Labor might still be some days away, but it’s OK to get a bit excited. Losing your mucus plug might be one of the signs of labor starting.Īs mentioned earlier, your cervix is starting to ripen and thin. This is important, because if the water breaks and the fluid is green, this could affect your baby’s health. Remember, if you’re not sure what’s happening, put a pad on and contact your doctor or midwife for medical advice and support. The mucus plug is an extra layer of protection, outside the membranes, found in the cervix or opening of the uterus. People often refer to this as the ‘water breaking’ and labor usually starts soon after. When the sac breaks, the amniotic fluid is released. Your baby is growing inside a double-layered membrane inside the uterus, called the amniotic sac. Is losing the mucus plug the same as waters breaking? You can show your pad to your doctor or midwife if you’re unsure or have concerns.ĭon’t worry – they have seen all kinds of body fluids before and won’t mind what it looks like. If you’re not sure what your vaginal loss actually is, pop a sanitary pad on it and keep an eye on the amount and color of the discharge. If you lose all of it at once, it’s usually an obvious plug shape, around 4-5cm long. You might see it as one obvious blob of mucus plug, when wiping with toilet paper, or just see an increase in mucus-like vaginal discharge over a few days. Some women don’t even notice their mucus plug because it comes out slowly over a few days, or even a few weeks. You can send a pic to your healthcare provider, or describe what it looks like.įind out more in our article What Does A Mucus Plug Look Like? Losing The Mucus Plug Can mucus plug come out slowly? In pregnancy, you can have a lot of different types of vaginal loss and it can be difficult to tell what it is. This happens when small blood vessels break as the cervix starts to soften and thin. It can be tinged with pink, red, or even brown. The mucus plug is usually a jelly-like, thick, snotty, stringy, or even sticky discharge. It can be difficult to tell whether what you’re looking at is just more discharge or your mucus plug. This can be clear, white, or creamy, and it is odorless.Ĭheck out Discharge During Pregnancy – What’s Normal and What’s Not for more information. Many women find they have a lot more vaginal discharge (leukorrhea) during pregnancy. Some mothers, especially those having their second baby, won’t notice any signs their cervix is thinning until they’re actually in early labor. This process can happen over several weeks before you actually go into labor. The uterine contractions draw the cervix up and it opens.Īs the cervix thins it will also dilate a small amount, allowing the mucus plug to loosen and come away. Thinning (or effacement) allows the cervix to dilate during labor. When do you lose your mucus plug?Īs your body prepares for birth, your cervix starts to thin. That’s because the cervix continues to make the mucus and amazingly regenerates. You might be surprised at how much mucus is collected in your cervix. It provides vital protection for you and for your baby’s health. The mucus has antibodies to protect your baby from bacteria, viruses, and infections. The plug is a collection of mucus, which is jelly-like fluid. During pregnancy, a thick mucus plug forms in your cervix to protect your baby from infection. The cervix is a canal of tissue that joins the vagina and the uterus. Let’s find out everything about the mucus plug. At least, not until you get to the end of pregnancy and you start to look for the signs of labor.ĭoes seeing the mucus plug necessarily mean labor is imminent? The mucus plug is something you don’t really think about. In the first months of pregnancy, your body creates a barrier between the outside world and your developing baby.
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