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It is not possible to say how long exactly after the mucous plug is removed the baby will be born. This is because, in some cases, the tampon may come out up to 3 weeks before labor begins, and therefore, losing the mucous tampon does not mean that the baby will be born that same day.
However, there are cases in which the tampon is gradually released during the last weeks of pregnancy, and this can happen without a person realizing that the process of detaching the tampon has started, and on rare occasions it can also happen that the exit is just at the time of labor.
Thus, it is recommended to pay attention to the signs of labor, as the time from leaving the mucous plug until delivery is variable, since you can lose the plug and go into labor in hours, while on other occasions, it may take some weeks. See what are the signs that labor has started.
Why does the mucous plug come out?
The mucous plug comes out when the amount of the progesterone hormone, which is present throughout the pregnancy and avoids contractions early, starts to decrease. Thereafter the uterus becomes soft and becomes thinner, and the consequence of this is that the mucous plug ends up coming out, as it is no longer able to rest on the muscle walls. Check out what the mucous plug looks like and how to know if it has already come out.
What to do until labor
If the mucous plug comes out and the labor has not yet started, it is recommended to practice activities that can help the baby to fit into the most appropriate position for delivery, to prepare the muscles for delivery, in addition to relieve anxiety and stress that may be present.
These activities are:
- Visit the hospital or maternity chosen for delivery;
- Assemble theplaylist childbirth songs;
- Doing exercises with the yoga ball;
- Practice stretching techniques;
- Walk;
- To dance.
During the period from the exit of the mucous plug until the birth of the baby it is important that the pregnant woman feels physical and psychological well-being, so that the labor starts naturally and in the best possible way. The practice of light physical exercises, when there is no medical contraindication, is able to release hormones such as endorphins, which help in this process. Learn 8 ways to relieve pain during labor.
Created by: Tua Saúde Editorial Team
Bibliography>
- NHS. Signs that labor has begun. Available in: . Accessed on 12 Aug 2020
- NHS. What happens during labor and birth. Available in: . Accessed on 12 Aug 2020
- NIH. Cervical cerclage in combination with other treatments for preventing preterm birth in singleton pregnancies. 2017. Available at:. Accessed on 12 Aug 2020