"The Bloody Show"...opinions?

KellyScott04

This may be TMI but to get the best feedback, I'm going to share. I'm 37 weeks and my DH and I were feeling a little frisky and decided to have sex. Half way thru the deed we noticed I was bleeding, A LOT. I ran to the bathroom and hopped into the shower in shock from the amount of blood we both were witnessing. I called my midwife and she seemed rather calm about it stating that it's not uncommon to experience such a thing especially when your body is prepping for labor in the final weeks. She went on to say that if I was worried, to go on to the hospital to have baby monitored and get myself checked out. So, off my husband and I went. This is our first so we just felt better about going to make sure everything with our little one was ok. The nurse said baby's heartbeat was perfect and he was doing well. I am 1 cm dilated and my cervix is soft and ready for labor which she gave as the reason for the amount of blood loss. I'm now back home and experiencing small contractions, several within an hour but nothing painful so I'm assuming they're are not REAL labor contractions (I've been told I'd be able to tell the difference). Has anyone else experienced anything like this and is there cause for further concern? Lord knows I'm going to worry a little now until delivery day. Just wondering if anyone out there has had a similar experience.

PrimRoseMama

Yes. If your cervix is soft its also sensitive to bleeding. I wouldn't be concerned. 

Soleil3

Bleeding can be normal with sex. I wouldn't be concerned either.

KellyScott04

Oh, I know bleeding can be normal with sex while prego. This wasn't just bleeding though, this was like a murder scene. It's what the midwife and hospital referred to as the bloody show. It can be triggered by sex or losing your mucus plug apparently and happens because your cervix is so soft in the final days leading to delivery combined with all your blood flow being "down there". It would have been nice to be informed about this lovely named "bloody show" so the husband and I wouldn't have been so big-eyed, lol!

1bratmom

I had the same thing happen when I was pregnant with my son. It was crazy! I thought for sure something had to be wrong with all that blood, lol. I was about the same week as well.

But I disagree with it being your 'bloody show'. I'm not doctor of course so they know more than me. But my doctor said I busted a blood vessel and there's just a lot of blood down there. I had a stringing blood mucus mix mostly blood at 9pm and my son was born almost exactly 24 hours later the day before his due date. Which was around 3 weeks after the bleeding episode. 

Arielle27

I didn't have a bloody show with my first, but with my second I bled about a week and a half before giving birth. I was also 3cm dilated, fully effaced and having regular, close contractions for several hours prior to the middle of the night bleeding... It was during a bout of preterm labor that stopped completely on its own.

KellyScott04

It's so strange. I feel like a warning about the potential for something called the bloody show would have been nice. I know there's SO many bizarre thing that can occur during pregnancy but at least if I was told "Hey, when you and hubz try to get it on at 37 weeks THIS MIGHT happen...." lol! Both of us looked at each other like terrified deer in headlights when that happened. Now that it was explained to me and all checked out well at the exam, it makes sense and I'm more calm. It helps too that so many have had the same experience. Fun stuff! At least I know I'm 1 cm dilated which really isn't THAT great but at least the process has begun. I'm done being pregger!!!

aj3720

We experienced a very similar situation, only I was about 30 weeks, not close enough to be going into labor!  Our doctor told us the same thing - it was nothing to worry about and could be normal with sex.  We were still both very nervous because of the amount of blood (and the consistency),but all tests for baby came back normal.  I haven't been comfortable having sex since... 

rockyrollgirl

Yes, normal after sex and after being checked by the doctor.

KellyScott04

We are now definitely holding off on the sex after that experience, needless to say, lol