My waters have gone at 30 weeks

[BananaHammock23]

I'm currently on the labour ward, unable to sleep and worried. I've had a normal, easy pregnancy then today out of nowhere my waters broke, I'm 30+2. I'm being kept in for monitoring for now. Can anyone share any experience of this?

My dad was born around 30 weeks before incubators were a thing never mind the fancy nicus! My gran was told to go home and they would let her know when he passed away. Obviously that didn't happen. He's the shortest of his siblings but that is the only difference!

Yep exactly the same for me @FraterculaArctica - it's such a funny feeling being sent home and essentially told to hope for 37 weeks but be prepared at any minute! Glad you and your DS were both ok!

Wow @Superscientist - that must have been so traumatic for your gran. It's amazing how much they can do for babes these days

How are you @BananaHammock23 ?

Hope it’s OK to join here. I’m going to go back and read all of the posts so far. I’m 33+6 and have just been admired due to leaking waters. Had a trickle at 9pm and went in to be checked, although didn’t get seen until 2am. Swab confirmed it is my waters. Hasn’t sunk in yet, don’t think it will until I’ve been able to get some sleep 😥

@MintGreenLife must be such a shock, I’m only a week behind you and can’t imagine going now. Hopefully they can keep baby in a bit longer but if not a baby born that early is relatively common. I know so many people who had their baby 5/6 weeks early and they’re all absolutely fine. Good luck, fingers crossed it doesn’t come to anything yet

@sarah13xx thank you. As I’m sure you can imagine I didn’t get even 30 seconds of sleep last night. I’m waiting to be seen by the consultant this morning so will hopefully find out more soon x

@MintGreenLife hopefully you’re not waiting too long and maybe manage to get home for some rest. It seems if you make it past the 24 hour mark without going into labour then you quite often don’t go into labour at all. My friend was only 4 weeks early and within 12 hours she knew something was happening so probably a good sign if you don’t x

@sarah13xx still waiting to be seen. I’m mostly worried about being sent home and the risk of infection, even though I’ve been started on antibiotics. Maybe it’s not even a concern once you’re on antibiotics, but haven’t been able to ask anyone yet. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some answers and an idea of what the next steps are soon x

@MintGreenLife aw bless you, that’s an awful long wait 😕 I’m sure the antibiotics will sort you out. They’ll maybe just do some checks on baby then send you away. My friend had to wait for a scan to check baby was okay and the people who do the scans seem to just work 9-5 🙄

Hope all is ok @MintGreenLife. I have a friend who works with premature babies- she says those born after 32 weeks have a really good chance of being totally fine with no health complications when they are older so try not to panic if they do induce you soon

@sarah13xx oh no, that’s so rubbish. They did a scan last night for me to check baby and water levels, and had a CT this morn and last night, so at least I know baby is OK.

@Theweedonkeeey that’s good to know, thank you xx

Just updating - I’m staying in for now but there is talk of me dogging home Monday if everything is looking OK which I feel quite uneasy about. Will voice this and see if maybe it might be better for me to stay in rather than worrying at home. I’ve been given my first steroid injection and plan is to try and get me to 37 weeks. Am taking antibiotics. I’m not really sure I fully understand whah the risk of infection is to baby, but that’s what’s scaring me the most. X

Hi @MintGreenLife - I'm so sorry you're going through this as well! I know it's hard but do try not to panic. I was told I would be in labour within 48 hours, then 7-10 days and now 2 weeks later there's still no sign of baby. Just because this has happened it doesn't mean you're necessarily going to have the baby now. The steroid injections will ensure baby is ready if it does come early. Like PP said, 32 weeks + is really good!

I was sent home after 4 nights in hospital and I go back in for monitoring (for baby and me) plus bloods and swabs twice a week. I also have scans every other week. I was on antibiotics for 10 days and I take my temperature to 4 times a day. The infection risk is higher but it's totally possible that you'll never get one!

