The cervix generally needs to be dilated to 10 centimeters before it's ready for the baby to pass through. Your cervix can be dilated to a couple of centimeters for a few weeks before delivery. This softening can cause the mucus plug to be dislodged and come out.
Losing your mucus plug simply means that your cervix is starting to dilate, and your body is preparing for labor. You may notice a thick, jelly-like discharge that's either clear, off-white, or slightly bloody with a pink, red, or brown hue.
Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.
As long as your cervix dilates, you will lose your mucus plug. However, every mucus plug is different, just like every person is different. You may not always realize it has come out. Sometimes women lose their mucus plug more gradually, rather than in one or several clumps.
Typically, when we sit on the toilet, we are using the bathroom; so, naturally, we are accustomed to relaxing our pelvic floor while sitting on the toilet. A relaxed pelvic floor in combination with a supported squat can really help put that needed pressure on your cervix to help encourage dilation.
As long as the mucus plug discharges after 37 weeks of pregnancy or later and you and your doctor have no concerns, there is nothing specific you need to do after losing the mucus plug. Even if you lose your mucus plug several weeks before delivery, don't worry. Your baby is still protected.
Size: The mucus plug is about 4-5 centimeters long, or about 1 ounce in volume. If your body doesn't expel the plug all at once, it may seem like much less.
Check for dilation.
Try to insert the tips of your fingers into your cervix. If one fingertip fits through your cervix, you're considered one centimeter dilated. If two fit, you're two centimeters dilated. If there's additional space in the opening, try to estimate how many fingertips would fit to determine dilation.
The time between dilating to 1 cm and giving birth varies from woman to woman. One woman may go from having a closed cervix to giving birth in a matter of hours, while another is 1–2 cm dilated for days or weeks. Some women do not experience any dilation until they go into active labor.
Insert your index and middle finger and push your fingers deep inside as far as you can to reach your cervix. Be as gentle as possible to prevent bruising or complications. Assess dilation. You're considered 1 centimeter dilated if one fingertip fits through your cervix, or 2 centimeters if you can fit two fingers.
Once your cervix reaches 3 cm dilation, you've probably entered the early stage of labor. During this stage, your cervix gradually dilates to about 6 cm. This is the longest part of labor and can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, although between 8 to 12 hours is common.
During early labor, your cervix will dilate up to 4-6 centimeters. You will experience mild, irregular contractions that feel similar to period cramps. You may notice a thick, stringy discharge of your mucus plug, which can happen up to 2 weeks week before labor.
45% of women lost their mucus plug 1-2 weeks before labour started. 34% saw their mucus plug 2 days before labour began. 30% of women lost their mucus plug during labour.
Some women might not notice the loss of their mucus plug since there is already an increase in vaginal discharge during pregnancy. For some women, it comes out all at once. For others, it comes out gradually and you may not even know it. You many only see it when wiping after going to the bathroom.
Losing the mucus plug can be one sign that labor is near. There are several other signs labor is coming. You should monitor yourself for these other signs: Cramping: Period-like cramps that come and go over the course of a few days.
The mucus plug blocks the opening of the cervix during pregnancy to protect the baby from bacteria. As your body prepares for labor, the cervix dilates (expands). This causes the mucus plug to dislodge. When blood from your cervix is mixed in with the mucus plug, it is called a bloody show.
Yes, losing your mucus plug does signal labor, but not right that second. "The loss of the mucus plug, especially when there's a little bit of blood, is usually a good indicator that labor is coming within one to three days," explains Mallon.
Once your mucus plug has been expelled, it is still acceptable to have intercourse or take a bath, as the amniotic sac will prevent infection until it breaks.
When you are losing the mucus plug, You'll notice it on your underwear or on toilet paper after going to the loo. It could be in one single piece, like a blob of gel. Or it could be in smaller pieces which come away over several hours or more. You don't normally need to tell your midwife about it.
8 Symptoms Before Labor Starts
While there is no way to know when labor is 24 to 48 hours away, labor signs include a bloody show, Braxton Hicks contractions, labor contractions, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lower back pain, rupture of the amniotic sac (“water breaking”), and nesting instinct.
The early labor stage occurs between 0-4 centimeters of dilation. Active labor is the term used when a woman is dilated between 4-7 centimeters. The final phase of labor, the transition phase, occurs between 7-10 centimeters.
Ellson explains that movement can boost oxytocin, which will lead to stronger contractions and quicker cervical dilation. In other words, as those regular contractions start to kick into gear, consider doing some low-intensity exercises to dilate the cervix faster, or just go for a walk while you still can.
"Lying on your side, standing, sitting, walking, rocking—anything that keeps you active can help decrease pain and speed up labor," says Dawley. Other benefits of upright labor positions include: Reduced need for medication. Help in dilating your cervix and widening your pelvic opening.
You can't feel your cervix thinning, but you might pick up on a few cervical effacement symptoms. When your cervix effaces, you may feel pressure down there, Thiel says. You might also notice an increase in cervical mucus or discharge.