Purely from curiosity - some random Q's about waters breaking!

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

Maybe it's because I'm 39 weeks now and starting to think about these things but I had a few random questions about waters breaking and wondered if any MWs or similar know the answers? - just out of interest:

1 - what actually causes waters to break (especially when it happens before labour starts)? - is it just when the sac gets stretched too much, or does it get punctured (e.g. by baby) or get weaker close to the birth, or what?

2 - If they do go before labour, it usually means things will start off soon, but is that because of the waters having broken, or is it the other way round - that they went because your body was about ready to start labour?

3 - If your waters go before labour in one pregnancy, is it more likely to happen in future ones? (Am interested in this one as mine did last time round!).

And lastly - is there thought to be any difference between labours where waters already broke beforehand vs. those where they only go later on?

Thank you for satisfying my curiosity!

Interesting.

Bump!

Also interested as my waters went first last time too. would be good to know if I need to start taking spare knickers and trousers with me when I go out! Hope someone comes along with the answers X

I can't answer your first question but can do the rest.

With my DD's birth 12 days ago my waters went with a massive gush after a particularly strong contraction aoon after I was told that I was only 2cm. Spare knickers and pad were immediately resoaked because they kept coming with every contraction! It all got a lot more painful after that and happenned v quickly - waters went about 12.30am and DD born at 3.38am after about half an hour of pushing so I went from 2-10 in two and half hours.

Re previous labours my waters "leaked" slightly with my DS but labour never started - not until they stuck a syntocinin drip in my arm anyway. According my my midwife what happenned in a 1st pregnancy re waters breaking is not a sign of what happens in the next - it is completely random each time.

Good luck!

With ds1 waters went and i was induced 4 days later as not even a twinge of labour.

Ds2 i went into labour...woke up at night with contractions 3 mins apart. Midwife broke my waters when i was fully dilated.

As an aside had an em/cs both times.

Interesting Q's

Some answers then - thank you! Bumping in case anyone knows any more!

Very interesting questions..

DD I went for a scan at 28weeks and was told that I had had SPROM she had dolicopholous. I was admitted and her via csection at 35+5 as was told not allowed to labour this would have killed her due to the pressure in the womb, and she was a footling breech.. obviously no fluid so couldnt move.

DS1 waters broke halfway through the labour he was back to back, waters went at 9pm I delivered at 4.23am

DS2 waters broke with the first push.. he was also back to back, but he was very fast.. at 3.45am I was told I was 3cm at 4am I said i wanted to push, as I said one push the waters broke, then next push DS2 landed on the bed. he was born at 4.05am.

DS- Due next week.. so not sure yet when his waters will go before, during or at the end..