What on earth is going on? Have my waters broken? Please help me (poss TMI)

[Anglepoise]

Morning ladies. Looking for any advice/experience of waters breaking. I'm currently 41+3 and staring down the barrel of an induction, booked for Saturday morning (originally booked for a home water birth, so hoping to avoid being induced). At antenatal appt yesterday I was 50% effaced, 1 cm dilated (after sweep last week), cervix neither really favourable nor unfavourable.

Had second sweep yesterday and partook of a variety of methods of natural induction last night and this morning (none of which has done anything whatsoever in the past ten days).

This morning at around 7 am I was indulging in some nipple stimulation (my poor nips, incidentally, being worn almost to nubbins) when this suddenly produced two short gushes of liquid which soaked my pants through. I thought my waters had gone, so ran to the loo, but it didn't seem at all like any descriptions of waters I've read but more like very very watery ordinary CM - opaque and creamyish rather than clear/straw-coloured and smells like normal CM not sweetish. I also had a little of this yesterday, like CM but watery enough to run down my legs (I am so sorry). Changed my knickers and put a pad in but have had nothing else since. Further nipple stimulation produced the first thing approaching a real contraction I have yet experienced, then I eventually fell asleep again Nothing since. Oh, did also do a very loose poo but that is not particularly unusual in the last couple of days.

Does anyone have any idea what my body is up to? And is there anything I should be doing other than hanging around the house feeling vaguely crampy and out of sorts? Any advice welcome - TIA.

No baby and no idea what's going on!

Had to put TENS on last night because I had a lot of lower back pain, but that was about it. Slept fine, then got up at 8 because I was feeling very crampy front and back and wanted to shower and put TENS on again. Showered, put TENS on, went back to bed until about 20 minutes ago

Still don't think I'm having contractions (the consensus seems to be I'll KNOW when I'm having them) but having a lot of continuous cramps - feels like I'm about to have the biggest period ever. If it stops then nipple stimulation sets off huge cramps again, but not anything that feels like a contraction (ie cramps for minutes at a time, whereas I kind of assumed you get breaks between contractions (?)).

Hospital appt at 2 for monitoring if I haven't worked out what's happening by then!

Anglepoise It sounds like you might be going into labour as your description matches what I had with DS. Low level annoying backache that gradually moved to the front and started to feel like gas/period cramps. I questioned the lack of breaks with the MW who just shrugged. I was definately in labour as I was induced and on a monitor. I was lucky that the pain level stayed like that until transition but the pressure really built up until I felt like I was being wrung out.. Can't say much after that though as I had an epi to bring down my bp.

Thanks - it's nice to know that something is (hopefully) happening. I've spent most of the last hour frantically googling what labour cramps feel like - general consensus seems to be that it's not labour unless it hurts like a bastard but there's an occasional response saying it wasn't so bad, so maybe I'll be lucky

Had a bit of pinky mucus which I'm hoping is a show and means I'm at least dilating a bit (?). Going to try to eat some food now and hope I don't vomit it back up again ...

Anglepoise If you stay relaxed the early cramps don't have to be that bad. Some mums don't even know they are in labour until the need to push.. I hope you are one of the lucky ones who can really breath through contractions and relax enough to keep it bearable.

I found the pressure hard to deal with but as long as I didn't tense up or try to pull away from it, the pain level was ok. No worse than having a bad tummy upset. If I tensed up or started to panic, the pain would go from a 1 to a 10 very quickly.

Ooh good luck! My waters didn't break until dd's head came out, so don't worry too much, they don't always go. Ooooh!

Another bit of advice that helped me (hope you don't mind) was to deal with the contractions one at a time. As it built up, I'd think my baby is getting closer and imagine cuddling him.. as it peaked I start to think it's going now, it's going its gone. Then I'd smile and chat normally to those around me until the next one... don't even think about the next one until it starts..

I'm so excited for you...

Angelpoise, I don't want to throw a spanner in the works BUT (!) I had very similar cramps just before and after my waters broke. I was late (10 days) and my waters were meconium stained so the midwives wanted me in. I was convinced that by the time they examined me I was going to be about 4-5 cm but I was only 1-2 . They augmented my labour by using pessaries (I think I had 2) but again this didn't make the contractions strong or regular enough (although they felt pretty strong and I was using the TENS). They then started the syntocinon drip and I had only had 1/2 hour's worth before requesting a blissful epidural. Birth was fine (ventouse) and epis. I hope you will get into proper established labour soon but I just wanted to make you aware that first timers can take ages before really getting going and don't be disheartened if it takes longer than you hope! The wait is sooooo worth it. Good luck.

