37+5 weeks - mucus plug is out. What next?! TMI*

[Ilovethekitties]

Hello lovely people,

This post might contain slightly gross oversharing but I need some advice.

Today whilst going for a lovely stroll I got a horrible stomach pain, cramps, sweats and a lot of diarrhoea.

I just about make it home and to the bathroom and when cleaning I notice this large yellow sticky mucus like thing on the tissue. I have googled it and it looked like the mucus plug.

Anyway, once that was all finished I was totally fine. Has anyone had this experience? I am not sick, I haven't got any allergies or food issues. It was totally out of the blue. It just all seemed a bit odd???

Also, how long after the mucus plug comes out does labour normally begin?

Sorry about the TMI and thank you for reading and any help or advice you might be able to give.

I don’t think there is a timeline, but maybe waters breaking or first contractions will follow soon.

Call triage and ask them if you need to do anything at this stage.
Also if your waters break, call them ASAP as they won’t let you go over 24h because of the risk of infection.

@7worfs thank you, I will look out for the waters! I am a little early so hopefully I can hang on for a little while longer.

Can I ask, with the waters breaking, is it likely i will notice? I have heard some women barely have any leakage at all. X

Waters usually have a distinct smell (often likened to bleach), so if you notice even a small leak, put a pad on.
Then time how long does it take to soak the pad, and put it in a ziplock bag to take to hospital if triage ask you to come in.

This is how they saw traces of meconium on my pad and induced me there and then.

anything over 37 weeks is classed as being full term, so don't worry about being early

My waters trickled slowly with my first, plug went on the Friday, waters on the Sunday. Initially I thought I was weeing myself ALOT! Once you put a pad in you realise it’s not wee as it doesn’t smell like wee and has a pink tinge to it

Don't focus on waters breaking as a sign though that labour is starting etc as my waters never actually went untill baby was literally about to Come out.. Its different for everyone but they don't always break/leak before hand..You can loose your plug weeks before labour starts. Personally I would be going on some long walks, if you have one get bouncing on a ball etc it may move things on quicker for you and as pp has said 37 weeks is classed as full term so don't worry if you do go into labour soon x

Thank you ladies. The pad is a fantastic idea, just so I can check what's coming out. I'm not terrified I've missed it!

Now*

So glad you posted this today! I’ve had a lot of clear mucus discharge on and off past few weeks, but today I had loads and loads and then yellows stuff and def think it’s the plug but no blood. I’m 36+ 4 so slightly early for full term but really have it in my head I might go into labour 🙈

Omg @MumsyMum31 how exciting! Is it your first?

Well, you are in the zone where it could well be early labour. Keep calm and get some rest!

No my second! I didn’t lose the plug until I wasn’t in labour last time!! I’m not feeling any other symptoms but hopefully it’ll not be too far away!!

*was

Sorry I’m late to the thread! Diarrhoea is a sign that you’re going to have the baby soon as it’s sort of clearing out your body ready. Losing your mucus plug is also obviously a sign because it means you’re dilating enough for it to come loose. That being said every pregnancy is different, some people lose their plug weeks in advance, I lost mine when I was already hours into established labour and about 2 hours before I gave birth. Waters went as the baby was crowning so like someone else said I wouldn’t focus too much on that, just look out for any pain and contractions and ring triage if anything else happens. Also put on a sanitary towel and check for any water/bleeding every hour so you can track what’s actually coming out. Defo ring triage if either of those things happen.

Sounds like things could be happening! Don't worry about being early, my daughter was born at 37+5 ten days ago and nobody at the hospital batted an eyelid.