I am due to deliver my baby next week, and when I went to the toilet, the strangest thing that looked like a jelly fish, fell out. It was clear jelly stuff, and filled my hand! I called my neighbour who is a midwife and she said I should not be concerned, that it was the mucous plug falling out and that it did not mean that I was going to go into labour. I have not heard of this happening to anyone else, and am really looking for reassurance.

Some women see the mucous plug and others don’t. Although you were unprepared for this, it is a perfectly normal event and also quite common. The mucous plug has the work of acting like a cork to keep the cervix sealed during your pregnancy. The fact that it has dislodged is merely a sign that softening is occurring in the cervix, which is a good sign. But it is not a reliable indicator that labour is about to begin. It is not uncommon for the labour to begin only weeks after the loss of the mucous plug. As long as your waters are intact, the baby is still safe inside your uterus and the loss of the plug is not of concern. If you wish to contact your doctor, it may be a good idea, to keep the doctor informed that things are progressing in the correct direction, rather than from any sense of concern.

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