About signs of labor
Each woman’s labor is different. And even in the same woman, each labor will be different. Some labors start slowly and then speed up unexpectedly, while others start rapidly and then slow down. Some labors are very fast, lasting only a few hours. Some are very long, lasting a day or two.
Losing the mucous plug is among the telltale signs of labor, but it’s not a guarantee. Labor may still be days or weeks away.
In addition to the normal discharge you are experiencing, near labor you may find red streaks and a thick mucous ‘blob’. This is the mucus plug that has been in the cervix since after conception to prevent access to the womb for bacteria or other pathogens. You may never see this bloody show, because as the cervix has softened or ripened, it could have slipped out and fell into the toilet to be flushed away.