Help! Mucus plug just gone, pain down there - is it time?!

[Noodles81]

Hi guys,

I was due yesterday and had a sweep yesterday. Woke up this morning from pains in my lower back which then transferred to pain in the front, they were coming every half hr.

Just went to the loo now and my mucus plug has gone - it was flegm like and browny/redy in colour. The pains have also come back they happen every so often maybe half an hr.

Does this mean labour is imminent? What shall i do? Friend said now is the time to have sex to get it all going - isn't it dangerous to have sex if the plug has gone?

I'm so nervous!!!!

Is it safe to have a bath guys? Also, will i defo know if my waters have gone? What if it's a trickle and i don't notice?

Got OH on the iphone getting that app thank you!
x

Definitely safe to have a bath. In fact I instruct you to have a bath (if that's what you feel like).

Some people give birth in water, you know .

The waters going thing is a big red herring. Even if they don't go, you might well be about to have a baby. Or you might not. If they trickle, then you will notice at some point because there is a lot of water to trickle! It will start trickling down your leg .

Really don't worry about it. Unless they do actually noticeably go (either with a pop or fairly constant trickle), and you don't have a baby within the next few hours - ring a midwife, because they start worrying about risk of infection if your waters have gone and a baby hasn't appeared within a certain number of hours (can't remember if the guidelines are 24 or 48 or 72 hours. Something like that anyway.)

I didn't actually notice my waters going with DD1 at all, but I presume they must've in hospital (along with all the other gunk which was coming out) because I appear to have had a baby (3 years ago!) and the waters sure aren't there now!

My daughter was born 11 hours after the plug, waters were broken for me in hospital,a nice warm bath should help.........ooooooooh how exciting :)

Exciting!

My mucus plug went, swiftly followed by waters - 5 hours later I went to hospital and midwives booked me in for an induction the next morning. Once the waters have gone there is a risk of infection, so they aim to induce 24 hours later. Mine came out before that though!

My guideline for labour is that when you can't tell how long contractions are (because they're constant) then that is when it is really ON! Do go to hospital before that happens though please :)

Oh, and a nice warm bath is LOVELY in labour IMO.

Good luck, you can do this!

Enjoy your bath and good luck

Definitely have a lovely bath. Have it in peace with candles, music, and lovely DP/DH stroking your brow/back/wherever. It's likely to be the last peaceful you'll have in a while!

The waters breaking is different for everyone, and every pregnancy. With DS it was a big whoosh all over the clothes I was trying to put on to go to hospital. He was born less than 30 mins later (we didn't get to hospital - unexpected homebirth was so good I elected to homebirth again.) With DD, the midwife described them as 'scant'. Not enough to trickle, I hadn't noticed any leaking beforehand either. I think it was because the umbilical cord was ginormous (same midwife's words)!

That amused me - that ginormous turned out tiny when I tried to bold it

Good luck noodles hope it all goes smoothly x

Thanks everyone :) x

Still getting pains, not regular every 10 mins then 20 mins then 15mins lasting about a minute each time. Gonna see if i can sleep it off.

Someone told me that waterbirths and having a bath makes labour go on for longer is this true?

Also sorry for the TMI but just went for a wee and i think what appears to be the majority of the plug came out. There was a lot of it, very sticky and flegm like and brown and mostly bloody.

Ladies, i am so nervous about what's about to happen. I am trying to keep excited but it's fear of the unknown, i just don't know how it's gonna feel, what it will be like - it's the not knowing! How can i calm down?!
x

Just wanted to say you will be fine!! It's scary but exciting - wishing you all the luck in the world. Happy birthday now too xx

Happy birthday! Such an exciting one for you, Good luck.

Happy birthday, Noodles! Hope your baby arrives soon - good luck.

Ooh please keep us updated.

You will probably have loads more show. Mine was like a big jellyfish

Happy birthday!

Nervous is normal and fear is normal too - just remind yourself that your body was designed to do this AND you will have support and help from people who've seen it all before!

