What are 'hind' and 'fore' waters and how do you know if they've broken?

[missbumpy]

Sorry if it's a stupid question but I can't find anything about it in my pregnancy book.

I'm 38 + 5 wks and today I was feeling really uncomfortable (a lot of back pain and a painful sensation of baby's head pressing down on cervix). As I was walking along I felt a little gush . Didn't feel like wee (although I was desperate for the loo at this point)...it felt almost like when you have your period and it gushes sometimes (sorry if TMI!). Went to toilet and knickers were quite wet. Didn't smell of wee or sweet or anything.

I haven't had any other signs of labour like a show or any contractions. Just not sure what to think.

Could it be hind waters? Or I think I've heard of something called fore waters too. Does anyone know the difference?

[ChasingSquirrels]

I had that with bith of mine, sounds like the hind waters to me (as I understand it fore waters really gush out, hind waters are less because the baby's head is engaged and blocks them, so a small gush then a trickle).

[missbumpy]

Thanks ChasingSquirrels. Should I do anything or should I just wait and see what happens?

It hasn't really been trickling since I had the little gush this afternoon. Does that mean maybe it's not waters? Could it be very watery discharge or something ?

[ChasingSquirrels]

not sure, with mine contractions started pretty soon after the waters went and ds1 was born 2.5hrs from waters and ds2 25 mins.
I would probably call the mw or maternity unit in the morning and see what they say (advice would probably be to ring them sooner).

[missbumpy]

thanks. I might call in the morning. sounds like you had nice quick births

[mybabysinthegarden]

What chasingsquirrels said either way you should phone the hospital and tell them I had the same and when I phoned they told me to wait an hour or two and see how much more came out. It was quite a bit and at that point they asked me to come in and be seen.

Good luck!

[ChasingSquirrels]

with ds1 I called as soon as they went (which was before contractions started), they said to come in and get checked out but they would probably send me home again. Contractions started on the way in, and I came home 2 days later with a baby .
The problem could be risk of infection if you have had a show and therefore the plug is gone.

[NappiesLaGore]

i think fore waters are the ones which are likely trapped between the head and the opening , and thus the ones to 'go' first... but this is irrelevent really; whether they are fore or hind

upshot is, some of your waters have more than likely broken and you should call the midwives and let them know. they will talk to you for about ten minutes or so to assess if you are in labour - or established labour yet, and let you know what to do from here.

good luck! enjoy... i rather enjoyed labour myself (wierdy)

[missbumpy]

No show yet so maybe it's not hind waters at all . Thanks though. I'll keep you posted

[ChasingSquirrels]

I didn't see a show with either of mine though, and I definately had my waters break. So not knowing you have had a show isn't an indication.
Good luck!

[NappiesLaGore]

i didnt have a show first time round.

[gigglewitch]

didn't have a show with any of my 3, had the trickle thing u explain with number 1 and labour got going soon after. Defo go and get checked at hosp / by mw as baby and you both need a check-over to make sure all is ok.

[missbumpy]

Oh, I thought everyone had a show. Didn't realise it was possible not to have one. I don't want to waste midwife's time tomorrow. Are you sure I shouldn't wait to see if there's any more water or if contractions start? Am I right in thinking that I shouldn't have a bath if there's a danger that my waters have already broken?

I do feel quite odd today (extra tired, weepy, back achey, etc) but I can't get my head around the idea that it could be the beginning of labour since it's my 1st baby and i'm not due until 15th. I've got used to the idea that 1st babies are all late and that I've probably got another 2 or 3 weeks to wait!

[Jackstini]

Still call the mw miss b, if either of your waters have broken they will just check everything is ok.
One of mine (can't remember which) started dripping/trickling on a Tues evening but was nothing compared to them breaking the others on Wed night - they whooshed off the bed in labour suite! (had meconium in them so had to get a move on)
Not all first babies are late, let us know if anything more happens....

