Mucus Plug Loss at 36 Weeks: What to Do?

Question
Hi my name is Orquidea and im 20 yrs old. I am currently 36w3d pregnant and i think i've lost my mucous plug about an hour ago. I went to the bathroom to pee and when i wiped i saw a small glob of discharge that was clear-yellowish in color and had a tint of pink in one corner. During this whole pregnancy i havent had a bit of discharge until three days ago where i started having pink stains in my underwear. Now i had the mucous today, and im wondering if it could be the mucous plug. Also about 10 days ago i had really bad braxton hicks contractions that were 2-3 minutes apart and lasted for about 6 hrs. I havent had them since. My midwife says i am a fingertip dilated, which im not too sure what that means. Im sorry for all the questions but im really clueless since my last preganancy had to be induced at 42w and i hadnt experience contractions nor loss of my mucous plug. Heres a summary of what id like to know.
1) could that have been my mucous plug?
2) does that mean labor will start soon?
3) how much is a fingertip dilated?
4) is it possible i wont go posterm and have to be induced this time around?
Also my midwife is planning to give me castor oil when i turn 37 weeks so i wont posterm, is that a good idea? and how long does it take for the castor oil to cause contractions? Thanks in advance

Answer
Usually, for your second pregnancy, you will not go past 40-41 weeks gestation. I don't like to use Castor Oil because it tastes vile and often has no effect on starting labor. The fact that your cervix is fingertip dilated does not mean much. A cervix that is fingertip dilated means just that. The examiner can barely fit the fingertip of the third finger into the cervix. It is still essentially a closed cervix. It sound like you did, indeed, have a "bloody show". Your mucus plug is starting to come out. This may mean that labor will start within a few weeks. You will start having more Braxton Hicks contractions. Then you will start to have contractions at the level of your belly button. When you get contractons every 6-8 minutes at the level of your belly button, and each contraction lasts (remains hard) for at least 45 seconds, and this continues for a full hour, then you are considered to be in labor. You will not be admitted to the hospital until your cervix has dilated to 4 cm. There is no way to predict if you will deliver by your due date or will go past your due date. If all is well with the baby and you reach 41 weeks without going into labor, a Non Stress Test will be done. If that is fine, you can safely wait until 42 weeks. Most women will go into labor on their own by then. Good luck to you.