I had a growth scan today and the waters have slightly replenished themselves and baby has continued to grow, which is great! I have also had a meeting with a consultant this week and will have the baby via c section at 36 weeks if I don't go into labour naturally first (I refused induction for personal reasons, but that is what was offered).

There is a charity called Little Heartbeats who have loads of resources for people who have experience PPROM (i didn't actually know this is what it was called until I read my notes when I got home). There's also a couple of PPROM Facebook groups that have been great for support and guidance.

Honestly I can't believe I've just written all that having been in your shoes this time exactly two weeks ago. Sending lots of love and positive vibes your way!

Thanks for checking in @RaindropsOnRosie - just posted a bit of an update below!

@BananaHammock23 thanks so much for your reply ☺️ I will definitely check those resources out! Nobody ever really mentioned timelines for me for labour, just that I would be induced and not let to go beyond 37 weeks, which I’m fine with really. Do you know the reason for only giving antibiotics for 10 days? I find that strange as will then have a week and a half without until 37 weeks, although appreciate you have a longer wait. I’m completely exhausted after being on the ward for 3 nights - am currently waiting for a CT scan before I can try and think about getting a fe hours sleep, but then at the same time I’m nervous about going home and being left to monitor things myself. How did you feel about going home? That’s reassuring you were in twice a week, as that’s the plan I’ve been given too x

@MintGreenLife I think because I had a gush rather than a gentle loss of waters they really were expecting me to go into labour. It's funny because in my mind when it happened it never occurred to me that I would go into labour - it was too soon! I didn't make that mental connection that waters breaking = baby having! Luckily it's not been true for me anyway.

I found this patient leaflet from the Royal College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians really reassuring as it mentions need for twice weekly monitoring and regular scans, so I knew that the hospitals were following the correct guidance: www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/patients/patient-information-leaflets/pregnancy/pi-when-your-waters-break-prematurely.pdf

I was desperate to get home from hospital and felt far more at risk of infection there than I do in my own home where it's just me snd my partner. I keep telling myself that I've never got an infection before so I'm unlikely to now, I'm just taking extra precautions (lots of hand washing and cleaning, which I'm naturally doing more because of covid anyway!) I invested in a proper hospital grade inner ear thermometer and do my temp very regularly to check it's not going up. Also keeping a close eye on baby's movements and will call the hospital if anything is out of sorts. I've had a headache for a few days now so I'm going in this morning for my infection blood test a few days early. The hospital have been great and keep telling me I'm not a nuisance if I feel 'off colour' and need to go in and be checked to put my mind at ease.

The antibiotics thing is a bit weird. I asked if I needed to extend my course and they said no unless my infection markers go up again (which they did once, but came back down by the next test and I felt fine in myself). I've got 4 weeks to go now until 36 week delivery snd just focus on getting through each day and week and think that fi the baby comes sooner it'a had steroids etc and will be ready for the world.

Sorry that's an essay!! Hope you managed to get some sleep last night, it's awful on the wards in this heat! X

@BananaHammock23 thanks so much for sharing so much info - that’s all so helpful and good to be able to speak to someone going through the same thing.

They did say my bloods this morn showed my white blood cells were up slightly, but that something else was down and so that balanced things out, so think that’s probably similar to what you’ve had - one marker for infection going up, but then not a worry as should come back down again. I thought I was going home today but being kept in again as I had CT monitoring that didn’t pass this morning even after an hour on the monitor, but then had a repeat 4 hours later that did pass in 10 mins. Got a scan booked for tomorrow afternoon and then hopefully heading home! Do you have a link to the thermometer you got out of interest? Might get a better one myself to be on the safe side! X

@scaredsadandstuck

Just to add to the positive stories one of my friends' waters broke around 30/31 weeks. Baby was in hospital for about six weeks I think. He's now a perfectly healthy, happy 12 year old 🙂

My friend's waters broke at 27 weeks the baby was born weighing under 2lbs. Baby is now a healthy 8 y/o child. It is miraculous just what doctors can do.

