Confused and don't know what to do!!

[KRabbit]

Last night I couldn't sleep - as you know I'm nearly 38 weeks and very depressed.

I came downstairs at about 4am to watch TV, went to the bathroom, made myself something to eat and sat on the sofa. I felt a bit damp "downstairs" so put my hand down to feel and a load of water rushed out.

I went upstairs and told OH, he jumped out of bed and immediately went and rang the midwife. she said to get some sleep and come in to the birth centre when it was light for a check up to see if it was my waters breaking.

There was no pain or contractions and no more fluid loss.

Coulnd't sleep at all, managed to drift off about 7am only to be woken by OH at 8.30 to go to the birth centre as he didn't want to be late for work.

Went to the birth centre, midwife examined me (with a sepculum, ugh) and said that there was no evidence of water, my cervix was tightly closed, baby's head not engaged (last two midwives I've seen told me it was 3/5 engaged and that I must have either "imagined" it or "wet myself".

She said that my body was "nowhere near ready for labour" and that I probably would go to 42 weeks.

I burst into tears again. I don't know what to think now. Was it my waters? I didn't wet myself I know!!!! Nor did I imagine it! Why have I had no contractions? If it was my waters and the contractions haven't started will my baby be at risk of infection? He's not moving at all today even though midwife said he was ok on the sonicaid. I don't know what to think and can't stop crying.

[pooka]

My waters didn't break until just before delivery (with ds, not at all until he'd been born) so no advice.


BUMPING for those in the know.

[BumpyMo]

Hello! i don't really have any proper medical advice but i would just say not to panic. I had water loss at 35 weeks but no pains or contractions. I was examined like you and they said my waters HAD gone and baby was only 2 or 3 fifths engaged but after a whole weekend in hospital there was still no sign of baby.

I went a whole other week before I started getting contractions, I'm not saying this will be the same for you but maybe you should just take it easy. Also, when i DID go into labour, my hind waters broke and thats when there was a big gush. I didn't know about the two sets of waters, maybe only one lot of yours have gone?

Another thing I learnt was that even though I was losing water, the body keeps making more to protect the baby.

I know this may not be of any use to you but I do kind of know what you are going through! x x

[binkacat]

If you're not feeling baby move today then you need to ring your midwife/birth centre today to get checked out. Just to be on the safe side, its best to get checked out.

Sometimes when your water go its just a little of the liquor and there is still some round baby. But a checkover and a second opinion won't hurt - especially 'cos of reduced movements.

[maxwellsmum]

When i was pregnant i was in the kitchen and felt a 'leak' as it were. Called the hosp and they said, wait until contractions start etc... once they actually started i went in and had an examination and they told me that my waters hadnt broken and i must have wet myself (I knew i hadnt...i was pregnant not mad! - well not totally anyway!)
Anyway, after talking to another midwife she explained that sometimes the 'balloon' holding baby can tear at the top, and the water leaks down... the tear will then repair itself. Aparently its quite common but they dont often explain it (unless your persistently nagging them like me ).
But more importantly if baby hasnt moved, get yourself checked.

[3andnomore]

Awww, how discouraging of that m/w...tehy should know better that A) this is the last thing a women in the last term of pg wants to hear and B) that just because everything looked closed it doesn't mean anyhting, they should know just how fast things can change!
As for the wet bit...tmi but here goes, lol...with my 2. I had a lot of mucous loss which made me feel at time rather "wet" (nice )
As for waters breaking mine never rboke before labour and indeed with es and ms my waters were ruptured at teh end of labour, and with ms they broke towards the end of my labour, but not sure if the m/w maybe helped a bit whilest giving me and Internal
Some Babys are even born in caul (sp?) and that is compeltely fine and nothing to worry about!
Don't get to disheartened....try to make the best of your time now (if this is your first child) then spend some quality time with your OH and if it is a subsequent child then spend some time with teh existing child/children....as after the Baby is there it won't always be that straightforward
As for not moving much...as far as I know that is actually a good sign and at elast normal at this stage, as they run out of space in there and they rest a bit before the hard task of labour is demanding a lot of energy from them!
Oh, and sometimes the hindwaters break, but that is pretty harmless...and doesn't really increase the risk of Infection or anything...hth

[pucca]

Mmmm this happened to me actually, i went in on the Sat night thinking my waters were leaking to be told after having a lovely sepculum check nothing was happening bla bla...the following morning i had another small leak and pains, went in again and was 3 cm in less than 12 hrs.

Was the fluid yellowy pink? tmi but did it smell sweet? to know for sure unfortuntely you need to smell it lol.

[pucca]

Also just to add with my 1st (dd) my waters went with a almighty gush she wasn't actually born till 28 hrs later and was fine.

