Waters leaked at 31 weeks - can anyone help?

[paranoidmummy]

Was wondering if anyone has anyone experience of this? I'm 31 wks preg with my 2nd child. I felt a bit damp all morn yest then as i walked out of sainsburys(!)i suddenly had a gush of water. it was enough to soak through my underwear and through the crutch area of my trousers (sorry if tmi).

anyway i went home and put a pad on, called my local delivery unit and went straight in. when i got there my towel was damp but not soaked. they monitored baby for a good hour and despite multiple loss of contacts cos it kept wriggling away from the monitor (!) it was a good trace and heartbeat seemed fine. i was examined and cervix long and thin and totally closed. they couldn't see any more leakage so took swabs for infection and told me to go home and rest for a couple of days. said that provided i have no further leakage or pains and as long as my swabs com back clear then i can carry on as normal. they seem to think it must have just been a slight leak and as long as it remains as it is i don't need to worry. i'm just wondering if anyone has any experience of this? am going out of my mind with worry!

(BUMP)

Anyone medical out there? or had experience of this?

Hi - yes, I've had this - mine popped at 26 weeks! But they only diagnosed it at 28 weeks.

I had what they called a hind water leak - like a slow puncture but it must be monitored. Infection is the biggest problem....and that's what I got at 34 weeks. All was fine with the baby - BUT I would insist on being monitored. Infection creeps up - and I took anti-biotics and charted my temperature twice a day - as even a slight rise is an indication of infection.

I was told not to bath - just shower as it limits the risks of infection - so no swimming. And also ensure pads are changed reguarly - not just when wet. And no sex either....

I'm surprised they've not given you a steriod injection to help mature your baby's lungs. Basically it's a bit of insurance should you go into labour, get an infection or your waters reach a critically low level and baby needs to come earlier. I'd also ask for a scan - I was told this is the only way of seeing the water levels - and if they are being replenished. I was monitored twice a week...with a scan every couple of weeks.

This all happened to me 14 months ago - and I'm now pregnant again...so it all seems really fresh in my mind.

I'm sure it'll be fine - but definatley nag to get proper monitoring. Low water levels can cause problems - you just need reassurance really to see where they are at.

Good luck x

This happened to me at 33 weeks and like Jeanjeannie I was given a steroid injection. I was also given a scan as incidentially the same day I had the leakage I had also had an antenatal appointment and the midwife said that I was measuring small for dates. It turned out that my lycal fluids were reduced. I had a few more minor leaks over the next couple of weeks and eventually I had to have a c-section (breech) at 37 weeks as my lycal fluids were almost non-existent and I picked up an infection. My leaks were always minimal, hardly enough to even notice. I agree with Jeanjeannie definitely ensure you get proper monitoring, my hospital seemed to treat it as being quite serious and I had to have weekly scans from 33 weeks.

Agree with princessosyth - my hospital treated it very seriously. I was actually admitted for 4 days...and then let out once it was established labour wasn't imminent.

Apprently it's not alway possible for the waters to be replenished quick enough - some days I leaked lots others very slightly. My dd now has odd little physical quirks - such as slightly wide apart eyes, low down, bent over ears and leg bowing - thought to be synonymous with low waters. She is fine and looks great - sounds worse than it is - but it's just to illustrate that it can sometimes have an effect.

Can't stress enough to go and nag for consistant monitoring - It's when nagging is actually a good thing! x

thank you for your replies everyone. I'm definitely going to nag now. I'm seeing my midwife tomorrow so am going to ask to be sent for a scan to check things.

in terms of steroids, they said they would't give me them as they couldn't diagnose it was definitely a rupture as they didn't see any more fluid coming out on examination. they were friendly but i kind of got the impression they were trying to say to me 'are you sure you didn't piss yourself?!' which i am 100% sure that i didn't. having had my waters break before with my 1st baby it felt almost identical just less fluid and it stopped. plus (sorry tmi coming up!) i am pretty positive i have never pissed out of that hole before!!!

so, would people suggest it i ok to wait until i see my midwife tom? and is it just scans i request? i'm quite scared now. what if they don't listen to me?

I'm not sure how it works where you are but where I am, after 26 weeks the midwife doesn't take responsibility for any problems that occur outside normal appointments. So, if your waters break after then, you phone the maternity ward and they see you.

I would say talk to the midwife - and if she can action a scan quickly then great. But if not - can you contact the hospital directly? Just that at 31 weeks, you're only 3 weeks off when I gave birth!!

