Um...how big is a mucus plug ...

[westlondongirl]

Just realised I have absolutely no clue how big a mucus plug is and therefore what to look for. Also how long after you passed your mucus plug did you go into labour?

[Poledra]

Trust me, you won't miss it when it comes out - imagine a big sneeze in your gusset.....

Mine didn't come out till I was already in labour with all 3 births.

[bumpybecky]

I thought I'd lost my plug with dc1, was a big blob of snotty stuff. Got all excited thinking baby was about to arrive.... 10 days later, after lots more snot she finally made it!

With dc2,3 and 4 there was much more snot in the hours before delivery.

[phdlife]

all I had with ds was a tiny bogey, not much bigger than a bitten-off fingernail. And none at all with dd.

[ande]

Judging by the above answers I'm peculiar. My show with pregnancy #1 (twins) was the size of a pooh. Waters broke 10 minutes later, contractions 2hrs after that! Ditto pregnancy #2 (started by a sweep an hour beforehand).

[pimskie]

Mine was about the size of a £2 coin and came 4 days before my waters broke. Contractions started within hours of waters breaking and DS was born 36 hours later.

[heth1980]

I didn't notice mine, so can't have been that big! Sounds like everyone's is different.

[westlondongirl]

ok next embarrassing question! - What colour is it? Does it always contain blood? I will now share why I am asking this!. I was in the bath this morning and saw a very small thing floating in the bath that looked like a blood stained bogey (sorry no nice way to describe it!). I have no idea what it was or where it came from but because I had lower back pain I was worried. Nothing has come out since then - i'm assuming this came from me?!!!

[crankytwanky]

Ooh I love a chat about mucousy plugs!

How pg are you?
A show doesn't necessarily mean you are going into labour, nor do you necessarily have one.
I've had 3 with 2 labours. There was more goo than i imagined. You know after sex when DH's, um, issue does what gravity intends it to do? Well about 3-4 times that.

Had you had sex recently? Could it have been a bogey? (Nosebleeds being common in pregnancy.)

[crankytwanky]

Oh, and it's whitey coloured streaked with blood which can vary in colour from pink to brown.

[westlondongirl]

Hi crankytwanky - am 34 weeks, hence the mild panic this morning! Wasn't a bogey, still have no idea what it was as haven't bled from anywhere today! Definitely not sex - chance would be a fine thing!

[crankytwanky]

Have you spoken to your midwife?

It's probably fine. It could be a bit of mucous membrane coming loose, but I wouldn't worry about that much.

[westlondongirl]

Going to see her tomorrow so will mention it then.

[BabyGiraffes]

Interesting thread... Can't remember having or losing a mucus plug with dd1 but reading this thread makes me wonder if I lost current one yesterday! Just told the baby it's not allowed to come out until at least Thursday because dh wants an Aquarius baby, not Capricorn

[westlondongirl]

Crikey - good luck BabyGiraffes!

[chickane]

What my husband coughs up in the morning = what a mucus plug looks like. My mucus just keeps on coming. Wish the baby would instead...

[Mama2b5]

mines been going all day and its deff a show now the waiting game begins,seems everyone labour starts in different ways! i hope this is it for me @ 39 weeks!

[Mama2b5]

yes it was 1hr 22mins - baby boy here!

[ande]

Congratulations Mama2b5 to you and all of yours!