Waters leaking, am I in labor ?

[universe00]

This morning around 8:30 I stood up and water trickled down my leg a few drips on the floor and a few minutes later there was a few more drips, had nothing since then I've rung up hospital they don't seem concerned until I start getting contractions ? Anyone had this ?

Erm. The hospital should really be wanting to check if it's your waters or not. If they are leaking/have broken then you and your baby could be at risk of infection. Most areas have a time limit on when they suggest induction after waters break (if you don't go into labour naturally). Can you speak to your midwife for advice instead?

Although it doesn't sound like you have lost much fluid, so it's possible it isn't actually your waters, and could be a bit of wee that got stuck! My waters went gradually, but it was very much a distinctive steady trickle and they kept leaking a little more at a time as I moved about. If you haven't already then I'd put a pad on to catch anything else that might leak out so you can take it to hospital / midwife if needs be.

Does sound like you might have had a leak of wee (we happens to majority of pregnant women). When waters break there tends to be a need to a maternity pad to be worn as you'll carry on leaking. Also if you wear a pad and do carry on leaking then the MWs can use the liquid on the pad to detect if its your waters or urine.

I am surprised they won't want to check though as usually MWs like a delivery of baby post 24 hours of waters breaking due to increase risk of infection etc etc

But to answer your question, just because waters break doesn't mean you're in labour.

Sorry Twittlebee, that is not accurate at all. Many women experience a trickle and sometimes it stops, especially if it’s hind waters. It can be so difficult to tell whether it’s waters or urine that hospitals will swab to test.

OP, at my local hospital the advice is to cal if you think your waters are leaking. They’ll ask you to wear a pad to check the colour and odour, and monitor your temperature every 4 hours when awake - if it’s over 37.5 you need to call them. If your waters have broken and labour doesn’t start, infection risk is higher after around 24 hours. I’m surprised they don’t want to see you - maybe call your own midwife? They arranged for me to go in for assessment.

You need to go and get swabbed to check if it is your waters. If it is you'll need to be booked in for an induction in the case that you have no contractions for 24 hours. Baby is open to infection once waters have broken.

The general rule is that if you put on a pad, lay down for half hour, stand up and get another leak it's likely waters.

Go and get checked ASAP though.

Ah thank you for correcting me SinkGirl was just going on what MW told me when mine broke, she said get a pad in as you'll find you'll leak as you move about.

I am surprised by the MWs response.

Hopefully you'll get into proper labour soon OP

I had a 'gush' when my waters broke when I was in bed one night (34 weeks pregnant). Rang the hospital and went in for assessment. Stayed in for a few days but labour didn't start so I was sent home with monitoring every other day. They continued to leak for two weeks before my baby was born. I was on two lots of antibiotics for those two weeks as had tested positive for group strep B. Then Iv antibiotics during labour and my baby had Iv antibiotics for 4/5 days after birth. Can you ring your community midwife?

I agree with the advice to get it checked out.

I started leaking hind waters at 38w - it was max a small teaspoon of liquid a few times a day. Stupidly I didn’t get it checked out until the 3rd day as I was sure it was my bladder.

When I finally went into hospital they immediately gave me antibiotics and put me on the drip to augment the labour (I was 4cm and hadn’t felt a thing!)

Fortunately all was ok but it’s important to get it checked out. I’m a bit surprised that your hospital was so indifferent!

I had this and they had me in to check the water that was leaking to confirm.
I then had to be in to be induced 24 hours after it started to try avoid infection.
Me and DS ended up being in for 5 days after birth on IV.
You need to get it checked because it can be dangerous for you and baby.

Thanks guys I went up there in the end and midwife she it wasn't my waters.
No idea what it is it's completely clear defiantly not wee, I put a pad on earlier and the whole thing was full in about 2 hours completely clear fluid it must be discharge but I've never had this before and never been able to feel discharge coming out before which I can with this. Sorry for tmi

I'm 40+ 5 btw.
Been getting about 1 tightening an hour and around 2 period pains an hour, no idea was it going on 🤷🏼‍♀️
Hopefully labour starts soon

Sounds like could certainly be pre-labour! Good luck and wishing you and baby all the best

Did they do a swab? If your pad is filling up like that, it can’t just be discharge surely.

@SinkGirl no swap just inserted a big plastic thing in me and she said she couldn't see anything that indicates it's my waters, I've been getting contractions on and off for last couple hours and still leaking 🙄