How long between mucus plug/bloody show and baby?

[melon]

I am 40 w 3 d and I've been loosing chunks of what i assume is mucus plug over the last 2 days. A few contractions and lots of cramps.

Anyone who's btdt care to comment? I'd love to have this baby mon or tues  :)

Thanks!

edit: and what can i do at this point to help move things along!?

Edited by melon - 5/7/11 at 6:05pm

[APToddlerMama]

For me, it was a week and don't think I even lost the whole thing either.  I went into preterm labor though, so not sure if maybe it will be quicker for you as you're further along.  Good luck!!

[APToddlerMama]

I tried to edit to post this before and it wouldn't let me.  Anyhow, once I started cramping and not just having contractions/braxton hicks, it was same day.  How long have you been cramping for? 

[melon]

since i started loosing the plug. So, since yesterday morning. But very few times that I think are actual contractions. They're just not that intense. More like really really bad menstrual cramps. I'm mostly perfectly fine in between.

[Jaimee]

Is this your first baby?  With my first, the crampy feeling came and went every 20 minutes starting on the day I had my dd- that's what real contractions feel like to me.  I lost the mucous plug after several hours of those contractions and had her that evening.

With my second I had lots of pressure contractions (not crampy feeling) for weeks, which got me to 5+cm, but on the day I actually went into labor they were crampy.  With that labor I started losing mucous plug 3 days prior to actual labor beginning.

You can lose mucous plug at any point in your pregnancy and it will reform, but it has been my experience that a lot of women lose their plug with bloody show within 24 hours to 3 days of labor, indicating that you're dilating several cm.  Good luck!!!

[bethanyclaire]

With my first baby I lost my plug and had bloody show about 48 hours before he was actually born. With the following 2 babies it was 12 hours. Lost it in the morning and then baby made his/her arrival before midnight. :)

[Jaimee]

There are lots of things you can do at home to move things along, but if your body isn't quite ready, induction techniques can lead to frustrating starting and stopping.  Here are some ideas:

*Sex- orgasm stimulates contractions (you can do this for yourself!  ), semen contains prostaglandins (I hear oral may be even more effective)

*Blue and black cohoshes

*Walking, stairs especially

*Bumpy car ride, bouncing on birth ball

*Scrubbing floors on all fours, scrubbing the tub

*Castor oil and warm towel on belly

*Castor oil ingested (last resort)

*Nipple stim with breast pump

*Acupuncture/Acupressure/Moxibustion

*Relaxing, visualizing, giving in

*Homeopathic caulophyllum 200x

*Foot and or uterine massage

Good luck!!  Your baby will be here very soon!

[Abraisme]

I never lost my mucus plug until just a few hours before I gave birth..  Everyone is so different

[vivica2]

my first sign of labor with my 2nd (21 months apart) was losing my mucic plug, followed but 3 min appart contractions withing that same half hour...and 6 hours later met my baby girl. 

never remember losing it with my 1st so it must have been during labor. 

good luck!!!

[Vegan Princess]

With my first, I had some bloody show as my first sign of labor. Lost my plug a couple hours later. Had her less than 8 hours after the bloody show started. My friend just had her 2nd baby. She lost her mucous plug a month before he was born! He was 11 days late. So you really never know. 

Cindy