When do you know it is time?

[arlynab]

This may sound like a stupid question but I didn't get a chance to join any ante-natal class due to work. And now nearing my due date, just wondered if anyone can help me:

• when do you know that your water has broken?
• does contractions come before your water breaks or after?
• if babies are breech, is there any possibility that your water will break?

Thanks again.

I've had five babies and my waters have always broken at the end of first stage, including my breech baby.

If your waters break before the start of labour, it could be unmistakeable, or it could be trickle that you might think is wee. If it keeps on trickling then it is not wee.

If your waters break and contractions don't start right away, you don't have to rush - you have a good 24 hours to prepare for the birth and inform your midwife. Once your contractions do start, you should make plans for getting to wherever you are having the baby as the labour could be quicker than most.

My waters didn't break until the midwife popped them when dd was about to be born!

Its different for everyone. Some have a 'show', some the waters break, and others just start with contractions, which is what i did. I woke in the morning with contractions every five mins, rang the hospital and they told me to come in because i couldn't feel kicks (personally i think the pain of contractions was so overwelming i had no chance of feeling little kicks ).

DD was born 6 hours later.

Your midwife would be able to tell if your baby was breech? and they would offer to turn the baby or discuss whether natural or c-section is better.

Good luck!

My waters never broke. The midwife broke them at around 8cm.

When my dad was born, the waters never broke till he was born. He was born w/a 'caul' on his head.

But the contractions - oh, they were VERY different from the Braxton-Hicks ones.

I heard and felt a pop when my waters went and as it was my first baby I dutifully phoned the hospital and was told to go in and they kept me there till I gave birth 48 hours later!!!!!! This time I think I will wait a bit if I am not having contractions.

Hope this helps

Mummyhill 38+6/40

My waters didnt break either til I was about 8cm dilated. My first signs were having regular strong B.Hicks (I thought) and then being sick. Good Luck arlynab.

I was the opposite:

waters went first (6.30pm)thought I had wet myself (v funny thread Help -is this my waters breaking?) anyway it wasn't a gush more like a constant trickle, had little pinkish show about 30 mins after waters going

went into hospital (8.30pm) confirmed it was my waters but cervix was closed came home

started having pains every 5 mins apart as soon as I got home so went back into hospital (11pm)

DD born 3.22am!!

Am wondering if waters will go spontaneously this time as well.

without wishing to sound really gross, is there much chance of your waters going at the same time as you doing a 'number 2'? Sometimes, particularly when i'm a bit constipated, i get a bigger than usual gush of wee, then sit there really paranoid that it was my waters braking (which, given that i'm now 34+4, obviously hasn't happened. SO FAR!!!)

you will KNOW when your waters break! it's like a big warm fountain!
i had my waters broken in hospital.
how did i know i was in labour? hmm well i had a show a few days before so thought it may be imminent.
had been getting lots of braxton hicks. went to bed with them one evening and then woke up with them still going on!
wondered if it could be labour so got up and timed them. they were coming regularly and getting stronger!
that's how i knew

I didn't have a show and my waters didn't break until the midwife broke them at the hospital when I was 9cm dilated.

I woke up in the night and started the "clearing out" process. That lasted about an hour, went back to sleep, woke up in the morning got out of bed and contractions commenced.

With both of mine, my waters never went until the babys head emerged, infact my ds was born in his bag (a sign of a feted or glorious life sailors lore alleges)
I was fairly sure I was in labour when I could no longer concentrate on the crossword clues we were doing to pass time, then the very strong and painful contractions 2 mins apart gave me a fair idea and then a baby 25 minutes later...
Quick with little warning but it was ok

My dd was breach and I woke up as my waters broke and contractions started straight away - Best way I remember it being described is that you know it's your waters because you can't stop it, like you can if you're going to the loo!

Thanks everyone for advise you have posted... Don't feel as scared as before... Just hoping as each day passes that the babies don't come before they're supposed to

my waters broke while I was stood in the kitchen - there was a lot of it. No mistaking it for a wee!
Sent my dad into a complete panic as he was stood next to me . Tried to mop it up while it was still coming out - several minutes . It then continued to trickle out (needed a pad in knickers) for another few hours!!!!

Oh and contractions - you'll know!

Waters go less commonly than you might think - they could be a gush or just a trickle. If in doubt and some 18 yr old doctor makes you feel incontinent - save a bit in a pot for him to stick his swab in! Amniotic fluid smells like potato starch rather than ammonia like wee.

You know you are having proper non-braxton hicks contractions when you can't walk or talk through them!