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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

how do u know when ur waters break?

59 replies

nadinetd · 22/06/2007 09:28

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

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kyala · 22/06/2007 19:58

We just had a complete panic attack!!
Sat eating dinner and DD1 says "Uh-oh!! Wet" looking down at my feet!
There on the floor was a small, but very wet puddle!!
We both had a moment, as with DD1 I had my water's broke nearly 9 hours into the labour, so don't know what it feels like for them to go by themselves LOL

So, after sitting in shock for a minute or two, stood up, turns out the puddle was a drink I had by my feet and forgot about it!! LOL

Would I feel if they break (like a "pop" or something) or would I not notice until getting up (like tonight LOL)?

tigi · 22/06/2007 21:11

With my first two, mine broke in the night, no pop, no gush, I just woke feeling damp! I thought I'd wet myself, but it just kept trickling, couldn't stop it, but not loads. It didn't smell of anything to me ( I had my baby books out in middle of the night!). I went into hosp, and was finally induced after 24 hrs. Second baby just same, little trickles, and againI had to be induced (twice).
I was also so unsure because ds1 was 4 weeks early, and ds 2 3 weeks early - lathough I did twig for baby 2!
With baby 3 contractions started, but no water at home, that came during labour, and that was a wave!

BandofWizards · 23/06/2007 07:16

With DD1 they didn't go til I was more than 8 cm dilated, right at the end.
I knew they had gone as felt a big pop and a warm sensation on my legs.

With DD2 My front waters went asI got out of bed, no contractions. They started again at 11am. In hospital at 6:30 I was 3 1/2 cm, then when they checked at 10:30 I was 4cm.
Very upset at prospect of LONG labour AGAIN, so they popped my waters and DD2 came out at 11:55pm, less than 1 1/2 hrs later.

So if it's dragging on and they offer to pop your waters say yes.
It gets more intnse, but it's over so much quicker IME anyway.

BandofWizards · 23/06/2007 07:18

With dd2 felt a slight pop, and trickled but was not wee. Gross at it sounds your waters will not smell, and will have a sheen to it, almost oily.
It happened as I stood up out of bed.

BandofWizards · 23/06/2007 07:20

only had small show with DD1 most of it came with active labour. With DD2 had huge show after vacuuming entire house, but still didn't deliver for 3 more days.

CatIsSleepy · 23/06/2007 11:13

waters broke at 5.30 in the morning...
was staying at my sister's house-felt something happening-came bolt awake and leapt out of bed just in time!
there was GALLLONS
ran to bathroom leaving a very wet trail behind me.
and it just kept on coming for the next 2 days...

am going to invest in waterproof undersheet thingy for next time (and avoid staying over at other people's houses near my due date!)

andlittlelambmakesfour · 23/06/2007 11:31

With nos 1,3,4 they went before I went into labour when I was in bed. With 1 and 3 no doubt what it was but with 4 although I knew it was my waters there was much less and I didn't go into labour for 2 days despite walking literally miles! Deprived me of my home birth (grrrr) but just being in hospital and walking round and round the grounds got me going and didn't actually have to be induced. In fact only hind waters had gone and I could have been at home if midwife had examined me!

fannyannie · 23/06/2007 11:34

with DS1 my waters went with a gush 12 days before my EDD - but I didn't go into labour on my own - had a CS in the end.

DS2 my waters went with a trickle (like I was wetting myself - but I just "knew" that it was my waters) 7 days before EDD - 3 days later I hadn't gone into labour so was induced.

DS3 my waters went with a strong flow (not really trickle or a gush LOL) when I was mid (very short) labour having started off naturally,

pinkspottywellies · 23/06/2007 12:27

Mine went with a pop in DH's car on the way to hospital! Poor DH, if there's anyone who that shouldn't have happened to it's my car-proud DH! It was quite far into labour - contractions about 2-3 mins apart.

MerryMarigold · 23/06/2007 12:32

yes, mine was a trickle, like weeing but not wee. just had to put lots of pads in - kept trickling for 24 hours before giving birth!

alicet · 23/06/2007 13:15

with ds 1 I woke at about 5am and was just about to get up to go to the loo when I felt something gushing out of me. Knew I hadn't wet myself!

They do smell slightly sweet (very diff to wee) and also have white bits in - the baby is covered in a whiteish substance (can't remember what it is called now) so that is what this is.

If it happens like this its bloody obvious - but if it just leaks it can be difficult to tell I'm told!"

maxbear · 23/06/2007 13:40

With dd they went about ten minutes before the birth but not sure exactly when as it is difficult to tell in the birth pool! With ds they went in early labour and it was obvious although there was not enough to leak through my sanitary pad, all I could think was hardly any water oh no that means lots of baby! (he was 2 lb heavier than dd!)

crayon · 23/06/2007 15:23

Mine went all three times just before the labours really got going - about 4/5 hours before DS1 arrived, and an hour or so before DS2 and DS3 plopped out. There was no mistaking they had gone; an internal pop and flooding. Quite exciting really

Theresa · 23/06/2007 18:41

my first was late and induced which involved (among other things) hospital breaking waters. A week before my second was due i wet myself (just a bit!) was at home and so got changed. happened again half hr later so got changed, still just a bit, when it happened third time (within about 2 hrs) we went to hosp. I'd put a pad on & she tested it with some sort of stick and confirmed waters had broken. That was Sat evening. nothing more happened & I continued to 'trickle' un til sunday night (lovely!) then they had a look and from what i remember there were 2 areas of water (?) 1 had broken but the other hadn't, so they still had to break that for labour to start!

herbgarden · 23/06/2007 20:27

My waters broke when I went to the loo (luckily) on the Wednesday and when I'd finished and was pottering in the kitchen realised I'd not stopped peeing but had no control over it !!...I phoned the hospital and was told to go in. After the initial gush they then trickled along for 2 and a half days until I was given an emergency caesarian after a failed induction (nothing happened after the waters broke)....
Good luck and don't worry !

