Warning: TMI Mucus Plug

cmessamore

Hi everyone, this is my third baby, so you'd think I'd be used to this, but nope! Has anyone else started to lose their mucus plug yet? I've been losing mins little bits at a time over the past couple of days (I'm 33 weeks 3 days right now). Anyone remember how long after they lost their mucus plug that they have gone into labor in past pregnancies? I'm already on modified bed rest for preterm labor and my last baby came at 36 weeks. I have an appointment in the morning so I'll obviously ask my OB then, but just curious to know how you ladies have done with past pregnancies. 

ShanRum3

With my first, it was exactly 1 week.  I was induced the second time around,  so I can't remember what the time frame was. Definitely worth mentioning to your OB.

Stephanie7693

With my first, it was about 30 minutes before I realized I was in labor. With my second I never noticed. But I've heard it can be as long as 2 weeks, and apparently some women lose them early and they grow back? I'd ask your ob, but try not to worry too much in the meantime 

jacmkelley

I'm 99% sure I lost mine a week ago tomorrow. However I didn't remember losing mine with DD. What I had was not blood tinged or brown just a lot of mucus dishcharge. Is yours colored? Sorry if that's TMI but I'm kind of wondering the same things as you...

haboobjob

Mine was an hour or so between losing my MP and water breaking at just over 38 weeks. 

I think @Stephanie7693 is right though. You can lose it and it can regenerate if lost earlier. Worth sharing with your OB though!! 

Side note: Hope this post doesn't inspire "is this my mucus plug?" photos!!! Ew. 

jacmkelley

justaudrey said:

Mine was an hour or so between losing my MP and water breaking at just over 38 weeks. 

I think @Stephanie7693 is right though. You can lose it and it can regenerate if lost earlier. Worth sharing with your OB though!! 

Side note: Hope this post doesn't inspire "is this my mucus plug?" photos!!! Ew. 

LOL I thought the same thing.

Stephanie7693

Lol I hope not! Google Image is there to help with that!! 

pelorunningmama

I lost mine about a week and a half before I went into labor. It can regenerate though.

Surely no one will post a picture. Eek!

ebilbao

I lost mine nine days before having my son, but a girlfriend lost hers around 33 weeks and walked around dilated to 3cm until she was 40 weeks.

AliKay20

It took guts to even click on this thread in fear there would be posts about everyone's MP's. So glad we are all on the same page. I about passed out when I searched what it was a month ago on Google. I think at this point, I'm convinced the only exit I can deal with is my baby out of my belly. All the things having to exit besides baby before and post labor are just...

JournoGrl23

I just made the severe mistake of looking up what it looks like so I'll know when it happens to me. Completely scarred for life.

ballofmeat

JournoGrl23 said:

I just made the severe mistake of looking up what it looks like so I'll know when it happens to me. Completely scarred for life.

I did the same thing and was like...yowza! 

Bookhousegirl

I lost mine (or possibly only part of it) this past weekend at just over 33 weeks. I was starting to dialate which is usually the cause. The doctor told me it could happen right before labor starts, or it could be weeks, so it really depends on each person/labor. I lost it with DS when I was having regular contractions at over 38 weeks, so I guess each baby can be different! They are monitoring me more closely now, but that's more due to the dialation and not the MP. 

tinkerbell11210

I lost mine at the hospital when I was going to L&D with DD1. However my sister in law lost hers at 36 weeks and was 3cm dialated until she was induced at 41 +3. So I agree everyone is different.  

Edit to clarify

Mfuller76

I'm really tempted to google what it looks like, but y'all have me scared! 

AmandaG225

With DD I lost mine and she was born 26hrs later.  But I agree with PP, you can loose part of it and it can regenerate.

Curls919

Why are you people googling what it looks like?!?!?!

Bookhousegirl

Do not Google! I did to confirm what was happening and it was not pleasant. Poor DH also googled it after I went to L&D and he definitely regrets his decision. You'll know if it happens, it's significantly different than anything that normally exits your body

SkiChic626

AliKay20 Saaaaame!  I have no idea if I ever lost mine with DD, and if I did I didn't notice.  Ignorance is bliss! lol

tinkerbell11210

I second @Bookhousegirl. You will know when you loose it. I never googled it and don't plan too. 

No more Miss!

