Am I in labour? (long and tmi)

[wildpoppy]

Hi,

I've namechanged as don't want friends who know me on here to be waiting with baited breath if this is labour.

I am four days overdue. I've had stress incontinence the past week or so but only when I cough as I've had a bad cough. And even then just a few drops each time.

I;ve also been a bit constipated and not done a poo since Sunday morning despite kind of feeling full of poo. About half an hour ago I did a poo and also, I think, a wee. This gave me a terrible pain in the back for a couple of minutes which I think was actually a result of still having lots of poo inside me that is stuck and wants to come out but it wouldn't. It was enough to make me boil a kettle to make a hot water bottle but to then not bother to actually make the bottle because it went away. Then I got up from loo and a minute later did a small wee in my knickers. Went to loo again and did wee and changed my pad. Now every few mins of so if I am standing up but not when sitting down I do what feels like another small wee.

Or maybe it is my waters? Because if I was weeing myself it would be one wee and not lots of little ones would it, especially as I've been to the loo normally too.

The pad I am wearing is slightly stained pink too - that would be odd for wee wouldn't it?

So I am trying to work out whether my waters have broken. This matter in particular because my dh has given me orders to bring him home from work if things kick off, but he has a work do tonight. He can not go to it or he can leave at a key point, but he will be chairing a meeting and not able to check his phone for a couple of hours so needs to know either before meeting starts or after it finishes.

He doesn't mind me bringing him home and can get someone to cover him, but I don't want to do so if I've just weed myself and it's not my waters. I have an hour or so before I have to let him know though. Also a friend is due to come over soon and I said I would pick hr up from the station but I know I shouldn't drive if my waters have broken in case contractions start.

Other than the backpain for a minute or so post poo I've had no other pain.

Any advice on whether this is my waters or just wee plus braxton hicks. I did smell the pad - it smells of nothing - not wee, but not anything else either.

Thank you

Sounds like it could be your waters. Is there no way DH can keep his phone on whilst chairing the meeting, these are fairly mitigating circumstances.

Sounds very much like the start of my sister's labour (mine was an induction)

How exciting!

Thanks Flisspaps - he can keep it on silent, but so much easier for him not to chair a meeting and get someone to cover than for him to have to excuse himself halfway through. I;ve told him where we're at though and that I will keep him updated, so he can decide at the last minute if he wants to come home.

Have decided to go and pick up the friend and reassess once she has left. Have been sitting down at computer for past 20 mins and no more leaks - will see what happens in a moment when I stand up!

Try some squats, although not on carpet

sounds like it could be. Thats how my labour started i kept leaking small amounts of odourless clear fluid. then about 20mins later contractions started properly. I didnt feel the pop of my waters breaking properly untill i had been in labour for a hour. DD was born 30mins later :)

This sounds like exactly how my waters broke (I didn't go into labour, so no pains). I think it's called PROM - premature rupture of membranes?

When I moved, like standing up after sitting down, or rolled over if lying on my side, I got a small gush. Didn't leak continually. It didn't smell of anything as far as I could tell.

I think it's to do with the baby's head acting as a 'cork'! When you are in one position, it stops waters coming out, but if you change position, then you get a bit of leakage.

(Dunno if that helps, but good luck, whether it's wee or waters...)

Oooh, it does sound promising.

Did your nn used to have steve in it btw, before your regular one now?

Never had steve in my nickname - sorry!

Rang hospital and they said go in. They confirmed it's waters (though I knew by then - kept
coming and stained pink) and now been sent home or night. I have to go in when I have three contractions in ten mins or by 24 hours after waters broke in case of infection.

Thanks for advice and replies everyone.

Fingers crossed for you Wildpoppy - do come back and tell us all about it afterwards. Am hoping that you are now holding your lovely new baby, or are at least very close to it!

Looking forward to the birth announcement!Good luck.

Hello, our son born thurs morning 40 hours after waters broke after induction on wed night. Sounds like long time but dilation started properly about midnight Wed/thurs and he was born 8 hours later and the epidural really was marvellous.
Thank you for all your help when I most needed it.

congratulations!

Congratulation, have a fantastic Christmas all snuggled to your new born boy.