Mucous Plug

[Anonymous]

I know this might be gross for some women but once you lost your mucous plug, how long after that did you go into labor? Also, did you feel any different?

[Anonymous]

Lost mine with #1 about 2 weeks before giving birth and no, did not feel any different.

[Anonymous]

Gross as it is, I have the same question. Thanks OP for posting it. Taking the grossness a tad further, *what* exactly does it look like? I've read different descriptions of what it *should* look like, but I am not sure what to expect. Is it like spotting? Could you pass it and not have a clue that you did? Once you pass it, do you just go about your normal business until the contractions start or the water breaks?

[Anonymous]

I only passed it with my first baby, and it was when I was already in labor. For me, it was really obvious that that was what it was - it was very mucousy, bloody and there was a lot of it.

[Anonymous]

to the OP - lost mine about 48 hours ago and still waiting.... (I am already 2-3cm dilated, 70%effaced and with bloody show) So, while I have been told "any day" now I am not holding my breath.

to the PP that asked about it - from what I have read you will not always know you lose it - many women don't until labor and many have and just simply not seen. Losing the plug is only ONE of several signs so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Anonymous]

Ok, when you pass it, you'll know. It is NOT small -at least not if it comes out all at once. I passed mine at 2 pm Sunday afternoon, waster broke at 245 am Monday, and I delivered at 830 pm Monday night. Oh, and only the last 5 hours were hardcore labor, I was just uncomfortable up to that point.

[Anonymous]

I disagree that you'll nec. know. I passed mine at 33 weeks, 6 days. And warning, this is SUPER gross: I happened to notice it in the toilet and it basically looked like it sounds -- like a big hunk of mucus, but bigger and more solid than the mucus that comes out when you have a bad cough. Sort of like a really big ugly booger, but more blackish then greenish. As soon as I stood up from the toilet, I realized my water had broke, as I was leaving a big puddle of clear liquid trailing behind me. (From other people's posts, it seems like these don't always happen together.) So, called my OB & headed to the hospital, where I started having contractions within a few hours. This was on a Sunday and they actually gave me a drug to hold off labor for 48 hours while they gave me a steriod to facilitate the baby's lung development. But, once they stopped the drug on Tuesday, I went into active labor fairly quickly and later that morning had a baby boy! (And even though he was 6 wks early, he only needed to be in the NICU for a few days & has been healthy ever since.)

[Anonymous]

I lost mine little by little starting at 39 weeks - I noticed mucous for 2 days whenever I went to the bathroom and wiped. I was induced at exactly 40 weeks (no contractions, other reasons), and at the hospital lost a bigger "hunk" - can't remember if it was on its own or after they applied Cervadil?