Bloody Show?

So almost two days ago I had a pelvic exam and found out I was 1cm dilated 80% effaced and baby was fully engaged. Afterwards I had some spotting which I was told was normal.

Today I wiped and found that I lost my mucus plug.(Very hard to miss). ;)
The mucus plug had a brown tint to it. They say usually that means it is the bloody show.

Also it says most people will go into labor after having their bloody show within 24 hrs to a week.

I have started having contractions irregularly since yesterday.

What do you guys think?

Bloody show or left over blood from exam mixed with mucus plug.

I'm not sure Jessica I thought bloody show & mucous plug were essentially the same thing?

Either way it sounds as though things are moving along for you! Congrats & good luck :hug:

Jasp- See that is where I get confused, because I thought the same thing. Yet, Dr.s say if blood is mixed with it, labor is closer or something. It does not make since. Though I know I lot my plug for a fact. lol
Either way, not long now I hope.

You have definitely had a show, whether or not it was caused from your exam is hard to know. It definitely doesn't mean you'll go into labour straight away (some women lose their plugs weeks before going into labour, it can actually replenish itself), but seeing as you are having regular contractions it's possible that labour is not too far away for you ;)

I lost my plug during early labour both times. Most of my baby buddies when I was pg with DS2 had their bubs within 24 hours of losing their plugs. Good luck :D

A bloody show has always been the start of labour for me, DD was born about 48 hrs later (first baby, long labour), DS was born within about 6 hours.

I've heard the same thing though - if it is purely mucusy without staining or streaks of blood, it usually doesn't mean much. If it is stained or streaked with blood then usually that would mean labour isn't far away (TMI...with DS there was that much blood it was like a period, I actually called my ob because I was a bit freaked out, started having contractions within the hour).

i lost lots of mucous randomly in the weeks leading up.. then when my ob did an exam there was lots of blood and she said 'there's your show' - i think it is due to the membranes? i dont know really. i was in labour 3 days later...
i think it is an indicator things are moving but not a sure thing timing wise etc

The bloody show and the mucuous plug are not the same thing!

The mucuos plug literally plugs up the cervix, and it can fall away weeks or hours before labour. Often it has a bloody tinge to it.

The bloody show is caused by the capileries (can't spell!) near the cervix breaking as painless tiny contractions start to dilate your cervix. This is an indication of early labour.

I lost my plug 2-3 weeks before labour started, and the bloody show 1-2 days before real labour (I had a very long pre-labour). I also had spotting after internals.

HTH

I have had irregular contractions since 32 weeks with threatened preterm labour.
I started having bloody shows from Thursday after I started having irregular contractions during the day... I too was 80% effaced and 2 cms dilated. However, I have been regularly contracting since Thursday afternoon with contractions every 4 to 5 mins and I haven't dilated anymore. Nearly 7 days. So it really doesn't mean anything.
From what the obs have said over the last week is that it doesn't mean you will go into labour in an hour or in 3 weeks. It will happen when your body is ready... A bloody show is a good sign that things are moving but not a definate sign that labour is soon. It could be weeks away...
Or you will be like me and have an extremely prolonged latent phase.

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The bloody show and the mucuous plug are not the same thing!

The mucuos plug literally plugs up the cervix, and it can fall away weeks or hours before labour. Often it has a bloody tinge to it.

The bloody show is caused by the capileries (can't spell!) near the cervix breaking as painless tiny contractions start to dilate your cervix. This is an indication of early labour.

I lost my plug 2-3 weeks before labour started, and the bloody show 1-2 days before real labour (I had a very long pre-labour). I also had spotting after internals.

HTH

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I agree with the above. Mucous plug and a bloody show are completely different... :)

I lost my mucous plug in the weeks leading up to labour but I had a bloody show and contractions started an hour later and DS was born not too long after...

Good luck!

DD1 bloody show 36 hours before labour, 5 days of pre labour.

DD2 bloody show 12 hours later labour started, no pre labour

Good luck hunny

Sounds like a show to me :D But as the others have stated it doesn't mean anything really.

I first started losing my plug at around 22 weeks, went into Threatned pre-term labour at 26 weeks, lost the rest of my plug at around 28 weeks (meanwhile contracting on and off since 26 weeks) I went into Spontaneous labour at 34+2 and had my bloody show during labour, Tristan was born at 34+3.

Both lots of plug I lost were blood streaked.

i had a show 1st thing monday morning and had dd tuesday 11:30 pm ... so just a tad over 24 hrs

GL !!

Well there you go.. I always thought they were the same :redface:

I never had either with any of my previous 3

So, is anything happening now Jessica? Can't be too far off in any case ;)

Sorry double post

Well for those that want an update...
Nothing. :wall:

I am starting to wonder if the blood mixed with my mucus plug was just from the pelvic exam I had the day before. Yet, I stopped bleeding that day and lost the plug the following. If you lose just your mucus plug it can still be two weeks I guess.

Yet, if you bleed from the cervical exam wouldn't it still be considered the bloody show?

So Confused.

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Yet, if you bleed from the cervical exam wouldn't it still be considered the bloody show?

So Confused.

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Sorry Jessica, but I don't think you have had your show. It is normal to have bleeding after an internal because there is so much extra blood flow there, the cervix becomes sensitive. It is equally normal to have blood in the mucuous plug. Some women can loose their plug at 34 weeks and still go overdue, unfortunately it is not a good indicator of when labour will start.

The bloody show is fresh red blood, and it isn't very heavy.

:hug: It can't be long now though, at most 5 weeks!

Actually I have to get induced on the 13th so i only have 11 more days! It is not very long, but I was hoping I would go into labor naturally instead of being induced. I am being induced so my family can be there. My mom especially.

I lost my plug in bits over the day before I went into labour & I also had a bloody show that day too. It started out with a small amount of blood & by the time labour had hit it inreased. By the time I got to hospital it was like a heavy period but the middy said "don't worry about that, that's just your show".

Well.... I am starting to believe that I just lost my mucus plug and the blood that was there was from the old pelvic exam. A little disappointing but what can you do.

On a happier note.... 10 days until my induction!!1