Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

What's it like when your water breaks?

27 replies

mostlyconfused · 27/02/2014 20:54

Hi. I had to get my waters broken with my first baby so don't have any idea what it's actually like when your waters break.

How messy is it? I've read that the smell is so bad that you need to replace carpets,mattresses etc. is that true?
Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

LadySnapcase · 27/02/2014 20:59

There's no guarantee they'll go in a gush! Mine just started trickling out, thought my bladder control had finally gone...but then it just kept going, and I realized what it was, so I just put a pad on and just changed it regularly. Didn't notice any smell...

slugseatlettuce · 27/02/2014 21:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheBitterBoy · 27/02/2014 21:02

Mine went in bed. I turned over and there was a distinct 'pop' sound, then a gush. There was quite a lot of liquid, similar to when DS wets the bed, but luckily I had one of those absorbent bedmats on which contained it almost completely.

TheBitterBoy · 27/02/2014 21:03

Actually the smell was mild, urine is worse!

Bunbaker · 27/02/2014 21:03

Same as slug

I had an inkling something would happen as I had had a show that morning, so I was wearing a maternity pad when my waters went. I then went and sat on the loo for about 20 minutes letting the fluid gush out while I waited for my husband to come back and then sat on a towel in the car to be driven to hospital.

ilikemysleep · 27/02/2014 21:03

Had water break 3 times. First and 3rd were pop then gush (was in bed each time, managed to leap out of bed in time to save the matress!). The gushes come pretty frequently, its impossible to stop trousers etc getting absolutely sodden, even with mega brick style maternity pads. It doesn't smell bad though; slightly sweet if anything.

Second was hind waters. Had no pop, but a gush when coughing, couple more gushes, then nothing - my son's head was blocking any more water as he'd kicked open the bag higher up. I knew what it was because of the previous time, but a very different experience in terms of the amount of mess!

Cariad007 · 27/02/2014 21:05

Mine went with a gush within minutes of entering my room in the birth centre and then baby was out within an hour!

OohMrDarcy · 27/02/2014 21:05

with dc2 mine went during a massive contraction whilst sat on the loo! Thought baby was coming out for a minute! Turned out it was the waters bulging - follwed by a massive gush, I do remember looking in the toilet in case I'd got lucky and baby was out

Jbck · 27/02/2014 21:06

Felt like a balloon inflating in my tummy but made it to the bathroom in time for a bit of a pop and a small gush on the tiles, don't recall a smell.

Sat on the loo for a little while then put knickers on, I was in bed asleep and woke up feeling odd.

KatharineClover · 28/02/2014 08:04

Mine went in hospital. I was lying down, felt a pop, leapt up and there was a puddle of pea soup around me! (Baby had pooed - heavy/ grade 3 meconium). It then did the same again (but bigger puddle) when I got up after being transferred to labour ward about an hour later. I remember chucking handfuls of paper towels to try and soak it up! Luckily it was hard floors, a carpet, bed or car seat would have been ruined!

Carsandtrucks · 28/02/2014 08:23

Didn't even notice!

Pixielady83 · 28/02/2014 08:37

Mine started as a bit of a gush (enough to go through my jeans and soak my knickers) and then continued to leak throughout my labour, I would get another gush with each contraction so I had to sit on a towel. initially I kept changing knickers and putting always pads on but soon realised that wasn't going to cut it! I must have spent the first half hour of my labour running back and forth from the bathroom and changing knickers though

As I recall it didn't smell and didn't stain anything.

NiSaBula · 28/02/2014 08:51

I woke up in the middle of the night, then heard a pop, so I got up and went to the toilet. I pretty much trickled (no gush) from then on. I had had mild twinges the night before, so I wasn't surprised it was all starting. Dd1 was born 8 hours later. I don't remember a strong smell (it was 15 years ago though).

CheeseTMouse · 28/02/2014 09:04

I was fairly far on when they went so I had been hanging around in the bath. They went about the same time I got the show - but no dramatic popping. I was surprised by how late in labour it happened, as I had been convinced it would be one of the first signs.

ThatBloodyWoman · 28/02/2014 09:05

Mine were like I'd wet myself, but I wouldn't have been able to stem the flow like you can sometimes with a wee.

RighteousSausage · 28/02/2014 09:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsRV · 28/02/2014 19:33

I was sitting on the sofa a day overdue & hubby was doing an impression of the gypsy wedding programme girls. it made me laugh so much and then I felt the wee... I was sure I hadn't weed... then it kept coming and coming for the next 24 hours!!!! had a towel following me around & pads were wet within minutes. not the best time for lots of family visits!!!!

RNJ3007 · 28/02/2014 19:38

I rolled over, heard and felt the pop and then the gush. Waterproof mattress cover saved bed. No smell!

First time was a hind waters leak, thought I was wetting myself, got checked at my 40w appt after I mentioned it and was told I had a leak. They gushed on the bus home... I was in a skirt (oh the shame!)

MorganLeFey · 28/02/2014 19:54

Started before any contractions - it felt like a bubbling sensation as I was on my way to the loo & soaked through to my jeans but not the floor etc. Concerned I had wet myself - but the sensation before felt different & it seems more sudden rather than a stream.

Smelt different to urine but not awful. Washed & kept the maternity jeans.

Went & lay down with a maternity pad on for an hour or so then stood up to do the Is This Really It check (earlier than expected) & ongoing damp but not soaking pads. Some more gushes while in labour - so think either hindwaters or plenty of fluid (which fitted with the speed of initial weight loss) that was allowed out as PFB progressed through the canal.

fideline · 28/02/2014 19:57

No smell. One enormous gush. The sofa survived.

MammySam · 28/02/2014 20:02

I was a good 10 hours into labour when mine went. I was stood on my own in a hospital room after being toldi wasn't allowed on the bed (!) I had an almighty contraction and load of pressure then there was a small pop and I felt the gush. Didn't spill on the floor and I had a pad on already. I don't remember any smell at all. I was quite scared though, it felt quite dramatic at the time. Specially being on my own. I pressed the buzzer for the midwife as I didn't realise that's what had happened, and got told off!
I'm going to d everything I can not to go back to that hospital if this little baby sticks and I get to full term!

mrsbug · 28/02/2014 20:05

I felt a pop and had no idea what it was - went into labour prematurely so wasn't expecting my waters to go any time soon. Then a massive gush, instantly soaked through my trousers and onto the floor.

It smelled kind of sweet.

Chocaholics · 28/02/2014 20:07

My waters broke hours before contractions started. In both cases I stood up and there was a pop then water running down my legs. It didn't smell but did leak continuously for hours and my clothes were soaking wet as the maternity pad didn't soak it up. The leaking was more like gushes then a trickle but coughing/sneezing meant a gush came out.

Ilovecake80 · 28/02/2014 21:12

I was already in hospital when my waters went (waiting to be induced) sat up out of bed then they just broke in a gush there seemed to be lots and the midwife cleared it up, after breaking my contractions started, after the initial gush I needed to wear a maternity pad as they continued to leak throughout the labour.

mowmylawn · 28/02/2014 21:17

My waters didn't break until DD was crowning and by that time the Titanic could have come out of there and I wouldn't have noticed!

Flip

1 2