Mine broke after about a day and a half of niggling contractions. I was eating dinner in front of the tv.. and all of a sudden just could NOT get comfortable, decided I needed to empty my bladder... on the way to the loo I had a trickle. After putting a pad on thinking it was just going to continue trickling, went back downstairs and WHAMMO.. massive gush. LOL.

I have to say, the midwife at our class had said its unlikely to be an embarressing gush.. and she explained that when the baby's head is low in the pelvis there's only really a small pool of fluid under its head which will come out when the waters break... but don't believe a word of it! LOL. I soaked through pads & clothes, and I'm sooooo glad I wasn't out in public!!

But in answer to your question, it wasn't my first sign of labour, but it was the first sign that it was -really- going to happen tho! I know that next time when I start to get contractions I won't be leaving the house LOL!