Mucous Plug - Bixby, OK

Updated on March 06, 2008
L.M. asks from Bixby, OK
20 answers

I have been losing my plug slowly for weeks now. It has been mostly clear, until last night. It is now tinged pink with blood. I believe it is called "bloody show". I am wondering how far labor is from when this happens? Everyone I know has been induced, as I was with my first child. I have no idea if this has any bearing on when I will deliver! Friday I was only 2 cm dilated, but 60% effaced! How much longer will this take?

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So What Happened?

Well, a few days later I was induced. But I had not dilated any more, even with the bloody show. Don't count on it as an indicator! :/

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B.B.

answers from Lafayette on

I started losing my mucous plug on a Friday morning. By Tuesday afternoon I had bloody show and Wednesday afternoon my contractions started and I was admitted into the hospital. I'd say you don't have much longer to wait. Good luck!

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M.A.

answers from Lafayette on

Some ppl lose their plug several weeks b-4 labor. There is really no telling when you will go into labor. For my 1st child I was 60% effaced & like 1 or 2 cm...I stayed that way for days, then 3 days b-4 she was due I lost my plug & my water started "leaking". I went to the hospital & my dr put me on the drip. then, 11 1/2 hrs. later...voila!!! Good luck!

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J.S.

answers from New Orleans on

Congratulations on your next arrival. When I had my bloody show I went to the hospital and I was three centimeters so they kept me, but they did induce and once they induced I had my son about thirty minutes later. He will be one on Valentines's. The time from my bloody show till I had him was about 6 - 8 hours. I hope I was of some help.

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J.H.

answers from Jonesboro on

Hi L. M,
Labor can start at any time now. It can be today, tomorrow or 2weeks from now.. Could even be longer! You being dilated at 2cm is a good sign. As you know all babies are different and so is each pregnancy. I would ask your doctor what he thinks about it. I wish you the best of luck! I know how hard the last few weeks are, just try to take it easy and relax as much as you can. Make sure you have your bag ready to go.. lol.. just in case... Good luck again!!!
J.

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C.C.

answers from Huntsville on

usually after your bloody show you can expect labor to start within two weeks. A great web site for all the questions and emails with info is whattoexpect.com and www.babysource.com i love these sites, and they automatically sign you up to receive coupons!!

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S.A.

answers from Tulsa on

My baby was born 16 hours after I had a bloody show. My SIL baby was born 2 hours after she had a bloody show.

Give us an update...I'm wondering if your baby is here already :)

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T.T.

answers from Lafayette on

It could be a few days still, but walking can help the progress. Hopefully you won't be induced and won't need to have unnecessary drugs. Your baby doesn't need to start his/her life on drugs. Good luck!

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S.D.

answers from Little Rock on

Losing your mucous plug is absolutely NO inidication of when labor will start. Sorry. I am an OB/GYN nurse who worked in Labor and Delivery for 5 years and then for an OB doctor for 3 years. Even though you are already 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced - you could still go past dates, but on the other hand, you could go into labor tomorrow. There is NO way to tell when you will go into labor - only that when it starts you'll know. It is possible that you may have to be induced with this baby also. I am a mother of 4, I was induced with all of mine but 1, and that was a VERY, VERY long labor. With my 4th, I walked around 3-4 cm for 2-3 weeks before they induced at 36 weeks for medical complications. With my 3rd, I walked around about 2 cm for about 2 weeks before they induces at 38 weeks. So, really there is no telling when labor will start - unfortunately the losing of the mucous plug doesn't mean anything. Only God knows when that blessed event will happen!!

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D.P.

answers from Biloxi on

Lots of people I know go shortly after they loose their mucus plug but for me it has never been that way. It is just one of those things my body does to get ready for labor. I would love to know when you are due and all that. I am due in a month. Good Luck I pray things will go well for you. Going natural is the best way to do it. Being induced can make it much harder.

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K.S.

answers from Birmingham on

I think what happened to me is a little out of the norm, but I lost my mucous plug and less than 6 hrs later my son was born. I was actually having contractions about 3o mins to an hour before I lost my plug, but after that I knew I was in labor. So for me, it was only about 4 hrs after I lost mucous plug that I actually delivered, but everyone is different. Goodluck and Congratulations!!

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L.R.

answers from Tulsa on

The fact that you had your "bloody show" is an indicator that labor is approaching but alas not a sure sign that it is going to be here within a day or two. I have heard of woman loosing their plug weeks before they actually go into labor. :( Hopefully that won't be the case for you since you are "so ready". When is your due date anyway? Good luck. You will have your new baby in your arms before you know it!

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K.F.

answers from Huntsville on

While bloody show is a sign that its approaching, there isn't a specific timeline that says.. you will go into labor in x amount of days afterwards, sorry!! But it will be soon!!

I was 1.5 cm dilated and 30% effaced for the 3 weeks before my son was born. I lost my plug the weekend before my 39 week appt. At my appt my doc suggested inducing because I hadn't changed much in 3 weeks. But I went into labor on my own the next morning and delivered my baby 12 hrs 8 minutes later!
Good luck and get lots of rest now!!!! Congratulations :)

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A.J.

answers from Tuscaloosa on

It could be awhile and then it might not mine was awhile and other people i have heard the next day they had there baby. mine ended up being like 2 weeks before they finally put me in for a c-section because my baby flipped a day before being enduced.

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C.I.

answers from Fort Smith on

Labor is comming. You will not be pregnant forever. With my first child I had the baby less than 24 hours after losing my mucus plug. I had an appointment the day before and was not dilated at all. With my third child, I lost my mucus plug for two weeks before I went into labor. When it started to be more like bloody show, I had her that day. I never dilated more than 1 cm before going into labor. Every situation is different. Hold on, it will happen. Good Luck!

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S.W.

answers from Birmingham on

I lost my MP (it all came out at once) the day I went into labor with my 1st child. Obviously, everyone is different, but it shouldn't be much longer now. Good luck!

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B.O.

answers from Oklahoma City on

eMAIL my granddaughter she just had a baby. similiar situation. she had her baby natural -nothing . She would not have being induced. her email is ____@____.com she knows everything about having babies, nursing - thanks to her dula --

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C.B.

answers from Fayetteville on

Hi L.,

I lost my mucous plug and went into labor the same night. I hadn't dialated or had contractions before then. You are definitely getting close, if your not in labor now.

Congratulations.

C.

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T.L.

answers from Birmingham on

Most of the textbooks say that, when you lose the mucous plug -the part that is blood-tinged - you will go into labor by the next day. Sometimes this is true, and sometimes it's not. (I lost mine once 4 weeks before the baby came!) You probably ARE getting close. I would use caution about induction. It can make labor much more painful than natural labor, and it is not without risks to you and your baby. Don't be pressured into being induced for convenience's sake (either yours or the dr's!) It will take as long as it takes, and I have never yet met someone who stayed pregnant forever! Even among those who refuse inductions.

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C.D.

answers from Tuscaloosa on

nor,ally when you start having that kind of bloody show you are within one to 2 weeks of delivering

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A.M.

answers from Fayetteville on

Are you over due? Were you induced the first time? My Plug did the same thing for a week but then I went 13 days over due and finally had to have a c-section and had an 11 lb. beautiful baby girl! So not knowing how over you are it's hard to tell. Start walking at the mall to maybe speed things up? Didn't work for me but everyone swears by it!
Good Luck and God Bless!

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