First-time moms tend to efface before they dilate. The opposite may be true if you've already had one or more babies. Most of the effacement happens in the early stage of labor, when your cervix is dilating from 0 to 6 centimeters.

Is it better to dilate or efface first?

Why Effacement Is Essential

First-time moms may labor longer because they tend to efface before they dilate. But, in later pregnancies, effacement and dilation usually happen together and more quickly.

How fast do you dilate after effacement?

Some women may reach 100% effacement within a few hours. For others, cervical effacement may occur slowly over several weeks. The same applies to dilation. It is not uncommon for a woman to be 1–2 cm dilated a couple of weeks before going into labor.