Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

Yummy convo right?

Anyway- I was wondering what it really means when you lose it. Does it mean labor is impending soon? Or is it one of those things that really means nothing and you can walk around for weeks with no progess?

I haven't lost mine yet- to my knowledge- but I hear a lot of talk of it and I figure I better prepare!

Also- does it normally come out in bits and pieces or all at once?
Is it bloody? Brown? Dish the dirt!

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

I almost lost my breakfast with you calling it a yummy convo hahah

I never lost it in pieces with my DS, when I lost it, I lost the entire thing and it had blood on it ((bloody show)). I had my son 8 hours later.

With this pregnancy, I'm losing it in pieces since like 32 weeks. It regenerates itself, so it really means nothing.

If you do see it with blood, it doesn't necessarily mean you will go into labor immediately, but will most likely go soon.

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

Here is what I personally know and know from reading lots on here.

You can lose the MP and gradually lose it over time. 2wks is the most I have heard.
So it dosent necessarily mean- LABOR.

For me, I had contractions, got worse and finally I lose ALL of my MP, had a bloody show, 3 hrs later baby.

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

all of the above.

It means that labor is going to start soon (soon is a relative term, could be a week or so) or has started...

It looks like snot, sometimes is a little bloody... if I recall correctly mine was a little brownish last time. I lost it over the course of a few days. Most of it came out after my water broke.

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

I agree with everything the PP's have said.

In my case, I labored at home for about 3 hours. Got to the hospital when contractions were coming about every 2 minutes. As soon as I got to the hospital, I felt like I had to go to the bathroom so I went in there and saw that I had lost my plug. Walked out of the bathroom to be examined and on my way to the bed, my water broke. They examined me and I was 10cm and ready to push. DD was born about an hour later. So I lost mine literally at the last minute.

It could happen at any time. Might not happen at all. Doesn't necessarily mean labor is around the corner, but sometimes it does. There is really no way of knowing for sure.

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

Thanks ladies.
I had a feeling it was one of those things that could go either way.

I actually jinxed myself with this post because I went to the bathroom and noticed a TINY bit of some mucousy looking stuff on the toilet paper.
But such a small amount and not bloody at all.

So who knows- maybe it's small pieces shedding off.

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

I started to lose it on a Saturday night and my water broke on Monday. I still needed an induction and eventually a c-section though.

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

With DD I didn't even notice losing it & believe me I was on the watch. We'll see what happens this time around.

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

never lost mine...not that I saw...so God only knows!!!!!!

Re: Let's talk Mucous Plugs!

for me it means LABOR

the night i went into labor i was going to the bathroom and every time i wiped there was some blood mixed with mucus after about an hour of seeing this i went into L&D and was 4 cm dilated and gave birth to my son 9 hours later