@MintGreenLife it sounds like you've had a really similar experience to me and even been in hospital about the same amount of time. Fingers crossed tomorrow you'll get to go home and have some good rest! It wasn't until my 4th night on the wards that I got any sleep because I was so exhausted from not sleeping the first few nights!

This is the thermometer I got: www.amazon.co.uk/Braun-ThermoScan-Ear-Thermometer-Precision/dp/B07KVNC3SW
It was expensive but it's worth it for the peace of mind!

I had a very high temp this morning so ended up back in for monitoring but bloods didn't show any infection thankfully so managed to get back home. It's so stressful after PPROM to relax again, I'm constantly looking for signs and symptoms that something is wrong! X

@BananaHammock23 oh bless you, I didn’t sleep a wink first two nights, then last couple of nights I have actually managed a good 4ish hours I think, which has massively helped. Think I’ll have to sleep for at least a day when I get home though to recover! Ive been having a bit of a nightmare with the CT monitoring the last few days - they were going fine but had three yesterday, one of which was perfect, and the others they were a bit concerned about. Had the same again this morning and by 7am had two midwives and two consultants in with me. Eventually they decided they were happy. I’m having a scan this afternoon so hopefully that’ll offer some reassurance and I’ll be able to go home.

Brilliant, thanks for the thermometer link. Sorry to hear you ended back in yesterday, but better to be checked. Glad to hear all was fine with your bloods! I had more done last night despite only having them yesterday morning, but after the monitoring wasn’t going well they rushed to get fluids in via a cannula, only to decide it wasn’t necessary and so just took some bloods, which came back fine. Yeah I can imagine, I think I’ll be quite on edge at home, but at least we can come in anytime to be checked, and are probably encouraged to do so! X

@BananaHammock23 do you mind me asking how often you’re taking your temp? I’m finally back home now. I was having it done every 4 hours while in hosp I think, including a 3am set of observations, just wondering if I need to set an alarm and take in the night as well as day time?!

Hey @MintGreenLife how are you feeling now you're home? I take mine in the morning, in the afternoon if I remember and then before bed! It's always a little higher in the morning so if it's worrying then I take it again a few hours later. Get all the rest you can, don't worry about waking yourself up at crazy o clock! X

@BananaHammock23 I’m feeling ok, calmer than I thought I would be. I’ve been taking mine when I’ve been taking my antibiotics, so four times a day - is easier to remember to do both around the same time I think. I’ve also been put on iron tablets as apparently I’m boarderline anemic too. Think the combo of antibiotics, aspirin (high risk for pre eclampsia) and now iron tablets too are a bit much as now suffering from an upset tummy on top of everything else 🤦🏻‍♀️ How are you getting on? X

@BananaHammock23 how are you doing?

Hey @minmooch thanks for checking in. Im good thanks, still pregnant! 34 weeks tomorrow, which feels incredible considering they gave me 48 hours (and then up to 10 days) when I was admitted to hospital! It's been a emotional and testing few weeks tbh, we've been in for monitoring twice a week but I've been called back because of high infection markers or had to go in for reduced movements etc so I feel like we've been in hospital almost everyday. The other day the CTG picked up what they thought might be mild contractions but another false alarm. The hospital have been great at monitoring me though and I feel well looked after on all fronts. My partner has been amazing. I'm finding it hard being on high alert all the time as the consultant has been insistent that labour could happen any time and I need to be prepared for that. That said, we've had a c section booked for 36+4 so we're only a few weeks from meeting the baby if it doesn't make an appearance of it's own accord sooner. Trying to soak up every day of being pregnant not knowing when it will be over. This is an IVF pregnancy (and my first) and it was very difficult to get here so I want to try and enjoy what's left of it.

How are you doing @MintGreenLife?