[gigglewitch]

unfortunately babies (first or not) come precisely when they want to, or go so far overdue that they have to be given their marching orders. I was convinced that my first would be 5 days late as every other baby in the family had... but he was clock watching and knew his due date and arrived promptly on that instead. I reckon it's just their way of making sure you know they're in charge, early on.
No baths - and be prepared if u are planning a hosp birth, they may decide you need to stay in if your waters have gone. Check the books out, if waters have broken but contractions not started within ??? (not too many) hours, you need to go to hospital anyway to get baby monitored for a bit. Sounds scary but it isn't really, just get on with getting medical advice for u and your LO.

[Mintpurple]

missbumpy = if you have not had any more gushes of fluid (only the one in the OP) then its unlikely to be your waters.

Fore and hind waters always trickle at least. Fore waters (before the head) will be more likely to 'gush', while hind waters (behind the head) will have little dribbles.

M/W advice would be to put a pad on and if its wet in a couple of hours, your waters have probably gone, so go into hosp for a check.

Show is neither here nor there and will make no difference to infection risk.

If your waters have gone there is a good chance (about 50% ish) you will go into labour in the next 24 hours.

Try and get some rest tonight and good luck

[missbumpy]

Thanks everyone. Nothing more has happened in the night apart from having quite a lot of thin discharge this morning which makes me wonder if that's what the "gush" was yesterday. I'll keep an eye on it and if there's any more I'll call the mw.

[jamila169]

I've heard midwives calling this a cervical weep - not waters but a flood of secretions, as the cervix starts to soften (before you know anything about it IYKWIM)
Lisa X

[missbumpy]

Thanks for that. That's interesting. I'm wondering if it could have been that as I've had what i think is a bit of a show today. I'd never heard of a cervical weep before.

[BracingAir]

i would call delivery unit and explain my waters may have gone.

When i had a scan at 41 weeks they said my waters had gone - i had no idea they had!

They want the baby born soonish to avoid infection,

The dr also did an internal, and said he felt my baby's head.

But during labour - 2 days after scan - i did feel my waters go, and had muconiom ie greenish discharge. This may show baby is in distress. So maybe there is something in fore and hind? A bit confused myself!

Why not go and check it out? At the worst, you will have wasted some time.

[rozzyraspberry]

I felt the same as you - like a gush but not the quantity you'd expect when your waters broke. Went into hospital around 24 hours later as I'd had a little bleeding and a pain like stitch all night. They have some sort of test where they have paper that turns black if your waters had broken and mine had. They could see that the fore waters were still intact (between babys head and opening) so said it must have been the hind waters. They would have let me go home for a bit as I wasn't in established labour but after examining me found I was 5cm dilated so had to stay in. Gave birth about 8 hours after that. They actually broke my fore waters and I certainly knew when that happened - huge gush that time!!

Good luck!

[SazzaK]

I had quite a bit of trickling. There was a lot of muttering from the MWs about hind waters because there was no huge gush - but when they finally gave in and scanned me all the waters had gone - and I had to be induced (I only needed a pessary and the birth all went fine and dandy, if a bit speedy). Definitely get yourself checked out.

[missbumpy]

I feel like I'm a bit in denial. I haven't really had any more trickling or anything since Friday. I have had a bit of a show though. I know that if my waters have broken I should go to hospital but I'm not sure that they have. I think I've managed to convince myself that it was just thin discharge or maybe a bit of leaked wee . Am I being stupid for not going and getting it checked out?

[SazzaK]

I'd definitely phone them for some advice. In my case I was absolutely certain it was not wee - I knew it was waters (it was a thicker liquid and absolutely clear). It was just a question whether it was fore or hind waters. despite enthusiastic Googling it wasn't something I could answer myself! When I was scanned they decided to induce me straight away because it was about 36 hrs since the leakage began. They will not examine because of the risk of introducing infection in case the protection of the waters have gone. Getting some phone advice at the least cannot hurt. I am sure you are probably right but to be honest just in case I would call the ward!