Do I have to lose my mucus plug in order to go into labor?
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Mucus plug isn't a good sign of labor. It can be lost super early, and your body just makes more. A bloody show, like a big clump of mucus with blood, is normally a sign labor is coming.
You would notice your “bloody show” which is mucus plug with blood, pretty much what you need to look out for. bits of mucus that’s mostly clear is fine as you can lose some and it’ll regrow. But yes mucus plug needs to come away before you have your baby. I was induced with baby 1 & 3. Baby 2 came the same day I had a sweep - which I lost lots of bloody mucus throughout the day, back pain, period like cramps that got worse.
It really just depends on your body. I have long early labours (a few days each time 🥲) so both times I've lost my bloody show a few days before baby was born. However I know a few people who have gone into labour and not noticed a mucous plug or bloody show or anything. You technically do have to lose it to have your baby as it plugs your cervix and has to come away before baby can be born, but it's very possible to just not notice it or for it not to come until after labour has started
if you lose it early on, it can regenerate. usually you’ll lose it just before labour or sometimes after labour has already started. defo possible to lose it and not notice! i only noticed mine cos i checked every wipe after i went for a wee 🤣 and also not everyone has a bloody show (i didn’t!)
With my first I didn’t lose mine until I was 9cm dilated, so definitely don’t think you have to lose it before labour 😊
No I lost mine the whole way through my 4th pregnancy and sometimes lost it in the first trimester with my other 3
No I was told it can grow back I lost mine at 30 weeks and then was induced at 36 weeks xxx
I had my bloody show during labour I had been in early labour for over 24 hours before I lost mine aswell! Labour started at 11am on the Friday and I had the show at 8pm on the Saturday and he was born at 5:10pm the Sunday so it definitely doesn’t have to happen before!
Thank you all, this really helps! I'm just really hoping this boy decides to come soon and on his own 😂😂😂
I never noticed a bloody show. water also didn't break until I was 6ish cm dilated several hours into labor
I lost my mucas plus after my contractions started!
the morning i went into labour about 6am, i woke up with ridiculous ‘period pains’ and had like a bloody mucus plug. had this pain all day with like mucus and a little bit of blood. rang triage they said it was normal. had baby 2am next morning