So, I am losing my mucous plug and I'm pretty sure that the baby has dropped quite a bit. I am 36 weeks along with my first child. Does that mean that labor is near or what? I'm afraid that I will go into labor and not know it. I know that is very rare but I still keep thinking about it. Also, any advice on how to make time pass by quicker when you're in such a hurry to meet your baby!!?? I'm so impatient right now.
Your mucus plug is constantly regenerating itself. If it's bloody, then labor is probably near. they call that "bloody show". three times i didn't have bloody show until I was well into my labors. My advice to pass the time is to stay active. If you're working, keep working untill the last week or so. If you're not working, go out and walk around the mall, take brisk walks around your neighborhood. Swimming is a fantastic way to stay active and healthy and it helps you sleep really well which would be nice right about now. Read some good natural baby care books, natural birth books, some breastfeeding books (_so that's what they're for_ is a GREAT one) Seek out your local LLL and go to a meeting or two to establish your first gentle parenting support group. Pick up a new hobby...sewing, knitting, crossword puzzles, anything that requires you to think. Even listening to talk radio
There's NOTHING to do to pass the time faster if you want to meet your baby. Believe me. I tried with no luck.
like colorfulhippie said, the mucous plug can regenerate itself many times but if there is a pinkish blood along with it, then labor is probably starting. If you see blood that's bright red, get the the hospital asap! But the mucous plug thing can happen anywhere from 2 weeks before labor to a few hours before. Trust me, you will NOT be going into labor without a clue! You will know, lol! I actually thought the exact same thing, lol. The first few contractions I thought were actually diarhea but by the 4th one, I was like, "Ok, this is it."
Baby dropped (fully engaged) and I started losing mucous (clear) two months before Jenny was born. I was also having bouts of pre-term labor off and on that whole time. Doc said to me that if there's blood in it, that just means your cervix is starting to dilate. You can walk around fully dilated for weeks before delivery. There are no guarantees. She was born early, too early in fact. She was not able to nurse, could not regulate her own body temperature, and in many ways was premature, at 37 weeks. She was sent back to the hospital after going home, and spent a week in an incubator, which was about the most heartbreaking thing I've ever been through. I wasn't allowed to kangaroo care because my body temp is too low and I couldn't keep her as warm as they wanted her to be. at 36 weeks gestation, I'd be focusing on keeping baby inside. I'd read all about the benefits of longer gestation, and telling my body to wait. Get as much rest as you possibly can, but keep active, too. Eat lots and lots of protein, take your vitamins. Find a new hobby, start writing a journal, do things now because after baby you won't find the time for them.
My daughter just had a baby a few weeks ago. She lost her plug with bloody show almost two weeks before the little one made her appearance. She was also dialated to 3 for 4 days before the birth. Get as much sleep as you can. Your days of sleeplessness are about to begin. Kathi
woah.... when I lost my plug labour started that evening... and while I was in the hospital during another pregnancy ... as soon as I lost my plug my water broke at the exact same time almost lol.... so I guess I'm different.
I was going to post, but what mamaboogie said was almost exactly what I was going to say. Some babies are absolutely fine born at 36 weeks, but some do better staying in longer. The rest won't hurt you. I lost the plug with my first baby at 28 weeks. I went into labor and it had to be stopped, as there, in those days, was serious danger to being born that early (there still is.) I must have regenerated the plug, because I lost it about 4 times during that pregnancy alone.
Thanks for all of your responses. I'm trying to keep myself busy. I do work and I exercise regularly. I have read Spiritual Midwifery and Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I guess I should get a book on breastfeeding since I feel very educated about giving birth and not so much about breatfeeding. I have another question I guess I should ask my doctor but I keep forgetting. For a couple of months my right breast has been leaking but nothing from my left breast. Is that normal or does that mean that I will not produce milk or colostrum in my left breast? It kind of makes me nervous b/c I want so bad to be able to breastfeed my baby.
Ina May is so wonderful. I've met the Lady, and she is amazing. There are a number of good books on Breastfeeding (I;d get strarted now, as the baby may come any time, now.) Yep. Your breasts are supposed to leak. (Although some mamas don't and make gallons of milk, as well.) It means they are warming up. Doctors don't usually know much about breastfeeding. Your OB feels his job ends when you leave the hospital after the birth of after the 5 week check up. Breastfeeding is not a medical issue. There is no training about lactation in American or Canadian Med Schools, so docs only know what the yhave either picked up (and a lot of that is ridiculous) or what they shelled out on their own for post Grad Lactation classses, ASK your doctor is he or she has taken any post grad lactation classes, Male doctors are actually slighly more Likely to have done so. Good books on Breastfeeding: The Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding by La Leche League So That's What They're For by Janet Tomaro (a little lighter than WAB, but just as accurate) Attachment Parenting by Katie Allison Granju A book by Dr Jack Newman that I can't remember now The Breastfeeding Book, by Sears and Sears (although it is kind of a repeat of The Womanly Art with some Sears family wisdom thrown in, but not a bad book at all.) Don't bother with any of the "What to expect" books, They are totally out of date and none of the authors studied lactation or ever even worked with breastfeeding mothers in any meaningful way. Even the other info in their books is really out of date. IMO, the BEST book for any new parent The Baby Book By William and Martha Sears THE BIBLE of Parenting Good luck!
that is the general guide line that I have both read in all my pregnancy books and be told by my OB, my friend's midwife and all the nurses I spoke to in the case room at my hospital when I lost mine (and went into labor that minute). That's a normal guide. Some women are different. Same with all other things to do with pregnancy.
