Waters breaking, no labour

[hannah893]

Hello lovely people ☺️

I'm 35+4 with my first baby and experienced my water breaking on Sunday morning, over 72 hours ago now. Nothing like the movies with no dramatic gush. Just a steady trickle of water continuously when I move or stand up since then.

I was admitted to triage on Sunday afternoon and kept in the labour ward for observation for 2 nights. Started on antibiotics straight away and told just to wait to see what happens.

I've been told to go back to hospital for day assessment on Friday where it is likely (if nothing has progressed naturally) I'll be booked in for induction one day next week. I think the logic is that they want me as close to 37 weeks as possible but also the risk of infection gets higher and higher the longer waters have been broken. I've said from the start of pregnancy I wasn't worried about how I gave birth or what would happen, I would go with the flow and listen to the advice. However I've always said I point blank do not want to be induced so now I'm a bit worried about everything.

Just wondered if anyone had any experience with this? I've never heard of anyone's water breaking and it being literal weeks until birth. And none of the advice online or on official healthcare websites say to go longer than 48 hours. I trust the doctors but just wanted to head some real life experiences.

Thanks

34 years ago my waters leaked, I went into hospital and stayed there until I went into labour and my son was born at 32 weeks. I was in hospital before he was born for well over a week.

Mine went, trickled (or as the Dr described, oozed) at 34 weeks. I ended up having my DD at 36+2. After an initial stay on the antenatal clinic I went home with every other day monitoring before I was induced.

My induction did end up in a c-section but really wasn't that bad, I just didn't get past 2cm, DD wasn't ready to come out by herself!

I went into labour naturally about 46 hours after my waters broke. Apparently it was my hind waters as they still needed to break the other ones in hospital 😟
I had several visits from midwives to check for any infection.
I still needed a drip to speed up labour as things didn’t get going enough.
All fine, I walked out of the labour room and only needed paracetamol the following day.

My waters broke but I was past 37 weeks, tested positive for group b strep earlier on so was in hospital with IV antibiotics. I declined induction and tried to get things moving, using the ball, walking, trying to relax but after around 12 hours I agreed due to the pressure to induce. Was a few more hours before they placed the drip, broke my fore waters as above PP and then a few more hours before I felt contractions.
I did struggle with the drip and lack of movement due to IVs and monitor, but it wasn't unbearable. After a few hours I asked for gas and air, then 6 hours passed and I wasn't past 2-3cm. So I had an epidural as I was really struggling, few more hours before it was placed then I went to 10cm in 3 hours as I slept.
Woke up feeling pushing and was able to move to a more upright position and very short pushing phase, baby born and only minor tears/grazes all internal, very quick recovery
Best of luck

Four of mine started with waters breaking (at term). From that time to the birth was usually about 36-48 hours. I wouldn't have guessed I was contracting but I was, quietly, so things were happening, I just couldn't tell. It was only towards the very end I felt a few contractions before the urge to push. So not feeling it doesn't mean you're not labouring.

Mine went at 36w. I was kept in hospital for a week on antibiotics and with 4 hourly obs and twice daily ctgs until we got to 37w. However, I went for c section rather than induction (had already been planned due to complications from previous birth). I was added to the emergency list but really it was planned. I had started to get spells of regular contractions by that point and was apparently slightly dilated (hadn’t been at all when first admitted). FWIW my section was much better than my first birth (induced for post dates) but I know several people who’ve had positive induction experiences at 37w.

It's good that they have put you on antibiotics, hopefully things will move naturally soon. When mine broke 14 years ago, I was left a few days with daily checks and I developed Strep B which led to a super speedy birth, IV antibiotics for both of us and a lengthier stay after. Both ok though. Wishing you all the best.

In the US they would have induced you after 24 hours.

Ask if the antibiotics are effective against group B strep.

Ask if you can be induced soon.

Mine went but more of a trickle at 34 weeks and 5 days. This was my back waters apparently. They left me a day to see if I started labour, which I did not. They then put me on a hormone drip to start the labour and i had my baby within 4 hours of being on the drip. I did get given a steroid injection along with antibiotics before the baby came.

there's a RCOG greentop guide for the management of premature rupture of membranes and it sounds like they're following that. It's not uncommon for membranes to rupture prematurely and nothing much else happen - it's bread & butter obstetrics. The team looking after you will be able to explain the risks vs benefits of the different options as they apply to you and your pregnancy (the risks & benefits will be different for different women depending on their health/their baby's health etc).

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Reassuring hearing your stories. Things are still semi quiet here, I think I may be slightly contracting. The midwife's kept saying that I'd know for sure if I was but judging by what a couple of people have said, that's not always the case. Back at day assessment today so we will see if things are progressing and how baby boy is.

Have a great weekend ☺️

Hi OP I had this. I went for a long walk to get things going. Don't know if it was linked but it did work. Keep active and try to get things moving.

Hi op, just checking in to see how you got on.

That's so kind ☺️

Things are much the same... I have been experiencing braxton hicks I think and have been at day assessment every couple days to check obs and get a CTG for baby while finishing a course of antibiotics. Doctors want me as close to 37 weeks as possible (which is Saturday this week) so I'm booked in to be induced this weekend.

Not the outcome I had hoped for, I wanted things to progress naturally itself but it is what it is and I'm now excited to meet baby boy. It sure has been a learning curve!