Had a sweep, lost my plug, but no contractions?!

[Gra2022]

Hey ladies, just on hoping to hear a few stories and get an opinion on my situation please!

I had been given a sweep at 39 weeks. The doctor had said my baby is still a bit high up but I was already 2cm dilated and “stretchy” and he noted how it was a good sweep he got done so the possibility of it working was quite good. This would be my second baby.

Anyway, later that day I had a diarrhoea spell (apologies for the TMI), a lot of cramping, the start of my bloody show came away at 8pm then a huge blob of it at 2am, then continuing on for the next day and a half there was still red/brown tinged mucus coming out with very little cramping with back pain coming and going but no contractions whatsoever.

I’m 39+3 today and now the mucus has gone clear and I only see the it the odd time when I wipe and as far as cramping goes, it’s barely there but my lower back does ache ever so slightly.

Would these be good signs that labour could be starting on it’s own soon, or could it just be my body dilating? My waters haven’t broken and I’m not having any contractions, maybe the odd tightening but nothing I’ve needed to take a painkiller for.

All I’ve seen on google is that labour can start 48 hours after a sweep and how the bloody show is a good sign etc, but the fact that I haven’t had a single contraction has me doubting that anything will be starting anytime soon!

Has anyone else had an experience similar and did you end up having to be induced anyway? I had to be induced with my firstborn at 40+5 due to my high blood pressure so I never experienced any of this before as none of my sweeps worked!

TIA x

The back pain probably is contractions.

I started losing my plug at 40+0 with my first. I had backache all day but I didn't think anything of it until unmistakable contractions kicked in late that night. In hindsight it's obvious that the back pain was things slowly getting underway.

I lost my plug 2 days before waters broke and 3 days before labour started properly

I lost mucus plug around a week before labour began so not necessarily a sign of immediate labour. The backache is likely due from mild contractions

Yep I'd say your backache is early contractions should be helping push babs down lower into your pelvis 😁🤞 probably cba I know but try and go for a long walk, or if you have a birthing ball/gym ball pop something on the tv and sit and bounce on it while you relax to try and get things moving, goodluck xx

I'm hopeful for you but I had this after each sweep (and I had multiple) for my second baby and she was born at 41+2, with sweeps starting at 39 weeks- i had severe PGP and wanted baby to comeout sooner rather than later but without induction. My last sweep was at 41+1 and I was 3cm dilated but I can't say if it worked or whether my body was just ready.

Hope you have a baby in your arms soon!

Thank you ladies for all your opinions and stories, the back ache was most definitely the start of mild contractions because at 5am on Monday morning I got my very first set of contractions lasting 2 mins apart then my waters broke 15 minutes later, then I went on to have him at 4:09💙

Hi

I had 3 sweeps and was around 2cm each time, lost mucus plug mid week and was due to be induced on the Saturday. I went into labour naturally early hours of the Friday morning so it could be a few days. Perhaps the pains are early labour - the latent phase x

Awwww lovely congratulations mama 💙

This is how my labour started. I woke up on a Sunday morning with slightly achey lower back, wiped and there was my bloody show. Started contracting strongly a couple of hours later and had baby by the afternoon.

Can you call the labour ward?

Aww congrats!! You knew it was coming 💙 hope everything went well and you’re both doing good xxx

Hi! Congratulations OP your post was certainly a positive one to read in my anxious 4am state ! Sorry to jump on a thread not sure how to work this lol. Does anyone know if this could be my mucus plug? I lost it approximately 18 hours after my first sweep at 38+3. I’ve had no other signs of labour really just light back ache. First baby so have no idea

Hey! Yes that’s how my mucus plug looked, I had my bloody show at the same time😊 the back ache is probably early contractions too so just keep an eye out for waters breaking and the “real” contractions, good luck!