Contractions if waters break? TMI

Im sorry to ask this seemingly stupid question, but after your waters break do you always get contractions?

Some people seem to have contractions but dont break their waters; others do:wall:

The reason I ask is (and I hate myself for doing this TMI ALERT) because i am wearing a wet pair of undies at work at the mo :o and I know I hvaent wet myself but there has been a significant increase in discharge the last few weeks. So I am wondering if it is my waters will I defineitly get contractions?

Im so sorry but thanks to anyone who responds;)

No you don't always get contractions when your waters break. With me I was niggling for a few hours (but not having contractions) once my water broke it was bang 2minutely contractions (only last 20sec to start with)
As a midwife usually contractions follow (especially if you have had a baby vaginally before) within a few hours of your waters breaking if not before. But we augment (speed up labour) many women because they have broken their waters but haven't gone into labour. Augment is like an induction but the difference is labour has already started like water's ruptured or contractions etc.

Hi. Sometimes your waters (and if it's only a constant leak or not a big gush, this can be your hindwaters) can break well before contractions start. I think though, that the hormones in the waters usually helps the cervix ripen and gets contractions on the way on its own - otherwise medical staff will usually advise induction within 48 hours to prevent infection from bugs getting in now that waters broken, and maybe antibiotics in your arm every 4 hours in labour - again to protect against this.

It did happen that way for me - my hindwaters broke, I KNEW it was not pee, that had never happenned and it didn't smell like pee, I rang the hospy couple of hours later and was told I had to come in - as I was getting in the car contractions started at a minute long and less than five minutes apart from that point forward. Bub was born about 4 hours after that. (PS - keep that pair of undies and don't have a shower if you're going in to be checked - the nurses couldn't find traces of my waters having broken by the time they swabbed but I think the facts spoke for themselves)

The other thing is if it's a big pile of CM maybe part of a show? How exciting sounding however!!

My waters broke well before any contractions started (in fact my OB ended up inducing contractions). When my waters broke it was a slow trickle at first, I thought I had gotten to the stage in labour where my bladder had just given up the ghost LOL, but after it happened a few times I realised it was amniotic fluid :o

Not to alarm you at all, but it sounds like things might be starting, so perhaps call your OB/Dr/Midwife etc and give them a heads up so you can work out if you need to go home/hospital etc. It could just be a bit of a leak and nothing might happen for days or weeks, but if you are unsure, your caregiver should be able to help :)

Good luck honey - I hope you are holding your precious baby in your arms soon! How exciting!!!

My waters broke in bed with a huge gush, I had a few niggly contractions over the next few hours but then they stopped completely and I ended up being induced.

hi there! sounds exciting!

my waters broke and contractions didnt start until 6ish hours later...

HTH and goodluck!

If it was your waters it would only be a leak and not a break. It is very common for women to have a very big increase in discharge the bigger they get.

May I say, what a trooper you are, only 4 days to go and still at work!!!

All sounds exciting... The other ladies have answered your qu, I just wanted to wish you all the very best for the pending birth! Hopefully it's not long away now!

How you going Lis?? Do you ring hossy?

Thanks everyone who responded, I am embarrassed to say that of course after I posted absolutely nothing:redface:. NO more leakage of any kind, no pain, no nothing:rolleyes:

But have woken up and am getting quite painful bh, again its this stitch feeling with the hardening but its definotely coming in waves.. again not getting hopes up as have already had major bowel movement....but the bub has also gone significantly quiet, not my usual wake up mum stretch under the ribs...so maybe I wasnt imagining it yesterday :o

Oh Lis your still at work ? lol u have a lot of go in you :)

It could be a leak but it could also be extra discharge ,i find that you get more as you go on eekkkk i know

let us know :)

no matter what...leakage or no leakage...sounds like things are def on the move and hopefully it wont be too much longer. and remember if it is pre-labour that is ALSO totally awesome as it is still actually doing ALOT of work 'down there'...when it comes to childbirth nothing is wasted!!

goodluck and am thinking of you! :dance: