Understanding Your 37-Week Labor Progress: 2cm, -2 Station, 60% Effacement

Question
I am 37 weeks and had an exam today and was told i was 2cm,-2station,and 60 pgnaercent effaced.this is my second pregnancy and all of this is new to me because all i remember is the intense pain and being in labor ina matter of hours.My question is where am i at and what can i do to help the process move faster

Answer
hi mary,
2/-2/60 ..pretty much where you are suppose to be at 37 weeks, and with your second baby..(your always dilated a little bit the 2nd time around..2cm is appropriate)
this means, you are dilated 2 cm, the baby is fairly high up..at -2 station..and 60 percent effaced is still a bit on the longer side (effacement is how thin (short-long) your cervix is..eventually needs to be 100 percent)..
your not in labor obviously..it may be a couple weeks still to be honest.
i would walk alot, and also having sex is a natural induction method, sperm is a prostaglandin that preps the cervix to soften and dilate (and efface)
hope this helps you,
blessings,
kristenRN