The start or not......??

[JulyOrAugustThatIsTheQuestion]

I'm 39 wks today and baby has definitely dropped more in the last couple of days.

Anyway, was sitting at friends earlier today (5:30pm ish) and felt a bit damp. I didn't say anything to her and left shortly after. There was certainly no gushing of water and really just a damp feeling and a couple of 'ooh have I just leaked a bit' moments. Wiping myself with tissue the tissue got a bit wet but since about 8:30pm there's been nothing more really.

I called the labour ward at 9:30pm and they just said to put a pad on, if it was wet in an hour then waters will have broken, if it's not then they probably haven't. Well pads not wet but there's a dribble on tissue if I wipe.

What do we all think?? Waters gone or not??

This is my first as you can probably guess :)

[EllieG]

Might be. Might also be that baby is heavy on your bladder and you are getting a bit of leakage. I say this because when I was in labour I thought my waters had broken at one stage and actually had just wet myself The midwife was very nice and said it happens a lot. Could be start of things though if baby that low down and pressing - fingers crossed for you! Any pains?

[Imnotaslimjim]

I was in a similar position as you, and the advice was to lie down for an hour or so, with feet raised, and when you get up if there is a noticeable gush, good chances are its waters. And they don't mind you going in and getting checked over.

[JulyOrAugustThatIsTheQuestion]

Ah thanks, it's all just so confusing. As much as I was/am worried about waters gushing when I'm out and about, at least I'd definitely know that way. Think I'm definitely going to try the legs up and then standing up trick - sounds like a plan.

Sounds weird and probably just wishful thinking but everything does seem a bit 'different' today but I couldn't really tell you why.

[JulyOrAugustThatIsTheQuestion]

Oh sorry, no other pains either. Never thought I'd find myself hoping to be in pain :)

[EllieG]

Oh it will come soon enough.....

I'm so excited for you! I want to have another baby now. Well, not right now, because I'm off to bed. But is so lovely to think that you might get to meet your new little one soon - I remember that at the beginning of labour, gosh, was lovely. Good luck (sorry for gushing, have had wine and am feeling soppy).

[JulyOrAugustThatIsTheQuestion]

Ellie have a glass.....or 2 for me please!!!!! :)

If only you could do the labour thing for me too hehe.

I soooo hope it is the start......but it probably won't be now knowing my luck :(

[JulyOrAugustThatIsTheQuestion]

It would seem I just had bladder leakage......nice!!! Completely fed up today now!!!!!! :( Although I've still got a week to go before I'm even 40wks it just feels like it's never going to happen :(

[PrincessJenga]

JulyOrAugust, I feel exactly the same. I'm 39+3 with my first and am analysing every twinge and inspecting my pants and the toilet bowl every time I go to the loo (sorry! Tmi?)

The one thing I keep remembering though is my NCT teacher's words: "if you think you're in labour, you're not. You'll know when you're in labour"

Oh well, we'll both get the answer to our 'July or August' question soon!

[JulyOrAugustThatIsTheQuestion]

Hey Princess, Yeah they said the same to us but then in the next breath they say how babies head can plug the waters etc so I half expected to wake up in the night with contractions but nothing :(. I just wish the hospital had said to go down there for a check so that I'd know for sure......and they'd be able to say if there were any developments on that side at all, even if it wasn't my waters.

I asked my midwife to 'help me' on Monday........so she gave me a hug.......not quite the 'help' I was after :o

July or August, that really is the question.......I'm thinking August now boohoo!!!!

[may01]

hey i had my first baby 2 months ago and i expected my waters to break and be all dramatic like you see on tv lol but my waters didnt actually break on their own was in full on labour when the dr had to break them for me and all gushed out when i started pushing sorry bit gross. i didnt have a show or anything had no idea i was in labour just didnt feel well and i was having alot of what i thought at the time were braxton hicks by time i went to hospital for check i was already quite dilated! so just letting you know everyone is different and not always text book like i expected with the whole water breaking thing!! good luck wish you all the best x

[EllieG]

Tis true - my waters never broke in any dramatic fashion. It just started with lots of period-type pain. You'll know it when it happens. Best of luck!

[Glitterybits]

I had both my hind and fore waters broken during labour last time. The first time was like a river. Could not believe how much fluid was in there! When nothing much happened, the midwives were very confused and decided to come at me with the crochet hook again. When they did it again, I certainly knew about it. There was a loud pop (like a balloon full of liquid popping!) which I both heard and felt and the second river was even more dramatic. It didn't hurt at all, but still caused an involuntary "oooh!" from me. It was such a weird sensation and i certainly knew about the contractions which followed, but it meant baby was that bit closer to coming out. I think it's much less dramatic if your waters go of their own accord.

[PrincessJenga]

How are you doing OP? Still nothing here. I keep thinking it's starting, then nothing more happens.