On the subject of birthing....

That my friends is a mucus plug.

It's one of those things that no one really talks about much to first time mothers. There might be a mention of it in the books. But it's hard to find a really good definition and even better, a picture of what it looks like.

What Is It??

The mucus plug is located in the cervix during pregnancy. It helps to protect the uterus from bacteria, infection, and anything that shouldn't be in there. The cervix contains a mucus membrane, just like the inside of your nose. As you approach the time of the birth, some women will notice chunks of this plug after using the restroom. I say some women because not everyone notices it and sometimes it comes out during labor (or like I saw one time, at birth on the top of baby's head!).

When I'm Losing It, What Does It Mean????

Most times, it means absolutely nothing. It can be dislodged after a vaginal exam, after intercourse, sneezing, or coughing. Think back about that really bad cold you've had in the past. Are you ever really able to feel like you have ALL of the snot out of your nose? No. Because it regenerates. The mucus plug does the same. If a woman notices pieces of it, it usually means that she is losing pieces of it. That's it.

As a woman is within weeks of the birth she might notice the plug and tinges of pink and/or brown (see above). This is sometimes called "bloody show" (note in the picture that it is not bright red bleeding...if there is ever bright red bleeding you need to be seen by your care provider ASAP). When there is bloody show, that usually means there has been some bit of cervical change. The vessels in the cervix break as the cervix is changing. This is usually a really good sign that labor will begin soon. But don't get your hopes up, labor can still be a week or two away.