Yeah, labour can take ages, but if you are on your way then you won't need inducing, which is the main thing .

ajm All advice is good at this stage!

HateHoovering I'm fairly prepared to still be in prelabour tbh as I'm not that uncomfortable. I'm definitely at least a cm dilated because the MW did that with a sweep a week ago! Will see what they say this afternoon but I'm thinking of asking whether I can move my booked induction back a bit, as things seem to be happening, albeit slowly. It's still booked for tomorrow morning, when I'll be term+12 but that's only 48 hours after my waters broke and they let you go up to 72 here ... On the other hand, I might be thoroughly fed up by then!

Just noticed the time - better get my shoes on and get to hospital!

sounds definate!! I reckon you will start properly by tonight

Drink loads of raspberry leaf tea, walk loads, hot bath, pineapple, sex if you can face it

Good Luck!

Thinking of you Anglepoise and wishing you all the best - whatever happens you join the huge sisterhood of women who have been through it - I remember thinking it unbelievable that women have been doing this in all kinds of circumstances down the ages, and even now all round the world there are those without any help at all. Hope you get the best care possible and can be at home if that's what you want.

Still here, still horribly confused!

Hospital was fine, just checked my temp, baby's heartbeat, urine, BP, etc - all okay. She said I was having some uterine surges but I'd know if they were contractions (everyone says this!).

Kept the TENS on and continued having constant low-level cramps. Came home, took a bath, had a paracetamol, had a lie-down. Still suffering constant cramping but still nothing that I would describe as a contraction. Surely the whole point of a contraction is that it comes and goes?

Fiddling with my nipples raises the level of the cramps and puts me in agony for about ten minutes, but again it's fairly constant pain, no peaks and troughs, though I do get a fairly satisfying gobbet of bloody show afterwards! DH thinks that this is the wrong thing to be doing so have only done it twice (also it bloody hurts).

I seem to have the choice between all or nothing and absolutely no idea what I should be doing!

Oh pet! You don't need to do anything. It will sort itself out. Leave those poor nips alone as they need to be in good shape for the feeding. I'd advise you to try and get on with something else for the time being (boring I know, I am v impatient person as well!) but the baby won't come till it's ready.
I had some continuous cramps etc with mine in the late stages of pregnancy but it was only when it started being intermittent -ie timeable - that i knew it was the real thing. And it was less painful then, for a while anyway - the period pain stuff if v annoying but not actual ctx iyswim. yET!

If you've had a show that is a really good sign and you'll soon be in labour and I'm relieved for you that you might avoid induction and your body will have a chance todo its own thing - but give it that chance, sit back, sort out your photo albums or something - watch a film - let nature take its course.

Good luck!

Btw you don't have to be induced anyway, esp if things are gearing up by themselves - which they obviously are big time!

Cheers

I think things have finally become intermittent, so going to go watch some telly and bounce on my ball and hopefully this is finally it! It's just so frustrating having no idea what's going on and wondering if all the cramps and pain are actually doing anything or not.

Good luck AP! Don't forget to take plenty of spare batteries for your TENS with you when/if you go to hospital. Re the cramping/contractions - when I had DS1, I was still able to walk about, talk on the phone etc for nearly all the labour. He was born 20 minutes after we parked the car at the hospital!
I also had a leak of fluid followed by the waters breaking properly - it was only at that point that I realized I really WAS in labour. I think everyone perceives pain in different ways. It doesn't mean you're braver, - just lucky!

Good luck Anglepoise! Your poor nipples must be red raw! I remember when my labour started was excited and scared wasn't sure if my contractions had started until they were every 5 mins and 1m30s long! I soon knew about it after that. Hope you've got your baby this time tomorrow without having to be induced. x

Angelpoise go to bed and rest. If you're exhausted it won't help in labour. Don't forget to eat, drink and pee.

Watch a comedy. Laughter will open you up. Here's hoping you have your homebirth and we see a birth announcement some time soon.

This was posted on the homebirth thread on Sunday. Hope no-one minds me copying it across for those of you eager for update

"just to update everyone angelpoise had her little girl yesterday morning at 3.03am - Dita Moth, 7lb 12"

That's good news.
Congratulations, Anglepoise.