How far dilated do you have to be?

Question

in order for your mucus plug to come out and the amniotic fluid to break? I have been 3 cm's for a week or more and am scheduled to be induced May 10, unless my labor starts on its own. I've been having pains coming and going but no mucus plug, hardly any discharge, etc.

No offense, but I really prefer men not to answer this. Women who have been pregnant are the only ones equipped to know.

No offense, but I really prefer men not to answer this. Women who have been pregnant are the only ones equipped to know.

I'm not asking how far dilated I have to be to deliver. I'm not stupid, I know its 10. I am only asking how far dilated till I drop my mucus plug or amniotic fluid. It isnt that hard.

Answer 1

Most likely what will happen when you go into labor is that you will begin to feel contractions. With some women the water breaks, and then they begin to have contractions. In the first stage of labor, the cervix will dilate from closed, which is its normal state, to fully open at 10 cm in diameter.

In mothers having their first child, this stage usually lasts 12 to 16 hours.
For women having second or subsequent children, the first stage lasts around 6 to 7 hours.

Stage one can be divided into three phases:
Early labor (dilation up to 4 cm),
active labor (4 cm to 8 cm)
and transition (8 cm to 10 cm).

You will finally arrive at the second stage of labor - the birth.

Good luck

http://baby2see.com/laborandbirth.html
http://baby2see.com/contractions_timer.html

Answer 2

im over my due date!losing your mucus plug depends on every woman.I lost some of mine over 2weeks ago and lost some more from friday till now.With my first pregnancy i didnt lose my mucus plug.The pain you are feeling could be early labor pain or just your body getting ready for the big d-day! At lease you are 3cm dilated..that is awsome.Iv been at "almost" a 2 for the past 3weeks now. I go back tomorrow so they might just induce me! But hang in there and try to relax because it can hit you at any time,you may not make it to May 10. Good Luck!!

Answer 3

I have 3 kids 22, 17 and 11. My water never ever broke on its own. They always had to break my water. I only lost my mucus plug with my 11 year old son. It freaked me out because I had no idea what it was. It had never happened with the other 2 babies. Walk around as much as possible to try and get labor started on your own. I had to have induced labor with my second child and all I can say is Sweet Jesus. That hurt so much more than going into labor naturally.

Answer 4

Dilation doesn't determine when the mucus plug and amniotic fluid come out.

I've been pregnant 3 times and have lots of pains before real labor ever starts. It's just your uterus toning up and dilating. But your mucus plug might not come out until the day of labor or just before.

Answer 5

You don't always lose the mucus plug, and water breaks naturally only in a relatively small percentage of women. I had neither happen before labor set in, and with my youngest child, my doctor was amazed that I was walking around and was more than 4 cm dilated.

Answer 6

Most people don't even see the mucous plug when it comes out. You need to be 10 cm to be ready to have the baby. Also most women don't have their water just break like in the movies, so any clear water like drainage - get checked by your doc or the maternity ward. All they have to do to see if your water is leaking is take a little strip and test the fluid. It changes colors.

Answer 7

Make sure you research induction. It's not risk-free, and actually doubles your risk of cesarean. I'll put a fact sheet in the links section.

As for dilation, it doesn't mean much of anything. You can walk around 3 cm (or more) for weeks, or you can go from thick and closed up tight to the birth in an hour. You just never know.

Laura
www.babystepsonline.net

Answer 8

honestly i never lost my mucus plug with any of my kids.... at least not that i seen. i have 3 kids 2 were induced and one i went in natural labor for. never seen it for any of them.

Answer 9

You have to be fully dilated or 10 cm dilated before you can deliver the baby.

Answer 10

Don't worry it'll happen when you least expect it, you're getting induced soon anyway, so soon you'll have your baby in your arms. Good luck with everything.