I lost my mucus plug- how much longer?

by Labertha
(South Carolina)

Question:I was 2cm dilated about 36 hrs ago,I am only having mild contractions but I noticed that I have lost my mucus plug. How long does it normally take before I actually have my baby? Thanks

Answer: Labertha- If you have been having contractions regularly, even if they are mild, on top of losing your mucus plug, there is a possibility that you're beginning to experience early labor.

The fact that you're dilating is good because you know your body is indeed preparing, but dilation is a rather poor indicator of when labor will start. You could be dilated to a 2 for quite some time before you actually go into labor.

The very best indicator is your contractions- then take all the other signs combined and you should have a pretty good idea of what's going on. For example, contractions along with dilation and losing your mucus plug are promising signs pointing to labor. But, if you take contractions out of the equation, it's really hard to know whether or not labor is really close. You could be dilated for several weeks before going into labor, and you could also lose your mucus plug long before labor starts.

If your contractions stop or don't really get more regular or more intense, you probably still have a bit of waiting. Once you start having contractions that are getting stronger and you keep having them consistently every several minutes for a couple hours or so, you can be pretty sure that it's finally here!

Good Luck!!

Stephanie