I'm sceptical about the reasons for not giving the steroid jab...just that you're hardly going to leak on request!!! I'd bet my last biscuit that you've not p*eed yourself, especially as you're on dc2.

Personally - I'd definately want a scan - and a steroid jab, just for the extra security. I'd also want to know about infection protection - and the use of anti-biotics. I was actually in 2 hospitals over the 4 days I was in - and both advocated anti-biotic use and temperature taking. And i'm the last person to want to fill up my system with anti-biotics.

See what joy you get from your midwife - and if your not happy then go with plan B and see if you can contact hospital direct. Let us know how you get on x

thank you jeanjeannie i will def take your advice. i am seeing the midwife at 9am tom so if she can't do anything i will call delivery unit straight away and tell them i am really worried. i would def rather have the scan and the injection just to be sure.

can i just ask, was your little one ok being born at 34 weeks? it scares me so much.

Hi - dd was fine - she's sat on my knee now - trying to type with me She was in special care for 2 weeks but that was to fatten her up as she was very little (4lb 2) and lost weight (down to 3lb 4) but that was because she hated her feeding tube and was a bit jaundiced. Nothing else wrong with her - just weeny...skinny little bum! We even managed to get some breastfeeding going on with the tube in She's almost 15 months now - and is exactly the same weight and height as all her little friends.

Her growth had always been spot on but once I started to lose water, her growth slowed - maybe lack of space - not sure. So, there's just one reason to make sure they keep a check.

I was probably worse off - as the infection I got destroyed my placenta (turn away if TMI ) and it was apparently like 'mashed jelly' !!! I ended up with emergency c-section and took some time to sort it out which left me more battered and bruised than usual.

Think that's a fine plan - midwife first and if no joy - delivery unit. Please, please don't worry about annoying them. Where we are, you'd probably have been admitted for observation by now - so get what you need!
x

hi ive just come out of hospital last week after being kept in for a week after my waters went(hind waters they think]. ive been on antibiotics for nearly 2 weeks as i had infection they found infection in bloods they took. they only let me home as my level of infection dropped by one point which showed the tablets where working. i had 3 scans within that week to check water levels as the intenal they do is not 100%.i also had this with my first baby but they said my waters hadnt gone then when she was born at 36 weeks they sent me a letter saying i had had a womb infection thats why my baby come early.so please make sure u get checked over again request a scan, its best at seeing if waters have gone, luckly i do have enough water around my baby.take care x

jeanjeannie - so pleased to hear that your little girl is well, sounds like she has progressed brilliantly.

Thank you again to everyone for all your advice. I have been to midwife who was actually utterly brilliant. she said exactly the same happened to her when she was preg 14 years ago! they accused her of pissing herself too and she said she was positive it wasn't. as i said yest u can tell the diff can't you?! she took it really seriously as her ds came early (he was fine but still...) she called aau who said to call delivery suite! they were very busy but she was adamant that i get seen so i am going in at 3pm. she checked baby this morn too and all seems fine. protein has disappeared from my urine too which implies it was my waters on sunday. good news is that me and baby are both still measuring 2 weeks ahead so chances are i am more like 33 weeks which makes me feel much much better if this lo does make an early appearance!

will keep you updated after this pm but thank you all so much!

Hi Paranoidmummy - SO pleased you got a great result from the midwife. I'm sure everything will be fine - but it's great to have that peace of mind especially as you've another dc who demands all your attention - you probably haven't got time to sit and panic about yourself - so you need all the reassurance you can get.

Do keep us updated - and fingers crossed. You're a good way along now - so that's even more reason to suspect everything will be fine. x

well that was a pile of shit! i am going to cut a long story short but basically when i got there the midwife was quite good but stil asked thye general 'pissed yourself didn't u?!' questions. she said that she thought a scan would be best idea and then maybe some antibiotics. checked on bp which she said was fine (actualy wasn't fine at all - 130/90 which may well be ok as an average but if she had looked at my notes she would see that my bp has NEVER EVER been over 102/60 so i'd say it was quite high for me personally but anyway...)she then checked baby's heart which was fine.

