water breaking

[ammanda]

I was just wondering how many woman actually have there water break before actual labor starts or anything...  Please explain ur expeirence with me also.  and will i know for sure when my water breaks or when i have a contraction.. im due in 4 days and starting to worry that i wont know im in labor, and since I live an hour away from the hospital i will be delievering at, im very worried.

[Raerae336]

I'm doin this from my cell phone so i'll explain my experience..:) was induced with my first but my water broke with my second. You will know when you're in labor. I think everyone has this fear when they are pregnant. With my second i had had false labor twice but i was sleeping and kept waking up and wondering why my stomach hurt on and off then i realized maybe i'm in labor? then i called my mom and woke DH and he said its probably false labor (it was eleven days before my due date) and then i paced my hallway with contractions that were five minutes apart and i laid back down tried to get comfortable and my water broke!:) When they are consistent and not going away with walking, changing positions, rest then they are more than likely true contractions i also know you said you've been losing mucus for weeks a lot of times you'll pass mucus with bloody show which generally is bright red blood not brown or light pink. Good luck to you almost there!

[blueeyedtabbycat]

I cant vote, but I can tell you my experiance. With my first 3 babies the docotrs broke it when I was in active labor. Now with my last baby and first girl (if that makes a diffrence) it broke while I was sitting my computer desk on MH:~) No contractions. besides a few BH. Went to the hospital and after a few hours was put on pitocin. My last baby was also my longest labor even though my water broke on its own.
Its really hard explain how or what it felt like but  I'll try. You will definitly know when your water breaks unlesss you have a very slow leak.
I had just got up to reliev my bladder and I sat back down at my computer. After sitting there for a few minutes I felt what I would like to call a vaginal fart, haha. Kinda like a little pop. I stood up and the flood gates opened, lol.
It was very noticable:~) Good luck!

Btw- I cant believe your little man hasnt made his apperance! He must be stubborn:~)

[nickieb85]

Hey hey! With both of my boys my water broke at home. This actually only happens between 10-12% of women... Mine (as doctors have told me) is contributed to the weight of the baby and also my cervix was dilated between 3 cm and 4 cm for it to happen for me. Apparently my cervix can only take so much weight of the baby and that is also true for my water breaking. Also, as weird as this is, the smaller I am in weight when I get pregnant then the less the baby weighs when my water breaks. (EX. 1st baby I was 130 lbs when I got pregnant and weighed 189 the day I delivered and baby weighed 8lbs 5oz-- 2nd baby I was 123 lbs, weighed 172 when I delivered and baby weighed 7lb 12.5 oz) =)

[Dolphin05]

Oh were to start because i had 2 totally different labors. Well with my first i was in a car accident at 39 weeks 5 days and was of course taken to the hospital. Where i was monitored for like 4 hours and nothing but was told i was at risk and could not leave untill i had my baby so i was induced. Then the labor pain and contractions started but my water did not break untill i was given a cathader after i got the epidural. Then with my second son i started contracting at 33 weeks went to the hospital and was told it was not contractions it was just pressure from everything expanding. I was working a ft job at a restaurant at this time and was told to buy one of the belts to support my belly. Well the next night the same pains cam back while i was at work and they were 10 times worse so i had to leave work. When i left i went home and around 2am i was taken to the hospital feeling like i was in full labor. When the nurse checked me i was dialated to 4cm and water still intact. My water did not break untill they checked me again later and was almost ready to push. I hope this helps you out a little bit. I would say if you are in labor pain and contracting about every 5 min go to the hospital.

[beaut22]

My babyboy is 2 months old.... you will know when your water brakes.....You will be able to tell..  it was 3:15am It felt like I had to use the bathroom.... on my way down the hall I felt a gush of water between my legs.....I thought I peed on myself .... but it didn't feel like it when the rush began.... when I sat on the toilet I noticed my mucus plug bursted..... I stayed sitting on the toilet (where I felt most comfortable...rocking back and forth) I knew I was in labor because I was cramping then it would stop every few minutes.... I called the doc she thought because it was my first child I was probably not in labor.....she told me to time contractions for two hours then come in.... I got to the hospital @ 6:30am.. I was dialated 4 cen..... contractions feel like period cramps {but veryyyy heavy} and you can't take no meds...

[ammanda]

Thank you ladies!! I love hearing stories about different births.. Ive just been so discouraged, and starting to think Ill never go into labor on my own, I have spent the last couple days really depressed.. Ive waiting so long for my due date to come around and even had myself believing he would come early, and hes still not here, i know I still have 4 days till my due date, but I havnt felt any different.  And my doctor last told me Id have to wait a week before he would induce me, I cant imagine waitng another week.  Ive been imagining this day for along time.. im being so emotional and such a cry baby, but i just really want to hold my son.. and would love for him to be here for mothers day. that would be th most amazing gift in the world

[Dolphin05]

That would be a great gift for you and your family. I hope it happens for you!!! Just try not to stress about it and let it happen naturally, when your baby is ready. From my experience the contractions hurt way worse when i was induced. I wish you the best.

