Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About Mucus Plugs

Stop in the name of love!

The cervix, the doorway to the uterus and vaginal canal secrets jelly-like mucus once a fertilized egg is implanted in the wall of the uterus. This mucus concentrates into a plug that seals the opening of the cervix preventing any bacteria/germs from entering into the uterus where the fertilized egg is developing into a baby. This plug also prevents any sperm from entering the uterus.

Pregnancy Cork!

Imagine a cork in a bottle of wine. The cork protects the wine inside the bottle. The mucus plug is painless but powerful in its role of being an additional barrier of protection for the growing baby in two amniotic sacs in the uterus.

Before I let go!

Towards the end of the third trimester of pregnancy, the mucus plug will dislodge and expel out of the vagina as the cervix begins to soften and stretch out. This release of the plug is a wonderful sign of early labor about to move forward. This can occur around 37-39 weeks, but this is not the rule for all pregnancies.

You are so beautiful to me!

Your plug looks like old Jell-O; often with different colors of clear, red, brown & yellow thrown in. You may notice it when you go to the bathroom and you may see some in the toilet bowl or on the tissue when you wipe yourself. Color matters! Communicate what the color looks like with your doula and care provider — sometimes that has helpful info about what’s happening inside.

Party Like It’s 1999!

Take a photo of your plug and share it with your doula and partner/spouse! You are on the journey called labor and birth! The release of your mucus plug is the first speed bump you have successfully passed! Woo-Hoo!

Denise Bolds
MSW CD(DONA) CLC

She, Her, Goddess
@BoldDoula

Denise Bolds is Bold Doula. She's a DONA International Certified Birth Doula in NYC. She is also a Childbirth Instructor, CLC, Doula Mentor and placenta encapsulation specialist.