What happens if you have a slow water leak at 33+ weeks?

[NatalieJaneIsPregnantAgain]

I have a scan tomorrow, but I am fairly sure they are going to find my water levels low because I have been losing some every now and then.

What do they do? I know at term they want the baby out within a couple of days, but not sure what happens before term?

Is there not a risk of infection?

Pop a pad in and see what occurs. If it smells like urine, fair enough, but waters smell different. How much is the flow?

There is a risk of infection. Have you told them that you are leaking?

My hind waters broke and they told me this is ok not like the fore waters - apparently the hind waters can re seal themselves

I got this from another website but maybe puts it better than me
quote
"A few women experience what is called a hind-water leak. This is where a small hole opens in the sac up behind the baby's head, closer to the baby's body. Hind-water leaks can continue as a slow dribble or leak, or stop after a while. The amniotic fluid may stop coming away because the two layers of membrane (in the sac) slip back over each other to reseal the hole. This is why some women notice a dribble of fluid and then getting nothing more for several days until the fore-waters (or the part of the sac in front of the baby's head) break with a larger gush."

Sorky, have tried the pad thing, but by the time I've realised I am feeling quite damp, (ahem, am trying to choose my words carefully!) I put a pad on and nothing happens, it collects nothing. There is no flow, have only had it a few times, a couple of times over the last month or so, but maybe 3 times in the last week or so.

Phantom, yes I told them, explained it smells like waters rather than wee or anything else (this is no.3 so I know the smell) I got a raised eyebrow and "Oh that'll just be excessive discharge" I had a slow leak similar to this with DS2 but didn't know the smell then, I did just think it was discharge, this is deffo not discharge.

Thanks for info Queen

I am a little bit worried because the baby has barely moved for the past week, for anyone who hasn't seen my many threads on the subject! I have been in and out of hospital all of last week, I am seriously swollen, they have done loads of tests (including PET bloods again) everything was clear, my BP was starting to edge into being 'high' then it dropped to lower than it was at the start of this pregnancy, it is now starting to creep back up very slowly, but is still lower than at booking in.

Will just be glad to get tomorrow over with, if there is nothing going on then great, but if there is, hopefully they can do something and we can stop all the worrying and back and forth to the hospital.

I hope it goes well for you. They can do a swab test which can detect amniotic fluid in your vagina. It's alot faster to tell if you are leaking this way.

I wonder how long any traces of amniotic fluid can be detected though, last damp moment was yesterday, today I've had a shower this morning, and a bath this evening, tomorrow will have another morning shower, so unless any more leaked out between now and then, I can't see them finding any trace of it?

I just want some answers, am really sick of being shoved from pillar to post.

I've worked with a midwife so have felt the tummy of a lady with low fluid. There was no cushioning there, no bounce when I felt around her tummy and I could just feel baby. The best way of showing what's going on is to have a scan. There is a chance they will want your little one out sooner rather than later. You do need to prepare yourself for this. Slow movements highly indicate this, if they don't do anything then you need to call your midwife and get her to come and back you up. She will know what this means. Sometimes the womb just isn't the right place for them, your body can only do so much and it can be better for the baby fo it to be delivered early. My sister had a Csection at 33 weeks. Her son was in the scubu for a few weeks, it's his birthday on the 22nd December.

You must be so worried. I wish I could say something to help but I know I can't.

I actually said to DH this afternoon that I'll be spending tomorrow morning packing the hospital bag, hoping we won't need it for at least a couple of weeks yet though.

As for how my belly feels, it is all baby, but then it has been from the begining, compared to DS2 I am tiny, I can't really remember DS1, but from photo's I am no where near as big even with him.

Oh NAT!!

I just happened to click on this and didn't realise it was you till I read the top!! I hope everything is ok for you.

Thanks Jen

I'm sorry but I don't think the slowing of movements at this gestation and for this legnth a sign that should be left for a couple of weeks. If it were my baby I would want it delivered as quickly as possible, taking into account the fact that you are 33+. There are huge risks associated with the slowing of movements. Keep your midwife informed, call her tomorrow before you go to your appointment and tell her that the movements have slowed down for almost a week. She should be on the ball and she should phone the hospital on your behalf. It is important that you do monitor your baby's movements and do not leave this any longer than necessary.

