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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

How can you tell if your waters have broken, you've had a show, you are 2cm dilated etc....

26 replies

sallymadge · 04/10/2006 19:19

Call me naive, but its my first birth & I'm not sure how I'll be able to tell the signs that the baby is coming, e.g, if my waters have broken, I,ve had a show or if I'm dialted. can anyone advise my naive self about what to expect.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Coolmama · 04/10/2006 19:26

I had read about the cervical plug and was expecting a neat little blob of muscus about the size of a 50p coin - I was NOT expecting the handful of snail-like slime that came out!!!! - that was when I realised that, when everyone said that you would know when you had your show, I realised that they were absolutely right - you will know!! -

WigWamBam · 04/10/2006 19:30

I didn't have a show but I couldn't have missed my waters breaking; it was like Niagara Falls (but without the boat at the bottom and all the gawping tourists).

You can't tell whether you're dilated or not; the midwives check that for you.

Don't worry - you'll know

Original poster

sallymadge · 04/10/2006 19:42

Does the water leak all over the floor?

OP posts:

dizzybint · 04/10/2006 19:44

couldnt miss the start of mine. in bed 1am, woke up with a HUGE contraction, felt a popping sensation down below and a gush of water, raced to the loo. wiped, to find a HUGE show. then basically for the next 27 hours until dd was born, continued having HUGE contractions, less than a minute apart, plus lots of water trickling and loads of slimy show every time i tried to clear myself up. just went on and on and on. had no twinges, just all happened at once. i had so much going on down there the midwives actually couldnt examine me properly to tell how dilated i was.

yomellamoHelly · 04/10/2006 19:48

Asked the same questions before ds. Was told I'd "know" when my waters broke and had a show.
In fact completely missed my show (assume had one - still none the wiser) and my waters trickled from 2am 'til 10am ish and I really wasn't sure (had to have them checked the following morning to be told there weren't any left, but to give it 24 hours before there was any cause to get concerned). Dilation I think is up to the hosp.
But I did know when I'd gone into labour and that I had to get there pronto (ds was born 4 hours start to finish). So trust your instincts I suppose.

Coolmama · 04/10/2006 19:49

didn't have any gushing water as only my hind waters broke, so it was more like a slow leak -

Original poster

sallymadge · 04/10/2006 19:58

crikey I'm scared!

OP posts:

Olihan · 04/10/2006 20:07

I didn't have a show or broken waters until my labours were fairly well established. In fact, my waters were broken both times. All these signs of labour are possibilities, not definite happenings I think. It's such a cliche but I knew when I had my first contraction what it was. There was no mistaking it. And after a few hours of them, I was pretty confident I was in labour!!

As for the fear factor - I'm due #3 in Dec and I'm STILL panicking about the birth. My previous two weren't that bad but the thought of it still scares me. However, I know once I get the first contraction I will calm right down and not be scared at all. Does that make sense? It's the unknown that's the scariest bit. When it starts you will be fine because it's so exciting knowing you will be meeting your baby very shortly.

HTH put your mind at rest a bit.

foxtrottingtotransylvania · 04/10/2006 20:19

ha ha, first time my waters broke i swear i heard a loud pop then ditto niagara falls! Luckily was in the hospital so nice assistant changed bed etc.
Second time i woke up at about 2am as they went pop, unfortunately for DS1 who was co-sleeping at the time!
Third time, woke up 6am went to the loo and peed and peed and peed, thats what i thought. Only when i went back to bed and carried on 'peeing' did i twig what was going on - well i was two weeks early, but even so you'd think i'd recognise it by the third time.
Only saw the'show' once - you will know it when you see it!!
Dilated - haven't a clue - by the third time the midwife said 'oh well if you feel the need to push, push, it must be the right time' and fortunately didn't visit down below (it can hurt like when someone is prodding around between contractions)

MoosMa · 04/10/2006 20:53

Luckily for me I was in hospital when my waters broke, the midwife was examining me at the time and said "I think your waters will probably go any min-OH!" And there was gallons! I got her all up her arms and was sloshing about in it in the bed too! Then it continued to pour all night long whenever I stood up (my notes said liqua +++!).

mistypeaks · 04/10/2006 21:23

You'll know the 'show' for sure. Think bloody nose in the middle of a huge snotty cold (sorry for being gross but true.
Waters breaking is also very obvious (and wet) no telling for sure when that will happen.
You WILL however know when you're in labour - and like another poster commented you'll actually feel much calmer about it then. Once it's all happening its not so scary and is really quite exciting. Once it's happened it's really really exciting and you have your beautiful baby too.
Good luck. You'll be fine.

rustycreakingdoorbear · 04/10/2006 21:31

With DS (my first)my waters broke at about midnight - there was a distinct 'pop' and wetness - but more a trickle than a gush. DS was born about 12 hours later.
With DD I thought my waters had broken as it felt similar. I went into hospital & the midwife examined me & then asked if I'd mind if a student examined me too - after the student had finished poking around the midwife said 'well, you weren't in labour - but you are now!'
I didn't notice a show with either of them.

tigi · 04/10/2006 22:08

Mine was like yomellamoHelly's. Never saw the show, and woke up a bit 'damp' in bed'. It was just like a tiny bit of a wee that wouldn't stop, but i didn't really know, and wasn't sure, because it wasn't that much! I really thought that it was the baby lying on a full bladder that had caused it!

