Understanding Cervical Stretching During Labor: A Postpartum Story

Question
Hi, I delivered my second baby on Christmas Eve, this year. A week before delivery my midwife checked my cervix and found that I was dilated 3 centimeters, though she said my cervix was very "stretchy, almost felt like it was tearing" to 5 centimeters and she wouldn't be surprised if I had the baby soon. Well, I'm sure she was hoping that checking me would induce labor, but I didn't go into labor until a week later and everything went smoothly; actually, everything went very quickly and for the most part (it is labor) comfortably. Now, my question is about the mention of tearing. I asked the midwife about it and she responded that the tearing could just be from scarred tissue from the first labor, but with the first labor I had an OB who didn't indicate that there were any cervical tears from delivery. Could the scarred tissue be from something else? If I did any more damage to my cervix, could this affect future pregnancies? Should I go to the OB to do the antenatal exam? I'm due back at my six week appointment with the midwife next week but I don't know if she'll do a pelvic exam.

Answer
Dear Tabetha

What the midwife siad is nonesense. If there is a tear, there should be bleeding. If a scarr tissue in the cervix area tears, it will extend somewhere else in the uterus and will also bleed. It is never impossible to have a tear and then few weeks later have a "comfortable delivery".

Best of luck in your next pregnancy and delivery.