MY WATERS HAVE BROKEN!

[goggles43]

Hi all,

I started leaking down there and guessed it could be my waters. I’m just in hospital at the moment and they have confirmed it is my waters.
I’m only 36+5, so now they want to keep me in until Monday where I will be 37 weeks to monitor baby and infections (they will be giving me antibiotics today).
I’m just very worried about this. Tried speaking to the doctor about my concerns about the baby surviving in me where the waters are continuously leaking, but he’s just said “leave the worrying to us”.

Has anyone experienced this?
Is it even safe to keep baby in for another few days??

I’m so worried and even asked about c-section but was told the risks are too high and we need to wait until 37 weeks to have that discussion.

I’m so confused.

Waters broke for DC1 at 36 weeks too but was told the baby would have to be delivered within 24 hrs (and was born within 28 hours due to induction) in case of risk of infection.

I’m at a different hospital so this could be why it’s different?

Can anyone share their experience or waters breaking early and being kept for 2+ days to see if contractions start? Seems dangerous but can only go by what the doctor says.

Thank you

[Dk20]

Are the waters clean?
If the waters are dirty the baby needs to be delivered in less than 24 hours, it sounds like it isnt the case this time?
Good luck.

[Nelbert19]

“Leave the worrying to us” - how bloody patronising.

Tell them to stop being so paternalistic and explain to you the risk of delivering now vs the risk of waiting until 37 weeks so that you can be involved in the decision making (or at least understand the logic so you’re not so anxious)

I’ll bet it was a male doctor. Some dinosaurs still out there (said as a doctor myself)

[Grobagsforever]

Not me but several friends, who were much earlier on than you. They were absolutely fine. Your body will continually replace the water and the hospital will monitor you. Honestly it's really not uncommon. You'll be fine. If the docs thought there was a risk they'd do a c section immediately. Take care

[lockdownpregnancy]

Not me but my friends waters went at 36 weeks. They sent her home and she had to go back at 6am the next day and induce her. She then had a 27 hour labour followed by an emergency C Section as she started to develop Sepsis.
Everything was fine but i think they induced her as her waters to popped like a water balloon and when examined she had none left.
If you've still got amniotic fluid surrounding your baby it might be why they are leaving it a little longer.
However, if you're concerned absolutely demand to see a doctor and make sure all of your questions are answered to put your mind at ease! I would walk round looking for a doctor if it was me! I would stand for a patronising comment like the one they gave you!
I wish you all the best and hope baby arrives safe and well ❤️❤️❤️

[lockdownpregnancy]

Wouldn't stand for it was what I was supposed to say! 🤦🏻‍♀️

[SpuriouserAndSpuriouser]

There’s some info here from the royal college of obstetrics and gynaecology, hopefully it’ll help explain things a bit. Obviously you’re only just before 37 weeks so most of the info about prematurity isn’t relevant, but the rest should be.

If you’re worried though definitely ask to speak to the doctor again, they have a duty to explain things to you properly.

www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/when-your-waters-break-prematurely/

[goggles43]

@Dk20 yes waters are clean (for now). Thanks for your reply!

[goggles43]

@Grobagsforever So you had friends whose waters had broken but still had the babies kept in them more than 24 hours later??

[goggles43]

@lockdownpregnancy that sounds so scary. Hope she’s ok now. Wish I had the guts to demand. There’s only so much you can ask, without them saying this is what is best for you

[goggles43]

@Nelbert19 Thank you for your reply. I did say I was very concerned for baby and they said that the best place to be would be the hospital as baby would be being monitored. But so far I haven’t been monitored and I have been here for over an hour already.
As a doctor, do you know if it is indeed safe to wait to have discussions on delivering baby until I’m 37 weeks (in 2 days) when my waters have already broken??

[goggles43]

Thank you for the link @SpuriouserAndSpuriouser just going to have a look now

[Mummapenguin20]

Dc2 my waters broke at 915am a wednesday morning, at 33+1 i went in got sent home back in the thursday at 4 had pessary to induce at 10pm nothing happened spent the friday walking round the hospital, 330pm put in a delivery room to go on drip to induce but was already fully dilated. I had my first contraction at 630pm she was on my chest at 637pm x

[Grobagsforever]

Yes OP - one friend at 25 weeks. Her baby was delivered at 30 weeks, they wanted to get her to that milestone

[Teacaketotty]

My waters completely broke at 35 weeks, stayed in hospital and delivered 3 days later. I was given antibiotics but they left me to naturally go into labour allowing the baby to develop inside as much as possible. Baby is absolutely fine and now a tear away 1 year old, honestly try not to worry x

[mynameisntlouise]

If you're waters are just leaking a little, rather than fully ruptured then there will still be plenty fluid around baby, your waters do regenerate so maybe they think they've not fully broken?

[Nelbert19]

I’m afraid it’s not my area of expertise (I’m a geriatrician, so wrong end of the spectrum!) and I trust that they are acting on evidence based guidelines and many years of experience.

I know there are many cases where they prefer to keep an eye on the baby until you’ve reached full term and deliver then. They monitor for signs of foetal distress/infection and would deliver sooner if they need to. In fact, there’s a lady on the forum here recently who’s waters broke at 25 weeks and she didn’t deliver until 37 weeks I believe (MrsRose is her user name, you could have a look for her treads)

The issue is more that they need to communicate their reasoning with you - if you don’t understand why they’re waiting, you’ll be much more anxious! I’m sure they are making the decision that is best for you and the baby, but they need to explain it to you!

[bitofasleuth]

My waters broke and I didn't know - it must have happened when I was in the bath about a fortnight before dd was born. I'd picked up a cold from a friend and had a massive coughing fit one evening when I was in the bath, and that's the only time I think it could have been.

When I was in labour the midwife said "When did your waters break?" and I didn't know they had. They kept dd in neonatal for a week, as apparently there was a much higher risk of infection, but she was fine.

Don't worry.

[Fandanglethat]

Yes, it's safe. If they're trickling then you'll fill back up. It may be that labour starts naturally anyway. DS I was 6 hours from waters breaking to contractions and it was over 24hours from waters breaking to delivery.

[EasterIssland]

My sister didn’t even know she had it broken but as she was close to 41 when doctors realised about it just induced her (a few days)
There is a vip in Spain whose waters broke at 29 j think and she delivered a month after or so

Good luck with the birth and hope everything goes ok !

[ALC1985]

My waters broke on the Thursday morning, i was induced late Saturday night and baby was born by emcs on Monday morning.

[ShowOfHands]

My waters broke at 36+6. They confirmed and sent me home. DS was born 38hrs later. They were happy as long as my temp was fine and waters clear.

[MoorGirl]

My waters went at 34+3, was admitted and told I'd be sent home if baby didn't arrive in next 48hrs. 36 hours later I went into labour anyway!
I was put on antibiotics and regular obs.

[weepingwillow22]

In both my pregnancies my waters broke around 18 hours before labour started. In the first I spent the time walking round NT gardens to get things going. In the second I went food shopping and then out for lunch whilst waiting! Both babies were fine.