Disclaimer: This post might be graphic or TMI for someone who has yet to be pregnant or is very modest. Please just skip this reading if that happens to be you. The purpose of my posting about so many of the details is so that others don’t have to harass all their friends with questions like I do. On with the story!
A brief cliff notes of the details of my day leading up to the plug:
- 3 loads of laundry
- Tried to put together the bassinet and failed
- Ran dishwasher and put away dishes
- Bouncing on my ball
- Mowed the lawn
- Walked around Sears and tried out mattresses
So I get up about 3 or 4 times a night to pee right now and I always try to turn on the hall light or at least take my phone with me so I can check for anything during these potty breaks. I have had a giant increase in discharge during the third trimester and if you Google that you get either: you are leaking amniotic fluid or you should expect an increase of discharge. But they never tell you how much is a ‘normal’ increase in discharge.
So I asked one of my girlfriends what she thought and she told me that if I was really worried about possibly leaking amniotic fluid that I should wear a pad and see how quickly I go through them since that is what the labor and delivery nurses will ask you if you call. Sure enough I wasn’t leaking fluid and there are a lot of women out there who would just go to the hospital to double check but I am not one of those.
With the discharge I also wondered if this just part of my mucus plug falling out slowly or is it discharge? Hey, this is my first rodeo so I have no idea what to expect! So last night during my 12:30 am potty break I go to wipe and sure enough this mucus clump comes out too! Let me tell you that it is like a jelly fish and it is pretty clear as to what it is! So if there are any other first time ladies out there you will know when it happens!
But the mucus plug didn’t just come out in one potty break. Little pieces came out the day before and twice after the big clump. I didn’t want to totally gross everyone out with the picture of it but I can direct you to Google images if you are really curious. And no mine didn’t come with ‘the bloody show’ like some women.
I bounced on my ball this morning until my back got uncomfortable and I have no idea if I have a slow leak now if this most recent plug piece just included more discharge. I will monitor that this afternoon. I have a baby shower I have to attend at 3pm so I do need to get myself together but I feel slightly nausea as I type this.
I am hoping that I am like many women who lose their plug and go into labor fairly quickly afterwards. But I have also read that it is common to not go into labor for weeks afterwards. then there are some women who don’t loose their plug at all! Oh all of the variables!
Slacker = Me.
I am still a slacker in the being ‘prepared’ for the baby but I am improving. I have at least opened up the car seat and read the instructions on installing it but it isn’t installed yet. I have the diaper bag and the baby things together for the hospital but my bag is only half packed. Michael has a change of clothes in the bag but I don’t. BUT I do have the list of things I need to put into the bag on the floor next to it so if anyone has to pick up my slack they aren’t totally lost.