I lost mine at 34w with my last pregnancy. It was about 3-4 days before I delivered. 

acpear11

Just thinking about what an image of a mucus plug might look like gives me the gags. No googling for me. 

pelorunningmama

Bookhousegirl said:

Do not Google! I did to confirm what was happening and it was not pleasant. Poor DH also googled it after I went to L&D and he definitely regrets his decision. You'll know if it happens, it's significantly different than anything that normally exits your body

THIS! Do Not Google! You will know. It is very different.

cmessamore

I talked to my OB, she confirmed that it could be hours, days, or weeks till the baby comes after the MP. I am having an intravaginal ultrasound tomorrow to check out my cervix, so we'll see if there's been any big changes in dilation. 

As for googling what it looks like, just don't, but let me tell you that someone described it as "It was like my vagina had a cold"

ballofmeat

Curls919 said:

Why are you people googling what it looks like?!?!?!

Because I'm a gross medical lab tech. Lol lol lol 

emmeline714

i have heard you can loose it quite a few times before actually going into labor in can be weeks before giving birth, i was tempted to google it but i just ate and don't want everything to come back up lol

DDRRT1982

OP, I am glad to hear that you are getting monitored.  Hopefully, labor is still a few weeks away.  Your MP can regenerate, so even if you lose a little it can reform.  I always lost mine during labor or right before, but I imagine it's probably normal to lose bits and pieces here and there in the third tri anyways.

kristynmac

midwestbaby said:

Curls919 said:

Why are you people googling what it looks like?!?!?!

Because I'm a gross medical lab tech. Lol lol lol 

I asked DH to google it and pretended I didn't really know what he was looking up.

jacmkelley

kristynmac said:

midwestbaby said:

Curls919 said:

Why are you people googling what it looks like?!?!?!

Because I'm a gross medical lab tech. Lol lol lol 

I asked DH to google it and pretended I didn't really know what he was looking up.

New best friend.

ashleybaker712

Everyone saying don't goggle made me google. Pregnancy is gross. End of story. 

AliKay20

Curls919 said:

Why are you people googling what it looks like?!?!?!

I'm a visual person in general and a slight rebel by nature, ha! But seriously, if y'all tell me not to look, chances are...

I will if I haven't already and deal with the regret after. >.<

tresamigos

I also just searched Google images for this... Not sure how far all of you scrolled down, but I laughed out loud when one of the images was a Blobfish! 

Fremdschamen

With DD, I lost enormous amounts of mucus after my stretch and sweep (I was dilated to 4 cm for 3-4 weeks before my due date) but it meant nothing.. I was induced two weeks later.  So, I wouldn't put much stock in it.

Mfuller76

I couldn't resist and looked it up. @cmessamore pretty much nailed it - it looks like your vagina had a cold. Wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting but also confirmed my suspicion that I'd lost a few chunks of it earlier in my pregnancy. 

searchingforameaning

i googled it before I read all the posts saying not to google it! Won't be forgetting those images anytime soon!

Abfisher

In my what to expect book, it's mentioned you can lose your plug weeks before delivery. Sometimes, your body replaces the plug if its lost much earlier before you deliver. It's not the best indicator for impending labor. The bloody show or your water breaking are better signs of future labor.

tinkerbell11210

@kristynmac. That is hilarious!! I should do that to my DH as pay back for picking up after him. 

ballofmeat

kristynmac said:

midwestbaby said:

Curls919 said:

Why are you people googling what it looks like?!?!?!

Because I'm a gross medical lab tech. Lol lol lol 

I asked DH to google it and pretended I didn't really know what he was looking up.

Bwahaha! Too bad DH is also a medical lab tech. 

KJ1416

I lost mine with DS after 3 hours of labor/contractions. I think I lost some of mine this time after my certical check last week, but I'm not sure. 

I agree with PP that pregnancy/labor is super gross!  Labor is so incredibly gross!

haboobjob

STM and just had to google bloody show because I didn't know what it was... gross. I guess I never had it because I didn't dialate? I wish I could unsee the images from that Google search. 

Stephanie7693

Now that I'm thinking about it, I am pretty sure I lost at least some of mine a couple weeks ago. What came out was far from the norm, even for pregnancy lol. But here I am, still pregnant! I did google it at the time, (NOT images!) And that's when I leared it can regenerate