how do u know when ur waters break?

[nadinetd]

hiya
i thought everyones waters had to go to start labour but have been told thats not the case, some peole have said the hospital broke them for them, others said it was just a trickle, is there any other signs that they are going to break or does it just happen? still got 2 weeks to go but just panicking for a change!
xx

With both previous pg, my waters didnt break till I was fully dilated.

They might go with huge gush, they might trickle so you'll feel like you might have wet yourself or you might just lose a bit.

Either way you'll know.
Waters smell quite sweet IIRC.

It jsut happens, no warning, and it can happen at different stages. Mine broke both times once I was in in established labour, and the first time it was a gush, the second time it was more like a steady trickle, like urinating. I really wouldn't worry about it.

With all three of mine I went into labour without my waters breaking. They didn't break until I was pushing - ds2 was crowning and the waters still hadn't broken. The midwife wanted to break them at that point, but I wouldn't have let her. Anyway they went by the time she'd got the hook ready.

I know a woman who was born in a caul, ie without the waters breaking at all.

With my dd, i woke up at 3am knowing something was wrong, stood up just got to the bathroom and WWHHOOOOOSHH! they went alright! This was my first sign that labour was happening so contractions until after waters went, continued to leak all the way through labour up until dd was born.

With my ds, i had a show for 5 days, losing bits, then again, woke up but this time at a repectable time of 9am, sat on the bed and felt them go, but was only a cupful (think this was because the babies head was so low down it acted like a plug).

Certainly wasn't as sure as i was with dd, same again though contractions started after this, got to hospital and was 3cm, had a section with him though - elective.

thanks very much, do u have to have a show before you can be in labour too?

Forgot to add, with my dd i was a week over EDD, but with ds it was 2 weeks before EDD.

They do smell very sweet, funny smell actually.

Nope, with my dd i had a show after waters had gone (not sure how that happens though as the show is your plug).

Show first with my ds, big blob and then little pieces for 5 days after.

Yes you'll probably have a show. Although you can have this a few weeks before you give birth so dont get your hopes up when you do

thanks for all your advice x

Had my waters broken during my first labour with DS. With DD, the waters never broke, she was born in them which is supposed to be lucky, so the midwife told me anyway.

Mine had to done on the hospital bed and it felt like having a bucket of bathwater poured over me!
I know one lady who had an audible Pop! followed by a gush, quite naturally.

I've been worried the whole way through I wouldn't know when they went- but thanks to you all I feel reassured that I WILL know!
x

mine broke before labour had started & it started with a trickle for a few seconds & then went with a HUGE gush (luckily I'd just managed to dive in the shower, after getting up for my usual 3am wee!) I couldn't believe how much came out, it just kept coming & coming.

Don't worry you WILL know

If you are just dribbling a tiny bit & you're worried it might be wee, just smell it, amniotic fluid is odourless, wee isn't (obviously! )

The only time to worry is if there is meconium, I've never experienced that, but I'm sure it's fairly obvious - amniotic fluid is a light straw colour & may ot may not be tinged with a bit of blood mucus (if your plug goes at the same time)

With DS there was no doubt they had gone (spectacular gushing and liquid everywhere ). Didn't knowlingly have a show with him.

With DD they asked me if they had gone when I got to the delivery suite. I really wasn't sure and they hadn't as the midwife broke them later on in labour. I think I had a show with her a few days before she was born, but again I*'m not sure.

mine broke just before contractions started, but they can break or be broken for you at any time really.

i knew mine had gone when i got out of bed to go to the loo, and water exploded out of me over the landing.

Hi

During first pregnancy spent a month convinced I was in labour (I know!) and kept thinking waters breaking. There was just a leak and I'm told it was a hind water leak (it was a while ago now so I might have got that wrong). Anyway, was induced in hospital and then waters did break, there was a lot of water and there was no mistaking it. I felt very silly for making people take me to the hospital so many times and trying to convince the MW's it had happened before then!! (though I think they secretly like it when you ask stupid questions ;-))).

my waters smelt like come am i the only one?!

thats gross

Was trying to sleep when mine broke. My pelvis literally jumped up and there was a loud pop!

lol

sorry....

I had a CS with DS and the waters hadn;t broke as I went into theatre. With DD1 the doctor broke my waters, and with DD2 they didn;t break till I was pushing, then they went with a huge gush, and the poor midwife got soaked..

my waters broke but i didnt know it happened.... so no - you dont ALWAYS know.. HTH

mine broke in the bath with DD1
i didn't know, no leaking when i got out,
had been sent home from hospital as not in "established labour" and told to return when my waters broke or i could no longer talk through a contraction

if it wasn't for my mum making dh take me back to hospital (holding my bum!) i wouldn't have made it.

and with DD2 they broke just before i pushed her out - a big gush, really soothing and wonderful feeling! think weeing in the sea in a wet suit (if you ever have??!)