Does dilation have a smell?
Smell. Usually towards the end of dilation, and just before birth, there is a special smell – like a mix of mown hay, semen and dampness. It can be very strong. Can you smell dilation? As dilation progresses, the space between the fundus and sternum gets smaller, until at full dilation there is usually no gap between them. Many birth workers recognise an earthy or musky smell that women have when they are entering transition (the stage before pushing when the cervix is dilated).