[Limonada]

I was induced twice and had my water broken for me both times.  I heard that it's actually pretty rare to have it gush out like you'd see in the movies or whatever....although I know someone who that happened to, when she was at a salon getting pre-birth pampering done, of all places!

[Ladybugbc]

This is a very interesting poll. Love it!!!
I am also a little cautious about the whole water breaking thing and even put a mattess pad as if it happens in my bed I don't want to ruin the mattress...lol!!

with the raging hormones and crying I don't think you are that far away from being able to hold your baby. Hang in there chickie.. hugs!!

[feather2e]

I was 37 weeks and was sleeping downstairs on the couch as this was the only place I was comfortable at this point. At 1:15 am I woke up as I thought I had peed I went to the bathroom and a little water came out. I went up to my husband and told him I thought my water broke so I was going to call the doctor. I went back to sit on the toilet and had a huge gush of water. Told the doctor and headed to the hospital which is also an hour away. After 5-10 mins in the car my contractions were really intense  and so close I couldnt take a breath.I got to the hospital at 2:30, begging for the epidural which I got at 4:30.I delivered Fionn at 8:15.

[JoyRenee]

I voted based on my most current birth. My water broke at home. Believe me- YOU WILL KNOW! It is nothing like peeing your pants. It almost feels like a balloon gently popping (doesn't hurt and SOME women hear a sound but I don't recall hearing anything). It's a hard sensation to describe but it was like I felt like my bag of waters popped and then fluid just came out.

I was laying down when I felt all this liquid and felt that weird "deflating" sensation in my stomach and KNEW my water broke. So when I stood up I did have a gush (she also wasn't fully engaged; when their head is fully engaged it acts as a plug so you won't always have a gush, maybe just a trickle).

I started shaking immediately. Your water breaking causes a hormonal reaction. You will shake/shiver in labor at some point and that is completely normal. My teeth were chattering horribly and I just felt shaky. It passed after several minutes. Then the contractions started and got stronger and stronger by the time we reached the hospital.

Before my water broke I didn't have consistent contractions and I was 40 weeks 3 days so I felt like, "WHEN am I ever going to go into labor?!" She was born 5 hours after my water broke.

***

My previous two births; I was already at the hospital for contractions and to help things progress they broke my water. Both times they broke my water it only took about 3 hours until I was pushing and had a baby in my arms. So my water did NOT break at home with those two.

I don't know if it is more common for women who've already given birth to have their water break or what.

[penswriter]

with my one and only pregnancy my water broke. i was 34 weeks (with twin boys) and just got out of the shower when there was a gush. i yelled for my mom (i was a high risk pregnancy so dh and i decided it would be best that i stay with mom, we were stationed in d.c...he was the marine...me the wife...and it was a good thing too. he was on 24 hr duty when my water broke..thank god he had another marine with him so he could leave) and when she came in i looked at her and said "i think i peed on the floor. i didn't know i had to pee.." she laughed and said "honey...that wasn't pee, your water broke." me: "no way. i still have 6 more weeks to go. they're not done in there yet." mom: "apparently they disagree." me: "well, i have to shower again...i feel gross."


i got in the shower....45 minutes later we left. we stopped for something to eat on the way to the hospital ( i was starving). my contractions started 20 minutes after i got to the hospital and started pushing 2 hours after that. within 45 minutes later my boys were born.

[annalc]

I was induced with my first and with my second my water broke, but not all the way. You will most likely know what when you are in labor. I live 45 min from my hospital and my doc tells me to leave when my contractions are 5 min apart. You will probably be safe if you are on your way when your contractions are about 7 min apart, but of course if your water breaks first, then you should leave immediately and then you won't have to worry about making it on time. Good luck.

[hkenny]

my water broke at 5am the day before my due date. i was rolling out of bed to go pee when i felt it. i still had to pee so i knew that my water had broke. this was my 1st pregnancy/ delivery. i had my dd at 1:02 that afternoon. i found by 7am i was having pretty regular contractions, right after my water broke i had a bowel movement which i was told was my body getting ready for labour. my labour went very fast, my dr said usually if your water breaks on its on labout comes faster.

hope this helps!  good luck

[kylesMom09]

My water didn't break until I was in labor for 9 hours and I was 7 cm dilated.  Like everyone else says, you will know when it happens.  I had just gotten to the hospital and I vomited which caused my water break.  I have a freind though that was fully dilated when she got to the hospital and her still hadn't broke, so it is different for everyone.  I had my daughter last May and I only missed having her on Mother's Day by 2 hours.  It would be very special for you, so I am hoping you can get your wish.  Good luck and I hope you get to hold your baby soon!