[LemonTart]

I agree with the others - get it checked out. Don?t feel embarrassed about going back. It is their job to reassure you and look after your and the baby. Less movement is not uncommon near the end but that is no reason to ignore it if you are worried about it. better safe than sorry - and a lot better to go now rather than panic in the middle of the night and rush in worried at 2am!!
I have heard about the two sets of waters too and that they can repair themselves. If you go tot he birth centre, you might see a different, more understanding and helpful mw - the one earler is probably off duty soon xx

[pucca]

If you ARE still worried go back in, it is their job! MW's can be horrible sometimes, thery don't see you as a person with feelings just a number grrr.

[3andnomore]

OH, btw....I always felt that going first in a hand/knee position and then coming up and then lieing down on my side would encourage my lil ones to start moving, lol!

[pucca]

Or a VERY cold drink or an ice cream also gets them moving around lots.

[binkacat]

quote;

"As for not moving much...as far as I know that is actually a good sign and at elast normal at this stage, as they run out of space in there and they rest a bit before the hard task of labour is demanding a lot of energy from them!
"

Sorry, but thats not true - a lot of people believe it, but its dangerous advice.

[kjules]

There aren't actually 2 sets of waters - just one amniotic sac - but your baby's head blocks off a certain amount if it's sandwiched in nicely, thus giving a small amount of fluid that is described as 'forewaters' and the rest (that surrounds your baby's body) is 'hindwaters'.

[lulumama]

it could well have been the forewaters or a mucous discharge......

at the end of the day you are 38 weeks pregnant.. the maximum you can go to is 42 ...so 4 more weeks...at the most..you have come so far

the midwife probably didn;t realise how low and depressed you are feeling...have you had some serious help from anyone re the way you are feeling.....

if the baby is not moving at all..then you must must get it checked out..as Binkacat has said. Reduced movements ok, but cessation of movement isn't. should feel 10 movements in a 12 hour period.

if the waters had fully gone, you would still be leaking now......

[binkacat]

Sorry, I'm not been argumentative honest

But reduced movements isn't ok either. As baby gets bigger the movements might feel different due to less space but you should still have the same amount. The advice about 10 movements in 12 hours is out of date.

If 20 movements is normal for a woman then if she only gets 10 it could be an indicator that baby is not 100% happy. Women should get to know their usual pattern of movements and if this changes contact their m/w.

[lulumama]

not at all! am happy to be corrected !! and i think it is actually a really important point re the 'getting to know your own pattern of movements' ...

[KRabbit]

I'm seriously doubting my own sanity now.

It wasn't discharge. It was water.

I'm sure it wasn't urine, I had just been to the toilet a minute or so before this happened.

I don't know what to do, I'm worried there may be something wrong but everyone keeps telling me I can't keep runing to the birth centre every five minutes and OH is getting fed up with me.

I'm so confused, the way the midwife said the baby hasn't even engaged yet - the last two ante natal checks I've had (with two different midwives) said that he was 3/5 engaged!

I don't know what to do I really feel like I'm going loopy!

[Toady]

sorry I dont mean this to sound harsh

You really need to try and calm down, your body is getting ready for labour, you are only 38 weeks so I dont know why your midwife would say you would probably go to 42 weeks. Have you got anybody close to you, a friend or a mumsnetter maybe who can help you.

Have you considered maybe going to yoga classes or something similar.

Is there anything else you can focus your mind on for the next few weeks?

Please keep talking to us.

You can and will go into labour naturally when baby is ready to come, in the meantime you need to try and relax (easy for me to say I know)

[suzi2]

I had the same thing happen at 37 weeks. I swear I didn't wet myself although that was the conclusion that the midwives etc came to. I had no other, even minor, wetting myself accidents in pregnancy and really can't believe that I did this time!

I got checked out several times after that due to reduced movement. I think I was more paranoid as I was sure some of my waters had gone. I started with a lot of painful braxtons about wk 38. Wk 39 they were regular and painful and went on for long stints. 39+4 I was having them between every 5 & 20 mintues I suppose. But I was skipping some and although they were painful and I couldn't sleep, I did get occasional 30 mins here and there without them.

Anyway, I saw my mw at 39+5. She said that the continual 'false' labour was a good sign and that she could try a sweep to get things going. She couldn't do the sweep as I was far too unfavourable. She told me that she was sorry but I was weeks off and she would see about making my next appointment to arrange induction. Well... that night I had a huge show... got checked at hospital and they said I would go naturally but not for a good while. How wrong they were... 20 hours later DS arrived on his due date! Oh, he also wasn't engaged at all until well into labour. And even when 7cm dilated I skipped contractions!

Hang in there. Get checked out when you are worried. And don't believe that you'll go to 42 wks. It can happen fast and at any time! Keep active and positive...