"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.
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.
The length of time between losing your mucus plug and going into labor can vary. In some cases, you may go into labor within hours or days, while other times, you may not go into labor for a few weeks.
The mucus plug comes loose and dislodges when the cervix starts to open (dilate), so yes losing the mucus plug can be a sign that you're approaching labour, or it may even be an early sign of labour itself.
How Do You Feel 24 Hours Before Labor? Some of the most common things women experience when labor is 24 hours away are cramps and contractions. You might feel that your stomach is becoming tight and may experience discomfort in your lower back. Along with that, you might also experience cramps in your pelvic area.
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.
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.
The mucus plug forms in a woman's cervix during pregnancy. When the cervix begins to widen, as it does during labor, the mucus is discharged. However, loss of your mucus plug does not necessarily mean you are going into labor. Some women may lose their mucus plug weeks before true labor occurs.
A mucus plug is usually clear, but it can be white, yellow, green, brown, slightly pink, or blood-tinged in color. Most of the time it is off-white with some streaks of pink blood. The plug is jelly-like but becomes more liquid as it is expelled.
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. Around 17.65% didn't see theirs at all.
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.
Having bloody show and losing the mucus plug are closely related events, but they are not the same thing. The mucus plug is transparent and contains little or no blood, while bloody show is a mixture of blood and mucus.
Texture: It has a gelatinous look and is thick while in the cervix, but typically becomes thin and more liquid once expelled. 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.
Losing your mucus plug is typically a sign that your cervix is starting to dilate (open). As the cervix dilates, the mucus pushes out into the vagina, which can be a sign you're approaching labor—or it can be an early sign of labor itself. Read more about the other common signs of labor, including your water breaking.
Your mucus plug will usually come out before your water breaks, though you can leak amniotic fluid through a tear — which doesn't necessarily mean you've lost your mucus plug yet, as it prevents bacteria from traveling up to baby, not water from leaking out.
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.
Very active baby before labor
Some women experience their baby moving a lot in the run-up to labor. One theory for this is the increase in Braxton Hicks contractions. As your body prepares for labor and birth, you might start to experience a greater frequency of Braxton Hicks contractions.
You may notice an increase in mild cramps or Braxton Hicks contractions ("practice" contractions) that feel like a tightening or hardening of the uterus as you approach delivery. Additionally, you may notice a sensation of building pressure or cramping in your pelvic/rectal area.
In the days before labour starts, you might notice some subtle signs. It can be hard to tell them apart from your normal pregnancy discomforts. You might notice a change in the discharge from your vagina or a few cramps in your abdomen. You may have a low, dull ache in your back that can come and go.
For starters, the mucus plug is gooey, gelatinous, and usually yellowish-white in color (sometimes with tinges of pink or brown). In some respects, it can resemble egg whites. Normal pregnancy discharge, on the other hand, tends to be thin, mild smelling or odorless, and clear or milky white.
The mucus plug is a thick, sticky piece of mucus that blocks the opening of your cervix during pregnancy to prevent bacteria from entering the uterus and reaching your baby. This plug is dislodged as the cervix begins to dilate and efface in preparation for labor.
You do not need to notify your doctor if you pass your mucus plug or have “bloody show” unless you have regular contractions afterwards or are concerned that your water has broken. This is a normal consequence of the early cervical changes that occur as you approach your due date.