What does a " show" look like?

[OzJo]

May sound like a silly question, but with Dd, now 2, my waters didn't break until broken by the theatre team during C section. I know waters breaking can be incrediably varied, from slight trickle, to Niagra Falls type experience. I just can't seem to find anything anywhere about the " show" other than it being a mucus plug. ( lovely), can it ever be bright red? I had a friend who said it was just like period blood. I'm just trying to be prepared so I don't panic if/when it happens this time round.

well, my show (after a sweep) was a 3inch long bit of thick white ropey stuff covered in jellish mucus and a bit of blood, if that doesn't put you off too much. I'd always assumed it would just be a bit of mucus so was a bit grossed out by it.

I think that MWs also refer to the bleeding that some people have during labour as a 'show' or 'bloody show' - is that what your friend meant?

Hi! I never had a show of any tipe with any of my babies. Had a bit of a white discharge with ds4. apparently they can have blood in,but if worried about anything ask your midwife.

tipe!!!!!! oh dear!!!

Hi there, I only ever had a show with my dd (3rd pg) and i woke up to find quite a lot of thick stringy jelly type mucus stained with blood. Although I had never seen a show before, I knew exactly what it was.

Do you have to have the mucous stuff before any waters leaking? I'm a bit concerned that I've been leaking a tiny bit for a few days, but I've definitely not had the mucous thing?

How many weeks are you OzJo?

to repeat myself if worried see midwife.
Every pregnancy is different and the going into labour biot is different too. If you think your waters are leaking get it checked. How far are you?

You don't need the show before your waters break or for your waters to break or anything. With my first labour, my waters broke first, and although it wasn't a Niagara falls experience, I knew it was my waters as the wetness was continuously there - not as much as weeing but continuous IYSWIM.

My second and fourth labours started with contractions, no show, no waters.

My third labour started with a show. It looked like a blob of clear jelly in my pants - maybe about a teaspoonful - slightly tinged with pink blood. This occurred twice in one day. I was having loads of Braxton Hicks contractions too and actually can't pinpoint when I went into full labour as I had a sleepless night following the show and only went into hospital hoping for some attention at the end of the next day - didn't think I was in full labour but ended up having dd 3.5 hours later!

My point is, labour can start in any number of ways and you don't need to wait for anything in particular except painful contractions!

I'm 40+2, saw the mw yesterday who said to go to the hospital clinic if I thought my waters were leaking to get them checked, but it just occured to me that if I hadn't lost the plug, then maybe it couldn't possibly be the waters? There's not much at all - only need one very thin panty liner for the whole day and not been using anything at night. I might give the maternity ward a ring anyway though and see what they say...

One panty liner a day doesn't sound like much. When my waters broke with ds1, it was a full sanitary towel every hour or so. Still, it depends how big the rip is in the bag that holds the water in doesn't it? Also, how far down the baby's head is.

Gosh, you must be fed up right now! Do what I did with dd and go to hospital for some attention in the hope that you will be deemed to be in labour!

My waters broke first with ds1 (no show at all - not that I noticed), it started as a trickle - it all depends on where the hole is and where the baby's head is, ie it's probably plugging your cervix. MWs call the waters at the top (above the baby) hindwaters. I lost water for 2 days (your body keeps making more!) before going into labour 24hrs after a cervical sweep. They can test with a swab for amniotic fluid but unlike yellow, ammonia smelling wee, it is clear and smells of starch (eg raw potatoes?)

Lonelymum - he's fully engaged and yes, I'm very fed up! I'm a bit reluctant to go and get examined just yet in case they inadvertently break my waters (doesn't sound like they've gone yet really does it?) before the baby's quite ready. I have an appointment at the hospital anyway on Tuesday where they might give me a sweep so I'll probably wait until then unless something happens in the meantime.. So I guess you leaked throughout the night too?

MaloryTowers - Eurrgghh

i'm 40+9 and due to be induced on tuesday,but think i may have had the start of a show this morning.sorry if TMI but it's like gooey egg white with only a very slight(hard noticeable) tinge to it.i've also had quite bad period type pains(very low down)since about 3am and wondered if this was normal,does anybody know?

im really hoping this could be the start as i'm not looking forward to the induction on tuesday.

bubbaloo - sounds normal to me, both the show and the period pains. Usually what I noticed abut the pains is that they come and go in waves and sort of start at the back and come forward either side until they are at the front during the peak of the pain. Still could be afew days yet though - sorry!

Charleypops - I woke up the day my baby was due and, as I was lying in bed, I could feel a slippery feeling and I said to my dh, "You'll never guess what has happened..." We couldn't believe that our baby was so clever to have come on his due date. Unfortunately, we were proved wrong. I went to hospital and was admitted because my waters had broken, but I didn't go into labour and 24 hours later was induced. In fact, he was 2 days late by the time he was born. So, I can't say I noticed myself leaking through the night - I just woke up and had started leaking. The following night I was in hospital and so excited and scared, I don't remember any leaking but I guess it was going on.

Gosh I am so excited for you girls. It is all about to happen for you - I take it these are your first babies?

thanks lonelymum.

yes it's a first baby so getting really excited aswell as really worried.hopefully things will happen on their own for me and charley,so we won't have to go through with the inductions.

I hope so too. Are the period pains still there?

yes,they're still there and very low down.
they were quite painfull very early this morning as i had trouble getting out of bed

Thanks everyone, much clearer idea now. I'm nearly 39 weeks, but the Dr keeps reviewing my due date, like the annoying tosser he is. Basically anywhere between 25th June and July 2nd, though I think it'll be earlier rather than later. I had no waters break with Dd, but she was so firmly wedged down, ( had been engaged for weeks ) it took them 10 minutes to pull her out with the C section, so she would have blocked anything getting anywhere. Think this one is loosely engaged, so good to hear the varying accounts. If concerned at the time I'll ring the hospital.
Good luck everyone!