asked her what those cramps meant, and she said they're just a sign that my cervix is softening/ripening. I remember when I was induced with my stillborn, the beginning part of my labor just felt like really bad menstrual cramps, then next thing I knew I was 6 cm and 75% effaced. So I was assuming my cramps lately meant I was getting dilated & effaced, but nothing! So should I be looking for another kind of feeling?

I didn't feel anything but contractions.

Quoting SarahAnn:“ I didn't feel anything but contractions.”

  

I just had contractions.. Other than that nada, and when I finally got checked for the first time with Logan I was at a 9  

You can dialate and efface without feeling anything, and you can have horrible contractions and cramps and not get any dialation or effacement. Theres no way of telling without checking.

You aren't technically supposed to "feel" your cervix changing.....

But my doc said that the contractions that I have that come with pressure - (feels like I gotta poo, but there's no poo to be had.....feels like my baby is just gonna pop right on out) Are doing something....

But it's only 5-6 of those a day for me right now, I've had a general increase in pressure, but the contractions with intense downstairs pressure are apparently what changes your cervix. Good luck!

I felt myself dialted with my baby i could just feel like something was opening but that was only with him and at that point i was only 29 weeks. So that wasnt really good. With my others i never felt myself dialte. Cramps really do just mean you are having some little contractions and they are getting your body ready to have a baby.

I was 3 cm and 80 effaced and had no contractions when i was checked. I didn't feel a thing.

Quoting Pinky37anahaf:“ You aren't technically supposed to "feel" your cervix changing..... But my doc said that the contractions ... [snip!] ... increase in pressure, but the contractions with intense downstairs pressure are apparently what changes your cervix. Good luck!”

For a few weeks i was getting that kind of pain. It hurt so bad. The contractions would stop me in my tracks and i couldn't talk through them. They got way worse a week before i was induced to have my son. The contractions even got regular but would never stay regular for long. I thought when i went to the dr the next time she would tell me i was dialted and effaced a bunch because i thought i was feeling my cervix dialte. But no....There wasn't any change and i had high blod pressure so i had to be induced.

Quoting amberwithryan:“ For a few weeks i was getting that kind of pain. It hurt so bad. The contractions would stop me in ... [snip!] ... i was feeling my cervix dialte. But no....There wasn't any change and i had high blod pressure so i had to be induced. ”

That sucks... I was just going off the fact that my doc told me that those type were a sign of making changes.... I dunno... I have had changes at every appt so far - well since 36w 5d anyway.... and I have two a week because of the GD. So for three appts. in a row I've had some change, not alot, but some nonetheless!  

Well Good Luck! And i hope you are progressing because i know how frusterating it is to go through ALL that pain and then find nothing! Plus being nduced is no fun!