If your waters broke before labour started...

[cyteen]

how long did it take for labour to start, and how long after that till you reached the stage of regular contractions?

My waters broke yesterday at about 5.30pm and have been leaking in fits and starts ever since (all clear, some light pinkish-red staining, a few small clots and some mucus). The birth centre mws checked me over yesterday and everything was fine - baby was happy and I was having no contractions. Have been having irregular contractions since around 1am, some strong, others not, but am a bit concerned that I don't seem to be making any progress towards more regular contractions so thought I'd ask the wise ladies of MN for their experiences.

This is my first baby (am 41 weeks today) so I've no idea what to expect. If I'm not in labour by tomorrow morning, I'm booked in for augmentation at the hospital - I know I can ask them just to monitor me if I seem to be making progress unaided, so I will see what is happening at the time. Ideally though I'd like to have the baby at the mw-led birth centre, which means reaching the 5 minutes apart stage of labour sometime before 8am tomorrow. Am just a bit worried and frustrated because it seems less and less likely that that is going to happen!

It's stupid really, I know getting stressed out about it is not going to help, but can't help worrying...

TIA

ok, lots of stuff i have read contraindicate castor oil

i prefer sex, nipple stim and visualisation to get things going

Good luck - mine broke about midnight one night and I went in for monitoring - big leak the next night too - was scanned 9am the following morning and all waters had gone and still no contractions so I was induced that afternoon at 3pm.
Probably not what you want to hear but on the upside a prostin pessary was all that was required and I had a straightforward labour otherwise - I just had to argue a bit to be let off the monitoring and to move around.
Induction is not great but it can really be OK so don't worry too much if you need some help - it may be things are starting to happen anyway! The main downside was having to stay in the hospital 48 hrs and baby have antibiotics because of the waters breaking long before delivery. No ill effects though but not fantastic.

hosp have said- put pad on, keep an eye on any leakage, phone back in an hour or so if it changes colour and I explained about last labour being quick and she said phone and then go up as soon as contractions start being regular, not to wait until they are very close together as its likely to be quick.

and sorry cyteen for gatecrashing and stealing your thread! Your timing of starting the thread was perfect.

Fair enough, each to their own.

Personally i wouldn't put anything in my vagina once membarnes ruptured esp a penis!! Doesn't matter how clean it is!! i would think once membranes rupture safer to have the fango as a one way system!!

There is alot of stuff around about castor oil but most of it speculation. Years ago it was a very common and successful way to start labour off.

My partner probably wishes i prefered sex and nipple stimulation instead of putting toilet roll on ice but heh each to their own as i said!!

well yes, post rupture no fanjo action!

anyhoo, good luck to all the expectant ladies , leaking and otherwise !

With DS1, 40 wks + 9 days waters broke at 10.00pm.

Meconium in water,..went in that night to be monitored

Huge pressure from hosp to be induced all that day until true labour started at about 3 pm! (grrr)

DS born naturally just less than 24 hrs after waters first went!

Good luck!

Exciting for both of you

Fwiw, my waters broke at 3am, contractions started mid afternoon, but ramped up late afternoon (I was kept in once waters broke as I was 4 weeks early), baby born just after midnight.

Good luck!

ah, yes. Having a hot shower sped everything up for me second time round.

Was sitting around chatting with MIL sort of noticing contractions every ten mins or so before shower, feeling like I and DH were wasting her time coming over to babysit DS1, but went up to have shower, did not come down again as was grimacing in agony every 3mins. Off to hospital, baby along 2hrs later.
Worked a treat!

Thanks so much everyone for posting, and Debi good luck with your LO!

Went out for a walk earlier with DP, then went to bed for a bit as was feeling knackered...had a little sleep, woken up by stronger contractions. Have been dossing about in bed reading the papers and whatnot, and am DEFINITELY feeling much stronger/closer contractions now - god bless the TENS machine is all I can say Have been noting them down and although they are more regular, they're still not in enough of a pattern for the birth centre who have advised me to hang on for a while longer and see what happens. Still, they're coming at 3-10 minute intervals and lasting from 35 secs to 1min20, some quite bearable, others in the 'stop what you're doing and breathe' bracket. So I guess I'm making progress

Baby has been moving around and I feel okay in myself, just a bit tired. I do hope things kick off properly before tomorrow morning, but we'll see - am prepared to do whatever it takes to get this wee one out.

I bet you're there now aren't you?

Thinking of all you ladies whose waters have gone. Looking forward to the plethora of birth announcements!

15 minutes till couldnt speak through them!

Waters broke but labour didn't start on it's own. I'm sure it would have done eventually but as I was already 12 days over they induced me.

Now, my friend's waters broke on a Sunday and she still wasn't having contractions by Weds so they induced her.

Makes me wonder how long mother nature would make you wait ..........

My ds was born after 2 days of water breaking, good luck! hope you are holding a precious little one by tonight!

So I'm currently 34 +2 days pregnant and waters have broken. Been told I have to stay In hospital for 24 hours for observation and oral antibiotics. My question for people is when might my labour start and delivery?? Any peoples experiences?? No one can give you an answer but interesting to read other people experiences

My waters broke at 12:30am on a Friday morning small contractions started about half an hour later. These continued but ended up on hormonal drip Friday evening as labour wasn't progressing fast enough. Baby born at 11:40 Sat morning. Good luck!

Sorry just realised the week pregnant you are sure not sure if my experience is relevant/helpful. I was two weeks overdue.

Zombie 🧟‍♀️

14year wait for advice and contractions