I dont ^know^ if my waters have started breaking. Do I ring up delivery suite to tell them?...

[lynniep]

...knowing that even if it has started, they'll just tell me to 'go and have a bath'?

Last time I went into labour, I wasnt really sure either, because it seemed just like a little trickle, and then meconium appeared and waters were forgotten, as I had to go in to hospital because of the meconium.

All last night I was up and down for the loo (own fault - too much juice before bed!) and each time I felt a bit 'damp' down below, but I couldnt really tell whether it was amniotic fluid or just a bit of wee leakage. (sorry if tmi!!)

This morning, DS noticed that my side of the bed was a tiny bit wet where I'd been sitting - he was right, it was, but only the tiniest patch so that I hadnt noticed myself.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I should I ring up the delivery suite to let them know, because their bog standard answer to everything is either 'have a bath' or 'take some paracetamol'. I know this because I already rang them twice this week with other issues.

So is there any point? My baby is still protected as there's plenty of fluid still in there even if I am leaking. No other signs of labour. I'm on antibiotics anyway because of cellulitis in my leg. (reason for ringing them earlier in week - good job I ignored their advice and called in 'friend who is nurse' to check me out)

I'm just pondering really. I dont think I will ring them yet...

I'm 40+2 btw!!

I would ring the midwife, see what she says!
Good Luck

I would call them they can do a swab which turns a colour if it is amniotic fluid and so they will be able to tell you if your waters have broken or not, a word of warning though i'm in scotland and when it was established this way that it was my waters that had borken I had 24 hours to go into labour naturally or I would be coming back the next day for an induction as there is a risk of infection after 24 hours so they say.this was my experience anyway.

Labour didn't start, so I was induced, I argued with them so instead of using a drip they tried the gel first which worked, and the drip would have caused more pain. they used the gel as it had been 10 years since my last baby, if I had had one recently they said it would have had to be the drip. If you are induced you have to have the monitoring thing on you, which sucks.

none of this may happen, you may go into labour in the next 24hours!!! I hope so! good luck, hope everything goes well

If you put a pad on, the midwives can do a test on it to see if it is indeed waters or wee (I think) and you can also try smelling it, waters are supposed to smell sweet.

I'm just going upstairs to smell the sheet

I know what the midwife will say. She'll say 'ring the delivery suite' who will say 'just wait and see what happens.' and 'have a bath'

Thanks for responses!!

I've put a pad on to see if theres more leakage to try and get a better idea as I suspect they may suggest this too. Then I can ring them with something more concrete...

Yes, but don't do what I did and put it in a nappy bag, completely disguising the smell!

You should call your labour unit, I know this because when my waters went at 1am, I went back to bed and called them at 0830 the next morning, only to be chastised for not calling right away...

hmm inconclusive sniff test. However its not wee, so I guess it must my waters...

sounds like waters to me! this happened to me and it took me 2 days to ring the midwife, oops

Any news?

In response, no, don't call them it'll be fine, you're only 40 + 2. Why would you think there was any chance you might be going into labour?!

or...

"Yes, call them!!!!!!"

I can see why you hesitated, you have called this week about other things but I think you really should.

I had (small) wet patches on my side of the bed for weeks. Went in to the ds to be checked for broken waters and was told they were intact. They decided it was discharge. Nice!!

Good luck.

What happened then? Did you phone? Was it your waters? Have you had the baby?

lynniep - how are you today?

Any news lynniep?