[Victoria01]

Both my labors were quite short and my water didn't break with either of them before labor started. With my first, my doctor broke my water when I was 8 cm. I was in labor for four hours before it was broke. With my second, my water broke on it's own, but not until I was fully dilated and ready to push.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I didn't vote becuase I have too many kids and it won't let me vote more than once LOL so here are my experiences:

Baby1:  emergency c-section, no labor, no contractions, no nothing
Baby2:  woke up with really intense contractions, LOTS of mucus, didn't go to the hospital til that night, water broke as I was walking down the hall to L & D
Baby3: Water broke at midnight, then contractions started immediately, she was born at 6:27 am
Baby4: woke with moderate contractions, leaking fluid, l & d said it wasn't fluid, I was only 2cm and 50%, they sent me home, called my ob she said to go back becuase my contractions were increasing, got back at 3:30, was leaking fluid, 5 cm, fully effaced, water broke at 5:30 and he was born at 6:54
Baby5: Induction, started pitocin at 2 pm, contractions started and began to increase, water broke around 7, contractions got much worse, he was born at 8:28 pm

[ammanda]

Wow these are all very informational, thanks ladies...  I started losing my mucus plug 3 weeks ago, but only on a few occassions, but then when i got examined last week, for 6 days straight now ive been losing mucus everytime i pee.  Theres sooo much of it, but only the night of my exam i had brown lining in it, for the rest of the 5 days is been clear or alil green color.  and i have been having a couple cramps here and there but nothing strong or consistant. I really feel like hes never gonna come, Im sure every mother feels that way. lol..  Just recently he has been in my ribs, i was just bragging the other day to a friend that Ive never had a problem with him in my ribs, but now hes always there, its like he shifts his whole body to my right side and up in my ribs, ill feel my right side and its hard as a rock, and then my left side is all squishy so i know hes all in my right side, makes me wonder what he is doing over there.. lol..  but it hurts so bad, i thought i knew pain from all his strong movements and kicks and punches, but I have to say nothing compares to the pain of him in my ribs..  I never thought I would say this, but now im ready to feel the pain of labor!  tomorrow is my 40 week checkup i really hope something has happend down there

[julianovak]

you can read online for statistics. One out of four.

[ammanda]

I already read statistics, i wanted to hear stories from the ladies on here. I love hearing birthing stories!

[rebekah385]

I have had 3 babies and am currently pregnant with #4. with my first baby I went into labor at 28 weeks, i did'nt know it I just knew i was having a lot of discharge, went inot the Dr and I was 3 cm dialated and contracting every 3 minutes, I went to the hospital and they checked me for fluid and i was leaking amniotic fluid, but my water had not actually broken. they slowed down my labor for 3 days and my leak resealed its self (I did'nt even know it could do that at the time) then they could'nt slow it down any more and let me go into labor my water did not break. I was fully dialated and ready to push and it still had not broke, when I started to push it broke on it's own, but I thought they probably should have broke my water before that! with baby #2 when I got to the hospital I was already 7cm dialated and my water had not broke, I got stuck at a 7 for a while, so then the Dr broke my water and I delivered within an hour. with baby #3 I wanted to be induced since I had already been dialated to 3 1/2 cm for a month, when I went in for the induction I asked the Dr if we could just break my water and let me walk to get things started, instead of starting my on pitocin right away, he agreed and broke my water and I walked had him 5 hours later with no pitocin needed. this time when I have the baby I plan to ask them to break my water right away since it really seems to speed things up for me! Good luck! I know how hard those last few days of waiting can be my first 2 were early, so i did'nt have to wait, but the last one seemed to take forever and I was induced 4 days early!

[SaylornPipersmommy]

a girlfriend of mine had some fluid leaking on Sat and she called the hospital to ask if it was her water and should she come in. The nurse told her that it probably wasnt and if she came in they would just send her home. Nurse told her to take a shower, eat and lay down. After a few hours her pain was so intence that they headed to the hosital. On the way there, her body started shaking and pushing the baby out. She had the baby in the car about a mile from the hospital and her husband stopped long enough to take the baby out of her pants and hand him to her! Mommy and baby are fine but what a story!!  Sorry, i had to share because it just happened and I still can't believe I know someone that had her baby in the car!!!!!

[ammanda]

Omg thats a scary story..  Woo im kinda freaked out now, since my hospital is so far away and this is my first pregnancy, i have no idea what im feeling or looking for!!!

[SaylornPipersmommy]

OH I'm sorry!!!! That IS NOT normal! You will be fine and in my opinion, labor is wonderful!!! Even my friend who had her baby in the car said it was scary but a wonderful experience and she felt like she could run a marithon afterwards;)