Pregnancy & Baby 

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Is there any way to tell when I'll go into labour?

I really wish there was some way of telling you or even giving you a better than 50 - 50 guess. I learned many years ago that it was a bad idea to tell someone whose cervix was very ripe that she was bound to give birth soon. She never would, whereas if I told a woman with a very unripe cervix that she wouldn’t have the baby for a while, she was bound to go into labour that night.

I can say that if this is your first baby, it is nice to go into labour with your cervix a bit dilated because it means that some of the work has already been done, especially if the cervix is thin. If you have had a baby before, it is very normal for your cervix to be one or two centimetres dilated before labour and the head will probably engage during labour. If you had your baby early last time, you may well again.

Sorry to avoid giving a straight answer, but there really is no way to tell.

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