Talk to me about "clearing out"

[justhayley]

Hi ladies,
A lovely TMI post about poo
Iv heard about this clearing out that happens before you go into labour. I'm not sure if I had it with my 1st as he was born at 35 weeks and to be honest in the lead up to his birth I wasn't looking for signs of labour as I wasn't expecting him to come that early.
Anyway I'm now 34 weeks (today) and all week iv had a seriously dodgy tummy. Iv had loose BM all week and have been going 3-4 times a day.

For those who have "cleared out" how long did you go between clearing out and going into labour?

Is this something that could go on for a while? Or if it's happening now should I be getting ready for another early baby?

Also really thirsty today - if that means anything at all.

Thanks Hayley x

I had this with DS but it was a good 3-4 weeks before I went into labour. It's um....fun isn't it?!

Thanks for your reply.
It's driving me crazy! Iv been in a lot this week as iv been feeling generally rubbish, but wondering how the hell I'm going to have a day out the house.
Good to know it's not a sign that labour is imminent, although really don't fancy going through this for another 6 weeks!!!

I've had the same. Frequently going 2-3 times a day which is high unusual for me.
I've had it the past 3/4weeks and theres no sign of labour yet (Im 38w now). I think it's started when baby engaged andbtheres just not much room left inside to store anything!

I had this from about 34 weeks. DS delivered by elcs at 40+10...

I had the runs after my contractions had already started, I remember thinking "oh right, this is the labour diarrhoea".

I'm 37 weeks and have had a bit of a dodgy tummy the last few days, but I'm putting that down to all the chocolate I've been eating on the first week of my mat leave

I had a giant runny poo (lovely!) about an hour before I went into labour with both of mine. It was just a one off, not a series of toilet trips during the week / day.

I did a massive almost blocked the loo poo a couple of hours before DD2 was born. I also pooed during labour and screamed my profuse apologies so loudly I"m sure the whole hospital could hear!
I have no experience of 'clearing out'!

Happened for me after labour had started with DD, I think a few hours after first contractions

Thanks for sharing your poo stories - god I love mumsnet lol.
Pre DS my worse labour fear was being sick & pooing, I got sick a few times & not sure if I pooed to be honest, by that time I didn't care lol.

Aiming for a water birth this time & would be mortified seeing a floater in the poo

Hope my bowels don't continue like this for weeks and weeks I'm going to the toilet to wee enough as it is, and then there's the hay fever nose blowing!! Think I should get shares in a loo roll lol

Floater in the poo ?? yep that makes sense lol - I mean in the pool

Floaters are why they have nets hehe.

I've had this the last couple of weeks too, I'm just coming up to 36 weeks but other than the fact I have irritable uterus nothing much else is happening.