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August 12, 2025 18 mins

Why Dilation Doesn’t Predict Birth


You’ve heard it. You’ve maybe even stressed over it:

“You’re only 1 cm…”

“You’ve been 4 cm for weeks…”

“You’re not making any progress.”


But here’s the truth: Your cervix is not a fortune teller.


In this episode, we’re calling out the over-focus on cervical dilation and why it’s such a misleading measure of how “close” you are to labor—or how labor is progressing.


You’ll learn:


  • Why dilation doesn’t predict labor onset
  • Why internal checks can create unnecessary anxiety
  • How “failure to progress” gets misused (especially after cesarean)
  • Why you get to decide how much you want to know about your cervix


Spoiler alert: Progress doesn’t always look linear.

And your cervix is not a countdown clock.


Let’s get into what real labor progress looks like, and how to trust your body even when you’re not “measuring up.”



IMPORTANT LINKS: 

BIRTH PLANNING SESSION 

COACHING PROGRAM 

VBAC WITHOUT REGRETS COURSE 

POSTPARTUM BOOK WAITLIST 

Send me a text if you have episode request. All other questions please email me so I can reply!

Send me a text if you have episode request. All other questions please email me so I can reply!

Find me on Facebook & Instagram @Made4Birth or visit my website at www.made4birth.com for all the information about my coaching program.

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