Am I in Labor?

Question

I wen t to the Doc., last Wed, and had a pelvic. I started dripping blood, and I know that is normal, but it last for about 17 hours. I woke up on Thrus., with a brownish discharge and I know that is dryed up blood "old Blood" but it started bleeding again and I it had a rose color mucus ring come out. Was that my plug? After awhile it stop bleeding and I started having contractions, 10 minutes apart, then 5 minutes apart. Then it completly stop. My husband and I made love and he came inside me, then once again contractions started, then completely stop. Now today there is a lot of movement from my baby and my belly keeps getting hard then soft hard then soft, like a contraction without the pain. I am 37 weeks and 6 days along. 1cm and -3 e/faced. Am I in labor? or am I jumping the gun. Thanks

Answer 1

When I went into labor (15 days early) I wasn't in any real pain either. I was a little uncomfortable...but not like they show on t.v. or the movies with doubled over pain and screaming. I noticed that I could tell when a contractions started (the hardening of the belly). Before when I thought that I was having a Braxton-Hicks contraction I would have to touch my belly to make sure that it was hard before I was sure. After I started having what turns out to have been real contractions I started timing the starts of them. I sat there for 5 hours with them regularly 2 minutes apart thinking "I don't know if I am in labor or not...shouldn't it really, really hurt? Maybe I'll wait and see if my water breaks." The only other difference from Braxton-Hicks (besides being able to tell I was having a contraction without touching my belly) was that I had some lower back pain...but it reminded me more of sitting without a back to a chair for too long instead of intense pain. Check to see if your contractions are regular and close together. Back pain is a good indication. Water breaking means go to the hospital...you're definitely having a baby in the next 24 hours. If you find that laying on your side, changing positions, or walking makes the contractions stop then they're probably Braxton-Hicks. If nothing else the maternity nurses can check you and send you home if it is not time. That's what finally sent me to the hospital. I called the maternity ward and they said come in and get checked they'd send me home if it was nothing.

Answer 2

If the blood was dripping, then that is not a normal amount to lose after a pelvic exam. It does sound like you lost your mucous plug though. I think you are probably having braxton hicks contractions now, which does not mean real labor but is more than likely prelabor. Wait until the contractions come back like you had before but don't end after a while, then that will probably be real labor and it sounds like it will be soon. Just so you know what the correct terms are...1 cm is your dialation, -3 is the station the baby is at in comparison to your pelvic bone (not effacement), and effacement would be in terms of a % like 50% effaced.

Answer 3

It sounds like what your having is what is known as Braxon-Hicks Contractions. Its basicly pre-labor where the body is getting ready for the real thing. It does sound like you lost your mucus plug. Which means labor isn't far off. My suggestion would get up and walk. If your feeling the contractions then walk and walk and walk some more. I did that with my first one. My water broke but only enough to be a trickle. I thought I was peeing myself everything I stood up or sat down then it hit me, Oh my water could have broken. I never did go into labor they had to enduce. It was the walking through the branxon-hicks however that got my water to break when it did and got the whole thing over with. Either way, my experiance having 6 children myself you probably have anywhere between a couple of hours and 2 weeks before it comes without walking.

Answer 4

To have some blood after a pelvic is normal for the term of pregnancy that you are in . As far as the contractions go with you and you husband having sex that does help start the process of labor when he ejaculates inside you. It is hard to say if you are in labor or not due to some labors are very easy with no pain and some are not, What i would do is that any time you feel that you are having a contraction keep track of it and if you start to feel pressure in your groin area call your doctor and go the hospital

Answer 5

You will know when you are in labor. You probably are having some contractions which is normal. If you live far from the hospital it is more of a concern, but if you are within 20 minutes from the hospital I would say to stay home and rest for as long as possible. When you get to the point where the pain is just unbearable then you know you are getting close. If you have serious doubts, though, call your doctor.

Answer 6

You may be having braxton hix contractions. They can feel just like labor, and your stomach tends to tighten and relax too....it will get real hard and then relax.
Being 37 weeks along, its not uncommon to get these more frequently. Real labor will not stop...the contractions will be consistant and so will the time between them (for the most part).
Let me emphasize.....the contractions dont have to be exactly the same time apart to be real! They may vary by a minute or two....but they will continue.
It does sound like you lost your mucus plug though...so I would be on the look out for labor soon. Also, if you feel any leaking of fluid...call your doctor asap. Your water may have "broken" and you need to have the baby within a certain peroid of time after that so there is no infection.

Answer 7

Dripping blood is not normal.... light spotting might happen during pregnancy, but you should not be actively bleeding. That I'm sure of.

Going into labor isn't something you can miss. If you're even wondering whether you are or not, you are probably not. Labor pains (for me) felt like incredibly, horribly intense menstrual cramps.

That said, no one here will be adequately knowledgeable about all the possibilities to tell you whether you are in labor or not... you should just go see your doctor. Soon.

Answer 8

sounds like you could be in labor. keep track of the contractions and go to the hospital then they are a consistent 7 to 5 minutes apart. as always if you are concerned call you doctor.

Answer 9

You could very well be in the beginning stages of Labor. If your contractiuons aren't regular then your doc will probably tell you to wait to go to the hospital until they are. You defineitly should call your doctor and tell them what's going on. It does sound like your mucus plug but it could also be a scab from where you bled.

Answer 10

Sounds like you could be going into labor. I would keep time when you have contraction like pain and would aslo get to L&D to get monitored. But, if you or your husband are concerned in anyway then get to the hospital or call your doctor. Your baby could be coming into the world very, VERY soon! Congrats!