Dilated 5Cm at 31 Weeks

Maybe yes, maybe no. I was 3cm at 31 weeks and remained so until my son was born via c-section at full term. My son was transversly breech. If he had been in the correct position (head down) and putting force on my cervex he would have been early. If you are having complications usually the hospitalize you with bed rest and start steriod injections to help the baby's lungs develop a little faster. Good luck.

What did the doctors tell you? Bed rest will certainly help, but I'm sure each case is different. The only advice I have for you in this situation is to try to keep your weight forward as much as possible. Sleep on your sides and lean forward when you can because if you lounge back and sleep on your back, the baby will remain with his/her back to your back and that makes for a long and painful posterior presentation birth:(
Good Luck:)

This is how my sister and I both labor - we start dilating very early.
We are always 7 or 8 cm at least when we go into actual active labor, and she was induced both times and myself twice so it may have been even more if labor happened spontaneously.

I am not a Dr. and I don't know what yours says about you specifically. In my case and my sisters it just means we have short labors. The baby isn't going to fall out : ) I was never worried nor did I go on bed-rest, I certainly wasn't running marathons - but I did live my normal day to day life went on walks regularly etc..and towards the end my body let me know when too much was too much and if I needed to slow down and rest.

Hope everything works out for you. If I were you I would also ask them not to check me again, why mess around with things up there anymore? Ask them why they need to check.

Good luck!
C.

It is entirely possible that you could make it another 5-6 weeks. This would give the baby enough time to further develop his lungs and get some body fat on him. I was 5 cm dilated with my son for 6 weeks.
Did they run any tests at the hospital? The fibrofetalnectin (sp?)can determine your likelihood of preterm labor. Additionally, if you were contracting, they should have given you a betamethesone (steroid) shot can help develop the babies lungs should he arrive early.
Whatever the situation, just be sure to return to the hospital very quickly if you begin feeling crampy. They can give you medication to make your contractions stop and possibly prolong your labor.
Try not to worry (I know it's impossible). Many babies born at 31 weeks have a very high survival rate.
I have a friend who delivered her son at 26 weeks and he is now 5 years old.

Your doctors would be the best to tell you that. Unfortunately, neither they nor us have crystal balls. All I can say is listen to what they are telling you to do, their goal is to get you as far along as possible and to keep that baby safe. You may be frustrated by what they are telling you to do, but do it anyway.
I'm sure you just wanted to know if it is possible, and now you know it can be. So listen to your doctors.
R.

I'm not sure exactly. I did have a girlfriend with very similair circumstances. She was actually having contractions and they gave her medicine to stop labor. The majic number that they gave her was 35 weeks. This seemed to be the point that the doctors said whatever happens let nature take its course. I hope everything turns out well for you. Congratualtions on your new bundle of J..

I'm a labor and delivery nurse and I think its possible, what treatment did they do? You on bedrest? The medicine they use to stop labor is usually very effective. So, its very possible. What did your doctors tell you? How long were you in the hospital? I feel like I need some more info! But I've seen a lot of women that made it to 36-37 weeks in a similar situation!

Take care!
A.

I went into pre-term labor (1 1/2 cm dilated and 90% effaced) at 32 weeks. I too was given the steriod shots and put on bedrest. They also gave me medication to stop the progression. I would still get contractions every-so-often, but nothing serious. They were hoping for me wait it out until 36 weeks because by then the baby is fully developed and will just be a little small.

I went off the medication when I hit 36 weeks and I had my daughter the next day. You should ask your doctor about meds to help you keep that little one in as long as possible.

I have seen it go both ways with myself. With my first daughter I was 3cm at 35 weeks and went to full term. I just steadily dilated and thinned out. On the bright side my labor was very short and things went very fast. That was the good part. With my second daughter I was a finger tip dilated at 29 weeks and then my doctor screwed up and didn't check and my second daughter was born at 33 weeks and 4 days. She was in the hospital for 17 days and is doing great. I would say to push for information and direction from your doctor. Good luck to you!!!

If you can at least hang on until 33 weeks your baby's lungs might be developed. I had my daughter at 33 week's and she weighed 4lbs, 5 ozs. She didn't even need oxygen. Try to hang in there a couple more weeks.