Lexington Womens Health

Instructions for labor at term
How do you know when to come to the hospital for labor? First, if you have any fluid leaking, you need to be evaluated. Leaking fluid is often hard to distinguish from leaking urine, so please call if you have questions. If your contractions painful, persistent every 3 to 5 minutes and take your breath away because they are so painful, then you should be on your way to the hospital!

Labor and delivery
Where do you go? If you know you are in labor, go to the second floor of the main hospital building to Labor and Delivery. After 9 pm, you must enter the hospital building through the emergency room.

What is a mucous plug? A cervix is made up of many mucous producing glands and fibrous tissue. As the cervix starts to thin out and open, the mucous producing glands work overtime, producing gobs of thick liquid. Streaks of blood are common, especially after cervical exams in the office. The cervix will continue to produce “plugs” until delivery, so we recommend using panty liners. While slimy fluid is normal, watery fluid can be a sign of a broken bag of water. Please call the office if you are uncertain.