Mucus plug description???

What does a mucus plug look like? I have no clue. I don't remember ever seeing anything with my last one. Anyways, I'm dilated to 2 1/2 and 80% effaced. Can someone still have their mucus plug once they've already started dilating? I've noticed this past week that I've been having lots of discharge that just looks like snot. Is that considered mucus plug? I'm just confused about it. I've been having internal exams since 28 weeks due to preterm labor and the doctor tells me that he can feel that he is head down. So, I was just thinking that if he is feeling his head, then surely there is no plug in there, right?

Here are a couple links that might explain things better.The doctor can tell if your baby is head down with our without a mucus plug.

http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5901,00.html

http://www.babycenter.com/0_vaginal-discharge-during-pregnancy_270.bc

Quoting Mr.Virtualdiva:“ Here are a couple links that might explain things better.The doctor can tell if your baby is head down ... [snip!] ... http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5901,00.html http://www.babycenter.com/0_vaginal-discharge-during-pregnancy_270.bc”

Thanks! That helped...lol...I guess all that nasty snot looking stuff is considered mucus plug.