With some labours, a warm bath can slow it down, I think overall, if labour is going to do its thing, it will do its thing!
My DD was born in water - I had been labouring for a few hours but my waters went the minute I got in the pool and she was born about 20 minutes later.

Hope things are happening for you - every 12/15/20 minutes does sound like things are moving along...

Happy Birthday Noodles.

I've just fed DD and couldnt resist a nosy thought I'd wish you a happy birthday.

Morning!

Thank you all for the b.day messages so sweet of you.

Well still no lil man! Some more plug just came out and i was having the pains throughout the night but managed to sleep all the way through them. If i got up for a wee and was laying here awake i could feel them so i know at least they were happening!

I'm gonna TRY the nookie today as ppl keep telling me to get those chemicals in there to speed it up as well as bouncing on the ball and more tea!!
Do you think it's likely he will come today?! Sounds like it's gonna be a slow birth this one!!
x

Happy birthday and good luck! How exciting

Happy birthday noodles to you and hopefully to your baby if there's curry left over from last night go an have it for breakfast on toast - (mmmm now i want curry for breakfast) and go and have some morning birthday sex exciting I love these is it time threads!
Good luck hope it all happens nice and quickly for you xx

Happy Birthday Noodles! How exciting! How lovely if he does indeed arrive today. I can't think of a more wonderful birthday present! Good luck and I too hope it all happens nice and quickly for you.x

Happy birthday

Please, please, please get some rest today if lo is on their way this really could be your last chance and if he decides to cone in tge night you will be shattered.

Re you q about waters and tge bath, mine went whilst I was in the bath. I actually heard a pop . Also tmi but you could see the difference between the plain bathwater and the 'waters'

I think the best thing you can do is stop trying to make things happen

Curry, RLT, sex - all very nice but your labour will take as long as it takes. If you want to do those things thats fine, but dont do them for the sake of it. The more you try to 'do', the less you allow your brain and body to just get on with it.

Carry on as normally as you can. Ignore the 'signs'. Let your body get on with what it needs to do in the background and don't try to rush it.

Trust your body - it conceived and grew a baby. Give it a chance to get ready to birtth it All these little pains are helping your cervix to soften, thin and dilate.

Enjoy your birthday, relax and have lots of cake

Happy birthday! .

Totally agree with Flisspaps. It all sounds very promising, but could potentially be a while yet. And you want to conserve as much energy as possible for the real thing. Your body is already gearing up all on its own.

Re water / bath slowing things down - I think it's can sometimes slow things down once you are in established labour, but IMO where you are at the moment, it can only help relax you, which is the best state to be in at the moment. So if you feel like getting in warm water, then do.

Hope you have a lovely day!

Happy Birthday and imminent baby day too!? :)

I was advised to go in the bath by MIL who used to be a midwife and I did and it was great, but it nigh on stopped the contractions. After speaking to the hospital midwife when i went in, she said they dont advise a bath until you are over 4cm dilated, unless you actually want to slow your labour so that you can have a nights rest first...

you havent posted for a few hours now... am excited for ya! :)

Thank you everyone!

OH got me a maccy Ds breaky bless him!

After more show early this morning i've still got the p type cramp pains (am i right in saying they are defo contractions?). They are coming every half hr/40mins. Does that sound like it's gonna take ages?!

Do you think i should call the hosp? I have felt a few wriggles from him and a kick, especially when i drank the orange juice.

When i had my sweep on Thurs the OB said she could fit 2 fingers so about 2cm. Does that mean i'm already 2cm dilated in the cervix?

Does what i'm going through defo sound like proper labour is on its way?

I just want the pains to get more frequent and come along already!
x

No-one can say noodles, unfortunately. When things ramp up a bit, you will definitely recognise it. That sounds bizarre, but most people find it's true. Try not to wear yourself out. The baby will come when it's ready.

Enjoy your birthday!