How much longer?

Question

Last week (35 weeks) was at a 0 for dialation and 30% effaced. This week (36 weeks) I am at 2cm and 70%. I was pretty crampy yesterday and had some bright red spotting but my doctor said that would happen from the exam. Today I started seeing signs of losing my mucus plug and I have been crampy, some I would consider pretty bad cramps. Do real contractions feel like bad cramps? This is my 1st pregnancy.  How much longer should I expect until I go into labor? My due date is 7/5 but the doctor mentioned she thought it would be earlier and I didn't expect to see signs quite yet. Any thoughts from those who have been through this before?

Answer

I would stop worrying about it and accept the process. Counting centimeters and doing a bunch of vaginal exams isn't helpful and can cause infection and worry about progress, which in turn can cause plateau. Your baby will come in time and it's good to just work with your body and relax. Your body knows what it's doing. Good luck to you and I hope you have a healthy happy baby.

Answer

I wouldn't say I'm worried. More like curious to hear others experiences. I'm pretty calm about everything and fully trust my doctor. The whole process is very interesting and I didn't know if my progress is telling of anything in particular.

How much longer?

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