NoviceKnitter · 24/06/2007 00:13

I'd never heard before that babies could be born in their amniotic sac. So why do hospitals sometimes break the waters? And what happens if born in sac? Does hosp have to burst it then?

BecauseImWorthIt · 24/06/2007 00:24

Wtih ds1 my waters broke at 36.5 weeks. I had been suffering from a really bad IBS attack the day before, and had been in bed, so wasn't too sure - no loud pop or gush, but definitely too much moisture!

We went into hospital and I was kept in. Because at this stage the baby is still developing the lungs, my consultant said they wouldn't induce me within the usual 24 hours, but would keep me 'going' for as long as possible. Thankfully I went into labour naturally 10 days later.

The same happened to me with ds2 - at 36 weeks. This time it happened at 6.30 am - I turned over in bed and there was a definite pop - more of a sensation rather than a noise. I had almost immediately to go to the loo for a poo - sorry if TMI - and realised it was pretty clear that there would be no delay this time. DS2 was born some 2.5 hours later.

What I remember from DS1 is that I had thought that when your waters go it's like a bag full of water emptying - and when it's empty, that's it. However, that's not so. Your body keeps making amniotic fluid. So for the 10 days from being admitted to him finally arriving, I was constantly leaking! DH used to bring me a supply of clean knickers each time he visited, and took home all my wet ones when he left. (this despite using sanitary towels) He was always worried about being arrested!

Emprexia · 24/06/2007 11:17

Mine went at 3am in the morning while i was sat on the sofa. I thought i'd wet myself so i went and cleaned up and sat back down. Then i got another gush...

I kinda figured that it wasn't wee then, lol. Not even my bladder refills that quickly!

Two hours later i was in the hospital and having been messed around with monitors and scanners to find baby (he liked hiding) got the midwife to check me, she said no sign of waters after trying the speculum so i got her to do the finger test and she informed me i was 5cms dilated.

TrinityRhino · 24/06/2007 11:26

with my first two they didn't break until in established labour
with Gecko they didn't break at all and she was born with waters intact

lulumama · 24/06/2007 11:29

NoviceKnitter on Sun 24-Jun-07 00:13:29
I'd never heard before that babies could be born in their amniotic sac. So why do hospitals sometimes break the waters? And what happens if born in sac? Does hosp have to burst it then?

Babies can be born in the 'caul' it is supposed to be very lucky..old wives tales says you will never drown at sea if you are born in the caul!

Hospitals break the waters usually to induce or speed up labour..once the cushioning of the water between the baby's head and the cervix is gone..the labour becomes more intense and tends to speed up. The baby;s head is directly on the cervix which aids dilation...

The hospital don;t have to break them and you can request that your waters are left intact to break spontaneously

Mine broke when i was around 6-7 cm , with a pop and a massive gush that soaked the delivery bed and my nightie..and filled my shoes which i had kicked under the bed...which i had to leave in the clinical waste bin

TheMuppet · 24/06/2007 11:47

My DD was born in her waters, she looked like alien when they were peeling the membranes off her

3catstoo · 24/06/2007 11:47

First time round, I was a week overdue. It was 4am and I woke with the urge to pee. Got out of bed and suddenly felt some seeping down my legs, as I moved more came.
No real gush. My contactions started straight away and were thick and fast.

2nd time I was induced and my water went after 30mins of contractions and baby arrived 90 mins later.

3rd time, my waters had to be broken as I was 2 weeks over and dilating but there was no way my waters were going on their own!
Again under 90mins later baby popped out.

So everytime is different.

Good Luck

squishy · 24/06/2007 15:18

I knew - I was 4 days overdue and was due to go into hospital the next day to be induced (against my will!). I sat down and felt a small leak, carefully got up to go to the loo and check and it had been a leak.

The next day, midwife and consultant told me they hadn't broken and I still had to be induced. 2 days later, when DD finally arrived, the midwife who delivered her said that they had broken when I'd thought.

Best of luck!

Desiderata · 24/06/2007 15:22

I was woken up at 6am by a POP! I sat on the side of the bed, and my waters broke - straight into my dh's new shoes.

The contractions came immediately after, but it took another 48 hours before I actually gave birth.

RuthT · 24/06/2007 20:41

My waters broke when I went to the curry house to pick up the take away. They flooded the floor and my pale blue trousers! It felt like a weird release.

Had contractions as soon as I got home with take away (yes I drove home). It took 5 hours from waters breaking to holding dd.

My friend had a trickle and said although not as dramatic it really was clear what it was that happened.

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