Consuming too much sodium is serious business because it's a risk factor for high blood pressure. High blood pressure, in turn, can lead to stroke and heart disease. Most U.S. adults consume the equivalent of 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt or 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day.
Before labor, your cervix is firm, kind of like the tip of your nose. Itâs closed and points toward the back of your vaginal wall. As your body prepares for labor, a few things happen: Your cervix will start to move forward until it's tilted toward the front of your vaginal wall.
As the cervix effaces and thins out, it also begins to stretch and open. This is called dilation. This widening and opening makes it easier for the babyâs head and the rest of its body to pass through from the uterus into the vaginal canal for delivery. The degree of dilation is measured in centimeters.