Nat - Please do everything ASAP. In fact if it were me (i'm a worrywart) i'd be on the phone now asking at least for a heart monitor.

Darn. Do you think I frightened her off?

Phantom, I have been monitoring the movements, I've been in nearly every night last week on the monitors for hours, the babies heartrate was too high a couple of times, my pulse was too fast another time, they found a protein + on Thursday (I think, might have been Friday - can't remember now) I also got a protein + at home the next day, but that seems to have cleared now. They have done PET, MSCU (???? should grab my notes, something like that anyway, and I don't know what it means!) and another lot of bloods, also sent the urine sample that had the protein + away for further tests, all have come back clear.

I have been saying all week I didn't know why they didn't just scan him/the placenta, if the scan is OK tomorrow I think they will be stumped, and I can't see them delivering me sooner rather than later if they can't find something wrong, thankfully! But it still leaves us in an almost unbearable position, I am obviously no expert but things just don't feel right, and I don't know how, or even what they can do if everything seems fine tomorrow.

No sorry, I wrote a load more but then realised how much moaning I'd done so edited it!

Jen, I have a doppler, the heart beat is OK, and he is actually wriggling a bit tonight.

ok then - If I were you I'd insist on a proper scan tomorrow. You won't take no for an answer and you want to be SHOWN everything!

In the meantime - Keep in touch more and me and Aaliyah will keep our fingers/toes crossed for you that you can keep going till term.

TBH, I couldn't care less what they do, as long as it gives us some answers.

The not knowing part is the worst bit. It is the whole spectrum from there being absolutely nothing wrong, just a crappy pregnancy, to there being something quite serious wrong and he could be out by this time tomorrow, it just all seems so OTT, and unreal at the moment, but if it is bad news it is going to be real in an instant.

It's good that you keep going back. I would go back again. They have done some geneal blood work to check your blood levels, however, there is strong evidence from what you have said that this baby needs delivering. I'm not a midwife. I worked with one for a month during paeds nurse training. I remember well her warnings on reduced fetal movements and what it means. If things don't feel right then they are probably not. Your baby needs constant monitoring in hospital. The lask of amniotic fluid means that your placenta is not working as it should (they can pick this up with the ultrasound), the reduced movements are an indicator that your baby is not happy. If the movements have reduced tonight you must go back. Get a second opinion if you need to.

No, he has been moving a bit tonight.

They don't seem anywhere near as concerned as you do. This afternoon, until she had measured and decided the measurement was too small (and we all know how far out the fundal height measurement can be) I'd have been sent away with clear blood/urine results and left to get on with it.

This is what I mean about the scan though, if they find everything looks OK, then what could they do next? They've checked everything surely?

You need to come to Derby. They are on the ball here!

They will be looking at the amount of fluid, the baby's size and the blood flow throught the placenta. They will deliver if the levels are too low as the nutrients the baby needs to grow may not be getting to the baby, hence the low weight. This sounds like a high risk pregnancy to me so they need to get their act together, keep recording the movements. Use the dopler if they slow, there are normally alot during the night. Please call them if they slow down. It really is not a good sign.

I am recording it all, I have not one, but two kick charts (special I am ) and I have been adding the doppler info to them, which they completely ignore anyway, but I've done it more for me than them.

Thanks for all of your advice tonight, I am going to go and get into bed, fingers crossed I'll be getting into bed tomorrow with some answers to what on earth is going on. I will tell you how it all goes tomorrow (or when I can)

G'night

I really do hope everything's alright. Let me know.

Thanks again, I'll let you know as soon as I can.

Hello

Scan was fine, baby is fine for dates, fluid is low, not too low to cause major concern, but they want to keep an eye on it, so they've booked another scan for next Thursday (I think, will double check that! Next week anyway) I've got to go back in this Thursday for a trace, and probably again over the weekend or early next week for another trace, and I can go in any time in between if worried. Ermmmm, think that's it, so no solid answers, but feel like they are finally doing something rather than waiting for me to turn up at all hours!

That's really good. Go back anyway if the movements start to dip but it sounds like they are getting better. I hope you feel more relaxed. A christmas baby hey!