Tommy · 04/10/2006 22:11

with DS2 there was blood and mucusy stuff on the loo paper every time I went all day (sorry if TMI ) but waters didn't break until about a minute before he came flying out - all over the floor and MW!

bottomburp · 04/10/2006 22:35

i worried like mad about waters breaking esp when swimming as swam right up until week before. was just leaving to walk dog and had a large gush of waters, was pretty sure hadnt weed myself as kept coming. i started wearing big pads from due date so no leaking!went to hosp and they checked it was waters not wee but didnt check if was dilated. sent me home as no contractions/pain then 2 hrs later back in 6cm dilated!

BetsyBoop · 04/10/2006 22:47

There was NO mistaking my waters breaking.

Heaved myself out of bed at 3am to go to the loo (as you do...)

Aa I started to cross the landing a trickle started...I'm thinking "hello, I'm not incontinent, I wonder if...." just managed to dive into the shower cubicle when Niagara happened and Niagara continued for ages and ages, I was truly shocked & amazed at the volume of water that came out

Continued to trickle until I arrived at the hospital (I'd soaked one maternity pad thorugh by the time I'd got dresses & had to change it )

Everyone said to me "you will know" and for me it was certainly true

Imascaryfairy · 05/10/2006 09:53

First time around, I never noticed the show, OR my waters breaking !!!
Second time around they had to break my waters at 8cm and my word, it was like a Thames flood!!!!
Don't worry though, you WILL know when it's happening, and when to vall people.
All the best!!

cocopop · 05/10/2006 10:18

I always tell people how my waters broke as I think everyone should know that it's not always a huge gush. I didn't realise that the waters could trickle out like they did with me - I woke up one morning and got out of bed to go to the loo and all the way there I was 'leaking'! I thought that I had just lost control of my bladder. It was dh that suggested maybe it was my waters!! I don't remember having a show.

sleepfinder · 05/10/2006 11:05

I didn't see a show, but the waters broke and kept on coming for a few hours - it seemed like buckets full. And this was after the midwife told me it was unlikely to happen at all with a first child...

Clare78 · 06/10/2006 09:10

My wife felt a pop inside and then a steady trickle.

Our baby was low, big and 10 days late. He's head probably slowed the waters draining.

And as said before you will know when your plug goes........VERY slimey which was nice

taty · 07/11/2008 22:07

Apologies if I am been silly but this is my first. I am 39 weeks pregnant. Have suffered sickness throughout and was just been sick in the loo when i felt v wet. Not sure if waters have broken or if I leaked very heavily . Does anyone have any advice for me???

Tangle · 07/11/2008 22:52

taty - if you keep on leaking and think it might be your waters probably best to call the MW/labour ward and get it checked. You can get tests to find out what fluid is coming out (you can buy them online here if you're really interested, but might be a bit late for you this time round now) and they'll have seen and heard it all before. If you don't want to do that, keep an eye on your temperature and how you're feeling - if you your temp starts to go up and/or you start to feel (more ) poorly best to head on in in case you've an infection brewing and your waters have gone.

Back to OP, sounds like my show was unusual - it was more like the brown-drabby-end-of-period gunk for a few days, then turned red for a few days and then I went into active labour. For me, labour proper started with niggling back ache for an hour - which is how my periods always tend to start. Then regular contractions kicked in. My waters didn't go until I was in the 2nd stage (very niagra fall like when it happened, fortunately into the birth pool as a home birth) and I haven't a clue how fast I dilated as I didn't have any internals.

taty · 08/11/2008 16:53

Thanks for that . I put a pad on and didnt continue so presume am ok.

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 09/11/2008 22:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hassled · 09/11/2008 22:53

You can't miss a show if you have one. Imagine glue that's no longer at the runny stage - and bigger than you can possibly imagine. Re waters - with 2 of mine, waters had to be broken while well into labour. The other 2 - one was a slow trickle (you feel like it could be wee but yet you know you're not weeing), one was a gush - there won't be any doubt. Re dilation - the only way you know is because the midwife has a look and tells you. They use some weird finger measurement thing.

Good luck - you will be fine .

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