Losing plug and labour

[Betheney]

Hey Mummas

I originally made this post for my bump buddy a couple of years back. But now I'm here with my 3rd pregnancy and thought i might bump the post and add to our statistics.

I had a stretch and sweep at 2cm dialated and 75% effaced and immediately only lost tiny bits of plug then nothing for the rest of the day. Fast forward 26 hours I've just lost huge bits of plug, it just keeps on giving!!

-edit-

Continued losing plug for 2 days then it kind of slowed down. Got another S&S after 4 days was told I'm now 3cm dialated 90% effaced and can be stretched to 5cm and again started losing tonnes of plug for 48hrs, this time with streaks of blood in it. But despite lots of contractions and plug loss I'm now mere hours from my induction. I'm sure labour would of kick started if i had more time, but alas i do not.

- Old post -

My bump buddy has been losing her plug from 35-36 weeks with pretty much all of the remainder coming out at 36 weeks and we're both a little curious how much longer until labour arrives, obviously it can be short or long but i thought a poll might give us a better idea of what the average is.

I also know the results might vary depending on what gestation you lost your plug compared to how long until you went into labour, so

leave a comment with some details if you don't mind
like what gestation,
if it was only a little bit then the rest came out during labour
if your first pregnancy differed to your second

 

[Betheney]

i'll just add my details.

My waters broke at 6am then i noticed slimy plug bits about 2 hours later at 8am so i chose within 24hours as i gave birth 16 hours later at midnight but i had a bloody show within about 5 hours of the birth.

 

[Hellylou]

I was induced but before they broke my waters at about 3cm dilated I was losing loads and loads of plug. I'd never had anything like that with my first two natural labours - never even noticed the plug. They broke my waters and he was born within hours.

 

[lovealittle1]

Lost my plug at 38 weeks, labour started at 38+2 and baby arrived at 38+3.

 

[elohcin]

With all 3 of my pregnancies, I lost pretty much ALL of my plug (at the time, since it gradually regenerates, though far less effectively that late in the game) at 33/34 weeks. Obviously that's when I start dilating. However, NONE of mine have been born before their EDD's...though I DO go into labor each time at about 5-6cm already. But I've never gone into labor on my own (AROM first baby, castor oil the next two) so I have no idea how long I'd have gone otherwise.

 

[Betheney]

With all 3 of my pregnancies, I lost pretty much ALL of my plug (at the time, since it gradually regenerates, though far less effectively that late in the game) at 33/34 weeks. Obviously that's when I start dilating. However, NONE of mine have been born before their EDD's...though I DO go into labor each time at about 5-6cm already. But I've never gone into labor on my own (AROM first baby, castor oil the next two) so I have no idea how long I'd have gone otherwise.

that's so amazing!! to lose your plug so early in every single pregnancy and yet not go into spontaneous labour with any of them.

 

[elohcin]

With all 3 of my pregnancies, I lost pretty much ALL of my plug (at the time, since it gradually regenerates, though far less effectively that late in the game) at 33/34 weeks. Obviously that's when I start dilating. However, NONE of mine have been born before their EDD's...though I DO go into labor each time at about 5-6cm already. But I've never gone into labor on my own (AROM first baby, castor oil the next two) so I have no idea how long I'd have gone otherwise.

that's so amazing!! to lose your plug so early in every single pregnancy and yet not go into spontaneous labour with any of them.

So disappointing is more like it! LOL

But one thing I should have specified is that when I lose it early on, it's a HUGE blob (or two...or three) of thick, brown-ish blood tinged clear mucus. It's never bright red blood for me that early on (only in the throes of labor, or once when my cervix was stretched significantly). But it's really obvious when it's gone because I can feel directly to the baby's head through my open cervix since it's not blocked anymore.

(yes, I check myself....much better than having a random persons hand up there who doesn't know my body and can't actually feel anything other than what their fingers are touching and might introduce who knows what!)

 

[Betheney]

hahaha I've heard of women checking themselves and the idea horrified me. Just the thought of being able to touch your baby while it's inside you!!! that's crazy.

But it doesn't shock me in the slightest anymore.

Nearly everyday from 39weeks I tried checking my cervix just to see if it had come down or what it was like. I never ONCE was able to reach it, I figured labour was far off and I was going over. But I still went into labour at 39+3 spontaneously with a rupture of membranes. I guess my early labour all happened after that as my clear plug came out with bits of water over the next few hours. I gave birth 18hours after my waters broke. So it must happen all in one lump for me otherwise I would of at least Beemer able to reach my cervix beforehand you would think.

 

[Bevziibubble]

I lost my plug in 'bits' throughout the day. The last bit came out at 9pm and then I had my little girl at 2.14pm the day after

 

[Cin]

Can't say I ever noticed myself losing my plug, it must have happened at some point though

 

[jenlouise]

i lost mine 2 days after my due date then my waters broke half hour later and my son was born 2 hours later

 

[Debi]

I lost mine after a sweep at 40+6 weeks, kept losing it for a couple of days then started getting my 1st contractions at 40+8 and finally she was born after back labour at 40+11... didn't notice any plug until after my sweep though where it was bloody from the start

 

[Mummy2B21]

I lost my plug at around 10pm i then went into labour at 11am contractions started and i was fully dilated at 6pm however i was stuck at 9cm till 3.49am when i pushed him out.

 

[Betheney]

Thanks so much for all those who have voted and contributed!!

update on my bump buddy who i started this thread for

My bump buddy lost bits of plug from 34-35 weeks when at 35 weeks she lost all of the rest, then pretty much bang on 37 weeks she went into labour and gave birth.

 

[Radiance]

With my second baby I lost mine extremely early, I believe I was around 29 weeks.
I ended up having my son at 36 weeks, I arrived dilated at 6+!

 

[bumblebeexo]

I had a sweep on my due date and lost a bit of plug. When I started with contractions five days later though I hadn't lost any plug that day, and it actually came out when I was in the birthing pool.. Wasn't very nice!

 

[MummyToAmberx]

Personally i think very little connection between plug meaning labour is approching.

I never lost my plug until i was 5cm in full blown labour that was only because i had an internal.

 

[Betheney]

Bumpity bumpity boo

 

[SmartieMeUp]

I had an unsuccessful sweep at 40w by MW.

Was given another at 40+3 at 2pm (10 hours into labour) it came out at 12am and wouldn't stop coming out! DD was delivered 23 hours later.

 

[Lauraxamy]

Lost my plug within 12-18 hours with both babies. Mine came away reaaaallly slowly though with both, started off before I'd even started contractions or knew I was in labour and it was just blood tinged mucus stuff at that point then it got heavier when contractions started.