bloody show, how long does it last?

[Anonymous]

I am almost 38 weeks pregnant now. I had a cervical check on Wednesday (2cm) and started having blood tinged discharge right after. That evening and next morning, mucus plug (also tinged with dark/brownish blood) came out. Since then I've been having blood tinged discharge on and off, not a lot but always some every time I go to the bathroom. Is this normal?

[Anonymous]

call your doctor.

I had bloody show at midnight with first, water broke minutes later and baby came 28 hours later.

But didn't I read in a book that bloody show could last days.

Doesn't matter though b/c you are obviously close.

[Anonymous]

Bloody show can last a long time, stop and start and can mean things are changing in your cervix but definitely CANNOT tell you when your baby will come. Also, the mucus plug will regenerate if it's not time for the baby to come and the cervix stops changing.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, but still call your doctor.

[Anonymous]

If this were me I probably wouldn't be all that concerned, and as a result probably wouldn't feel the need to call. It's possible that the cervical exam caused some of the bleeding or that it somehow triggered the subsequent events. My understanding is that unless I'm gushing blood, filling pads, etc. bloody discharge and mucus plug are just signs that the cervix might be changing.

[Anonymous]

I would call--I had a bloody show when I woke up in the morning (39 weeks + 1 day), but didn't feel any labor-type feelings. Did my Googlin' and came to the conclusion that we would be having a baby within the next few days. I went ahead and called my doctor, who told me to come in for a quick check... yeah, she sent me straight to the hospital and my baby was born that afternoon. Apparently I was having contractions but didn't feel them.

At 38 weeks... call your doctor. What can it hurt?