Urgentish Waters Question

[Catz]

I'd really appreciate it if anyone could help me to decide whether my waters could be leaking or not.

Hope this isn't TMI. Yesterday morning I woke up with wet underwear (but not bed), mw advised me to put pads on and they were getting damp (but not really wet) all through the day. Went to hospital in the evening and they gave me an internal and said that they couldn't feel my cervix, my waters hadn't gone but I was having a continuous show and it was probably just a watery discharge. It's been far lighter today up until a couple of hours ago and now it's like it was yesterday morning. In an hour or so it soaked through my jeans (i.e. so you could see a largish wet patch on the outside - ugh - I didn't have a pad on). DH smelt it (goodbye dignity!) and thought it smelt sweet - he didn't know that's what amniotic fluid is supposed to smell like.

I really don't want to keep bothering the hospital on the same thing so was wondering whether there is an easy way of telling whether it could be waters. In particular, is there any way that your hind waters can leak and it not be obvious from an internal? Is it usual to have this much discharge.

Thanks and apologies for all the TMI detail!

Catz (40+3)

[Miaou]

It does sound like hindwaters leaking to me, Catz - not sure what you do now though! Someone else will know though I'm sure. Amniotic fluid does smell sweet - and lets face it, if it was that big a patch on your jeans and you had wet yourself, sweet would not be the description of the smell ...

[octo]

I had this and my midwife said there was no such thing as my hindwaters going - despite everyone on here saying they could. They did internal and couldn't find anything either - did go back again tho just to be sure!

I would keep an eye on it - ring the hosp and see what they say - if no contractions within 24 hours - ring again and ask to go back in.

Good luck

[Catz]

Thanks to you both. Miaou - no I'm 100% certain I've not wet myself! Still have quite a good pelvic floor at the moment (enjoy it while it lasts!) and certainly wouldn't smell sweet!

Octo - thanks for that - how long did you get this for in the end?!

[lulumama]

sounds like a hindwater leak..amniotic fluid smells sweet. very different to wee

hope this means things are imminent !!

get twiddling those nipples

[octo]

Only lasted for a day then stopped.

((((waves to lulumama)))

[Catz]

Thanks Lulumama - is it anything I should worry about? If it is a leak and it was the same thing yesterday morning then it's 36 hrs since I first noticed it. Also, is there any way that there could be a hindwater leak that the mw at the hospital couldn't identify? I know that some hospitals use a stick that changes colour if there is fluid but she just did an internal.

Many thanks for your replies.

[octo]

Thats what I thought Catz but they completely dismissed what I said/had been told and felt very stupid indeed

I think you should asked to go back in if you are worried.

[Mintpurple]

Hi Catz

It can be quite difficult to diagnose a hindwater leak, basically when the m/w checks with the speculum they are just looking to see if there is any 'pooling' of liquor at the back of the vagina. By the very nature of a hindwater leak, it just comes in little 'dribbles' rather than a big gush like a forewater rupture. So when they check, the vagina might still look quite 'dry', although your waters could have still gone. Its also common to have a heavier mucousy d/c at the end of your pregnancy, but this sounds more than that.

Its pretty unlikely to be wee if youre not normally leaky from the bladder and its continuing.

I would either give them another call or just put on a pad and try and get some rest tonight. Take the pad in with you when you go to hospital next.

If your waters have gone then its all going to happen in the next few days, so do try to rest. I would also avoid baths (shower ok) and sex, as you dont want to risk introducing infection if the waters have gone.

If the d/c changes to green (meconium) or you feel at all feverish - go back in to the hospital.

Good luck

[lulumama]

if your forewaters are intact, the fluid replenishes, the leak seals, and there is not the same risk of infection as when your forewaters go..even then, NICE guidelines allow 96 hous before induction recommended after waters go...if you feel ill, feverish, the loss is dark / green...then call....if nothing happens overnight, no harm calling MW again, if not sooner, if still leaking !

[lulumama]

x post with mintpurple

[Mintpurple]

same advice though!

[Klaw]

Catz, DomesticGrumpess had hindwaters leak about 12 days before labour actually started. We tried to get labour going with loads of walking but to no avail. There were niggles on and off and when I saw her a week after the hindwaters went you would not believe the difference in size of her bump! The waters totally replenished!

Be vigilant about hygeine, change your pads and pants regular, carry on as normal, eat well and drink plenty water, rest well but also keep gently active. Monitor your temp and keep in tune with your body.

Do not allow any intervention without due cause, be patient and, as Foxybrown (as well as DG) will testify, labour will then happen and be am amazing experience.

Stay strong

[twoplusone]

goodluck catz

[Catz]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. Will let you know if things happen!

[orangehead]

sounds like hindwaters. I would not worry about bothering hosp 2 much from past exp sometimes you need 2. Hope all going well.

[Catz]

Just a quick update and Q. I've not had any more fluid loss in the last 24 hrs so I'm guessing that either it was a small leak that's sealed over or it wasn't the waters at all. However I have been having pain in my lower back in waves since about 4 this morning. This is getting stonger now and I'd really like to have a bath to see if that eases things a bit - does anyone know whether I'd be OK to have a bath given that I'm certain my forewaters didn't go but not sure whether I've had a hindwater leak.

Many thanks for putting up with a confused 1st timer!

Catz

[Klaw]

I'd reckon you could have a bath after seeing this www.gentlebirth.org/archives/prom.html#Bathing and as it does sound pretty much like a hindwaters break but if you've any doubt you might prefer to have a soak in the shower, I can just feel the warm water hitting my back [bliss]

It really won't be too long now!

[Catz]

Klaw, thanks for that. I think I'm going to give it a go. I'll start a live labour thread if anything happens. The m/w said that the baby was 'a bit back to back' on Friday. Not sure what 'a bit' means but so far I've just had bad back ache which is now lasting for 30 secs or so every 6/7 minutes. Not sure whether they are contractions or not but I've always been told that if there is any doubt as to whether you're in labour then you're not so I'm going with that for the moment! They hurt but it's by no means unbearable.

[lulumama]

sounds like things are starting, when the ctx last around 50 seconds plus, and are a bit more attention worthy, you are gettting closer