is bloody show a given?

[chi_mama]

I was induced w/ ds and never had BH, mucos plug, show, nothing at all. This time I've having semi-regular contractions FOREVER
It seems like in every birth story I've been reading the women either has bloody show or water breaking at the beginning of the real thing. Do you think it's pretty reliable I'll have one or the other?
I've been a little obsessive about how I'll know b/c if I go into labor at work I've got to shut everything down/close up etc and I will NEVER hear the end of it if I do on a false alarm...

if only my belly button would turn green or something as an indicator

[R1coryR1]

i didn't have either with DD1. but i was also probably in prodromal labor and the OB got tired of waiting around and broke my water without telling me she was going to do so.

maybe if i would have waited longer i would have had both?

[R1coryR1]

Originally Posted by chi_mama

I was induced w/ ds and never had BH, mucos plug, show, nothing at all. This time I've having semi-regular contractions FOREVER
It seems like in every birth story I've been reading the women either has bloody show or water breaking at the beginning of the real thing. Do you think it's pretty reliable I'll have one or the other?
I've been a little obsessive about how I'll know b/c if I go into labor at work I've got to shut everything down/close up etc and I will NEVER hear the end of it if I do on a false alarm...

if only my belly button would turn green or something as an indicator

and i hear you about being at work! i'm here everyday with people popping in my office to see if i'm here and waiting for my water to break all over my fancy (borrowed) herman miller aeron chair. that would be awkward.

[Relynn]

I only had bloody show once, with my fourth pregnancy. I had my water break with a gush 3 times, and my water break with a POP noise and a trickle twice.
HTH!

[stardust swallower]

Originally Posted by chi_mama

if only my belly button would turn green or something as an indicator

If only...

Last time, I had no indicators at all until my water broke about an hour before the onset of labor, but I don't think water breaking first is all that common. I didn't have bloody show until well into laboring.

This time, I lost a good sized glob of mucous plug (clear) about 5 days ago and mini chunks since then. Lots of solid cntrxns that come and go, but nothing regular. Seems like it could on like this forever...

I think there's a million and one ways early labor happens before active labor sets in. I don't believe my cntrxns are the real thing until they pair up with runny poo. If that happens, I'll start to pay attention.

[marlygf]

I've only ever had bloody show with my 3rd. With the first two it was just starting contractions which felt like cramps. My water has never just broken.
I totally agree. Our belly buttons should be the indicator. At least I can see that!

[Pernillep]

with my first I never had any until contractions were well on their way and I was 100% sure this was it.

Also, my water didn't break until I was pushing.

So, in my experience neither is a given.

[texaspeach]

belly buttons should be an indicator of "yep, you're pregnant!" instead of having to take a test, and "yep, it's labor!" lol

[Mamatoabunch]

I have never seen bloody show, except already in labor w/ my third. I either start w/ contraxs I know are it or my water breaks, about half and half w/ waters or contraxs.

[chrissy]

nak

i had bloody show with my 2nd and 3rd in early-mid labor. this time i didn't have any at all though.

[puddleduck]

my 1st was textbook, bloody show, waters breaking, contractions starting etc

my 2nd, waters didn't break till his head came out, might have had a show but it was prob lost in the birthing pool.

[mamadelbosque]

I didn't have bloody show with DS, but my water broke with a gush to start it off - I'd just sat down to eat dinner, looked at DH and was like... umm.. I think my water just broke!!

[LilWin]

With DD I had my water breaking as first indication labor was starting and also some bloody show (but very light).
With DS I had none of that, just contractions that became more painful and closer together in time. Both times I had no doubt it was the real thing though!

[wombatclay]

I'm loving this thread!

With both girls I've been pretty "classic"... lost my mucus plug in one big go, had bloody show for a day or two after this, water broke, contractions started, baby was born. Ok, so not so smooth in the actual experiences (with dd1 my water broke a good day before contractions started and she was eventually born via c/s, with dd2 I'd had "maybe contractions" for about 3 hours before my water broke with a total *pop*), but that was the basic order of events.

I'll be 40 weeks tomorrow and other than my nightly contractions (from about 4pm-1am every frakin' night) there's been nothing. Perhaps a bit more discharge, but nothing obviously "mucus plug"-ish. No bloody show. Nada!

So to hear that this doesn't necessarily mean labor isn't imminent is a huge help.

ETA- forgot to add, on average, only 10-15% of women have their water break at the very start of labor. It's much more common for the water to break later on, and since ruptured membranes can make it harder for a malpositioned babe to get lined up having your membranes intact as long as possible is a good thing.

[Talula Fairie]

I had some bloody show with my first, I think that's a given for me in labor. With my second I was induced but I bled during labor. I'm sure everyone is different though.

[Jilian]

I never had bloody show with DS1 and my water didn't break until well into labor (about 8 cm or so). With DS1 I had bloody show with my mucus plug and went into labor just under 24 hours later. My water didn't break until pushing, and only because I kept touching it because it was bluging out and felt like a water balloon hanging out of me.

[Mamatoabunch]

Originally Posted by wombatclay

since ruptured membranes can make it harder for a malpositioned babe to get lined up having your membranes intact as long as possible is a good thing.

Plus I have found labor w/ ruptured membranes more intense.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by Mamatoabunch

Plus I have found labor w/ ruptured membranes more intense.

It's like twice as intense ime.

[Katielady]

Bloody show first labor fairly early on. Second labor was fast and intense, yet no show, and my water didn't break til a minute or so before the head started to emerge.

[wombatclay]

Since both my births have started with ROM, I've nothing to compare it to. But the difference between malpositioned dd1 and properly lined up dd2 was amazing.