QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am 38 weeks pregnant. People have been asking me if my mucus plug broke, but I don't know what that is. Could you please explain?

I want to know what it feels like when your water breaks and you start getting contractions. At 37 weeks my doctor told me that I am 1 cm dilated and she asked if I felt any contractions. I feel lots of different things and I dont know what contractions are like since this my 1st pregnancy. I really appreciate all your time and help.

Thank you.
T. Patel

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I am 28 weeks pregnant and have been having some pains in the abdomen and some tightening. I went to see my OB but he was on vacation so the midwife checked me. She told me that I had been having contractions. She also said that my cervix was soft and the baby's head was low. This is my first pregnancy and I've asked some other people who have been pregnant and they told me that their cervix didn't get soft until right before they delivered. Is this something that I need to be overly concerned about?

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
My doctor keeps trying to act like it's not a big deal about my complete placenta previa. I want the truth. I am 27 weeks and I just found out that I have complete placenta previa. I have had two spotting episodes.

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
My husband and I have been trying to have children for about a year. I don't want to get too graphic, but every time we make love, afterward I automatically pee out all of his semen. If I try to hold it in, it just leaks out in the middle of the night and I wake up with wet panties. This concerns me and obviously we can't have children like this. What can I do? Is this a sign of something wrong with either him or me?

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
What exactly does effaced mean? I am 37 weeks, dilated to a 3 and 50% effaced. I understand the 3 but have no idea what effaced means. Can you explain in layman's terms?

Thank you,
Tara

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
Hello! I am currently 34 weeks pregnant. I have had braxton hicks now for several weeks, but they are still irregular.I had my son at 36 weeks by c-section and was wondering if my body will treat this pregnancy like a first-time baby since I only dilated to a fingertip with my son before the c-section or will it go more rapidly than the first?

Also, is there a way to check your own cervix for dilation?