then old bitchface dr came in. she said she would examine me and if there was no fluid leaking then she couldn't be sure my waters had gone. she examined and there was no pool or trickle so she said whatever had gushed sunday had obv gone now and she couldn't be sure it was PROM. so i asked about antibiotics and whether i could have a scan to measure fluid. she looked at me like i was a piece of poo and told me that she would not give antibiotics when she wasn't sure of diagnosis as it 'is not ideal' and that as i am measuring 33 weeks with tape measure she said it suggests there is plenty of fluid in there - GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. so i asked what measures i should take to avoid infection. her response was... 'NONE'. she said it looks like it would have been a small tear that will regenerate itself and that its fine to have baths,sex etc. i asked about being monitored in case f infection and she looked at me like i'd grown two heads and repeated herself saying there was very minimal chance of infection.
Another midwife came back in and she asked dr again about scan and dr said to her 'no need' that was it! i was pretty visibly fucked off by now and midwife tried to make it better by saying if i have any decreased movements, feel more water etc to come back. i mumbled something about that is what i have done and haven't exactly had any help with them so what's the point.
so i left NO better off. other than the fact that i have now decided i will NOT be having my baby there and am going to contact my midwife about a home birth. they are shit and crap and rubbish and i don't trust them! i just pray to god that she is right and my baby is ok. i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mad. right that is it... rant over... phew

I am so annoyed at your story. Same thing happened to me when I was 32 wks pgt with DD. I went to hopital and was actually in early labour. Was also given the steroid and was told I had small leak and had several scan after that.

Despite all this, each time I saw the registrar for follow up appointment and said I had little leaks, she still aske me if I hadn't p--d myself...if I did then why did I go into labour at 32 weeks.

Be strong, insist, like you mention change hospital if you need to. You deserve decent care

Mine happened last time at 38+6 though so I was full term. But I had the same old questions, you peed yourself, all that. It's infuriating. Thankfully a consultant stepped in (36hrs later though after repeated trips to ward and CFM) - he scanned me and decided I had to be induced as there were absolutely NO waters left at all. Why in this situation they do not give you an quick ultrasound god only knows. It took 5 minutes to confirm the position and then they can administer treatment/advise you as necessary. I was induced and my baby given 48h of precautionary antibiotics although she was absolutely fine. They sound appalling and you just need to kick up a goddam fuss I'm afraid.

OMG!!! I'm sitting here SEETHING You MUST get someone to listen - this is outrageous. Is there another hospital you can go to?

I spent two weeks getting my hospital to listen - and they actually threw away a sample I collected But when they realised their mistake they back-tracked so fast it was amazing...that's when they admitted me. It's so dangerous to assume your water level is fine - they can't tell by measurement - that's prehistoric.

Practical advice now ! Have you got anything you can collect a sample in? Keep it near the bed - and if it happens again, grab some - take it to a midwife/hospital and insist they test it. And take steps yourself to prevent infection....do just shower....and keep clean pads nearby etc. And really, really look at your knickers...(sorry, gross I know) if anything looks even slilghtly greeny or yellow or just doesn't smell right - then get it checked.

I really wouldn't be happy giving birth there.....go back to that midwife and DEMAND proper care. Let us know how you get on....I'm just so angry reading your story that I may have a small sherry to calm down!!! x

thank you jeanjeannie, i am still on the case. well the good news is that i am not feeling damp anymore so it is likely to be a small leak which makes me feel a little better. i am still cross tho. spoke to my midwife and she was lovely and just said to keep a really good eye on things. she did say that she was sure things would be fine and although the dr was inexcusable the fact they are not worried is a good sign. she just said if ANYTHING doesn't feel right to go straight back.

one thing tho and this is our little secret... yest the dr reiterated what they told me on sun that in my case cos its a small leak it is fine to have baths, sex etc. well, i was feeling very cross and unloved and as they said it was ok i thought i would allow dh to do his thing blush well anyway, my m/w just now said she would prob advise against it even tho the dr said it was ok. whoops... i wish they would make up their fucking minds!

after reading your post i will def def keep an eye on my smelly old knickers as well and at the slight sign of anything i'll be back up there.

i am feeling a little better about it all today as i feel that as soon as i feel something isn't right i will go straight back and just eep hassling. the fact thnat the leaking has stopped and my bump still measures will is keeping me happy. am going to keep measuring it daily and also check my temperature for any change. am also doing a movement diary for bubs. i just hope and pray that this dr is right and i am being a hypochondriac. they seem pretty confident i won't get an infection so let's just hope they are bloody right

You had 'unmentionables' with your husband....Shocking!! Hahahaha - don't blame you after the stressful time you've had. And now you're told it's not a good idea...blimey...well at least you had a bit of fun before being told not to!

Yeah - just keep an eye on it - best thing. And you sound like the sort of person who'll take no rubbish if it all kicks off again

Do let me know how it goes - you're on the home straight now. I'm only just after half way...but it's racing along so quickly. Best not be too quick as dp is only just about to start building a kitchen..!! Take care x