does losing the mucus plug mean you are starting to dilate? (no picture, I promise!!!)

JCM285 · October 2014

Hey ladies! Looks like I've lost the infamous plug at 33 w today, although I'm not sure if it was part or all of it. I called the doctor's office and they said not to worry unless I'm bleeding a lot (I'm not at all) or I'm in pain (thank goodness, no). When I was on the phone, I should have asked this question, but have been using Doctor Google which I'm sure wasn't the wisest choice. I know it's totally normal to lose the plug now, but does that indicate I'm dilating? I can ask my doctor, but I won't see him until Monday so I was wondering if any of you knew. I was hoping to have this LO stay put for at least a few more weeks... Thanks and sorry in advance if this is a dumb question. FTM here so I don't know what to expect. :-)

JCM285 · October 2014

Thank you @AJIrishMama!

[Deleted User] · October 2014

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Cheekers2010 · October 2014

Not necessarily!

RobinettMomma · October 2014

I just started losing some of mine today as well,im 30 wks 1 day. I started losing mine around this time with my first as well and didnt start dilating till 4 weeks later so i wouldn't worry unless your bleeding, have severe pain, or your water breaks.

JCM285 · October 2014

Thanks ladies!!

brittandjp · October 2014

Nope! It can always regrow. I started dilating weeks before I lost mine with DD. I was literally 3cm before I lost it. I wouldn't worry, but as always, your doc knows best and I'd check there first with any concerns.

rshamos · October 2014

FTM with infinite knowledge (sarcasm): My birthing DVD said that losing the mucus plug by itself is not enough of a symptom to be admitted for delivery. You have to also have two other signs of labor. It did say to call your OB though, which you already did, so you're good!

Pros521 · October 2014

Everyone is different. When I lost mine w DD I had her less than 24 hrs later

aggiejenn37 · October 2014

Dang how do y'all all know it was mucous plug and not regular discharge?! I need pics of ALL of them please!! (Joking. Obvi.)

But seriously- how do you know?!

soulcupcake · October 2014

It could mean you're beginning to dilate, but dilation itself doesn't mean much in the way of labor being near. In three of my other pregnancies I started to lose mine once I began dilating (2+ cm), or following a VE. But I don't recall losing it with my third, and I was 4 cm at 33ish weeks.

Definitely didn't have a MP at 5+ cm with my others.

weezy29 · October 2014

With my 1st, I lost it two weeks before I had her and even then I was induced. With my 2nd, I never noticed losing it and went into labor about 39 weeks. I'm thinking it doesn't really mean anything! Also, the mucus plug is pretty big so most people only see pieces if it, not the entire thing.

JCM285 · October 2014

@aggiejenn37‌ at the risk of sounding really gross I will just say that after I went to the bathroom I just noticed something resembling a tampon with bloody discharge in the toilet which totally stunned me because a) I never use tampons just pads and b) I havent had any bleeding in many months. Mine was super obvious but I have heard that the MP isn't always as obvious. I don't know for sure if that was the whole MP but it was a big amount.
ETA: for a few minutes I actually thought the person who used the bathroom before me didn't remember to flush but I remembered then that the last person to use it was a guy lol (faculty bathroom)

Pros521 · October 2014

aggiejenn37 said:
Dang how do y'all all know it was mucous plug and not regular discharge?! I need pics of ALL of them please!! (Joking. Obvi.)

But seriously- how do you know?!

Mine was what I assume was the full plug. Bloody, round mass in the toilet. You will know!

aggiejenn37 · October 2014

Thanks ladies- y'all always keep this FTM in the know!!

aggiejenn37 · October 2014

Lol! Trust me @katehgee‌ @summersunshine916‌ you couldn't pay me enough to want to google that!!

Mucus plugs are EW.

murphyame · October 2014

Pros521 said:

Dang how do y'all all know it was mucous plug and not regular discharge?! I need pics of ALL of them please!! (Joking. Obvi.) But seriously- how do you know?!
Mine was what I assume was the full plug. Bloody, round mass in the toilet. You will know!

You will for sure know! lol this what I tell all my friends, too. Once it happens you will be like "ooh, so that's what it looks like!"

beachy6 · October 2014

I think I will actually get sick if I see mine fall out. I think I'll avoid looking in the toilet at all costs from here on out. Ew.

I will also not Google it. Good to know.

MaineMama · October 2014

We're twinsies, I lost some of mine today. Gross. And useless. I actually gave the toilet bowl the finger.

AllTheTeaInChina · October 2014

aggiejenn37 said:
Thanks ladies- y'all always keep this FTM in the know!!

STM and I learned something too. I didn't lose mine, or didn't notice, with DD1.

esr9435 · October 2014

Glad I read this as a FTM. I had no idea you could start to lose it this early.

And I would never google that. DH and I both think just the word alone is nasty! Yuck.

LaxMOM44 · October 2014

My first pregnancy I lost mine at 24 weeks and I freaked because mucous plug wasn't even on my radar so I thought it was like blood blood. But it either regrew or didn't miss that part of it because DD was born at 40w3d

RobinettMomma · October 2014

It looks like real thick snot.

LaxMOM44 · October 2014

Mine had a little blood clot look to it but like a booger blood clot.

Hope no one was eating dinner!

Kmm1023 · October 2014

With DD I lost mine when my water broke didn't look at it but felt it pop out and land in the toilet followed by a giant gush of liquid!

JCM285 · October 2014

Thanks @SLC1102‌ that's what they told me too. I feel like I'm being hypervigilant now but trying to relax. Fingers crossed that its nothing and LOs hang in there for a while longer!