Breaking Waters???

Hi ladies,

As I approach my due date I am getting more and more parranoid that I am not going to realise my waters have actually broken! I know it sounds silly, but I have read that some people's water only leak slowly, so how do they know it is indeed their waters???

I have been freaking out about this now for weeks, so I really should have asked in my birthing classes, but didn't want to look silly... Our classes finished last week.

Last night hubby and I went 4-wheel driving NOT to bring on labour, but it is something hubby loves and wanted to do something with him away from home. I felt guilty the entire time, cuz thought baby bouncing around wasn't good. It was only very mild 4-wheel driving, but still a bit rocky. This morning I had not long got ready to go out when I felt 'wet'. I went to the toilet to see what was going on (I was sooo worried I had an accedent). My under wear was quite wet and had a white sort of substance on them (sorry TMI!). It definately didn't smell like urine or anything like that. It couldn't possibly be 'boy stuff' as we have not DTD since last week.

Is this normal? Should I be letting the hospital know???

I appologise that this is so long! Thank you very much

If you are concernced, go and get it checked out by all means. It is possible it is just extra mucus - sometimes it can be quite watery and you can have loads of it. The waters don't smell like urine or anything either - some say that it smells similar to semen and kind of sweet - it didn't smell like semen to me, but it did smell sweet and not like my mucus.

Hey Pish

when your waters break...most women find that they get an intitial gush and then regular trickles...or...some women just get a small initial trickle and then little leaks. This all depends on the position of your baby (head well down in the pelvis can act like a plug) and how much fluid around your baby.

As a general guide if it is your waters...everytime you change position, cough, laugh, sneeze you will leak a little. The fluid smells kind of musty, and not acidic like urine.

Sometimes in the final stages of pregnancy the pelvic floor can relax so that if you are straining...like sneezing and walking up a hill at the same time :D...you can leak a little urine

also mucos can also start to be lost from the cervix from 37weeks onwards...and for some women it comes away in little bits and others a big glob...this can be clear or slightly blood stained.

I hope this helps

xx yogababy

Mine was a huge gush, in bed no less! Then subsequent leaking for a bit before we left for the hospital.. I had sooo many showers that morning! That was just the hind waters, and they ended up breaking the actual waters hours later

My waters broke with a bang in bed too. But since you did go 4-wheel driving yesterday, it is possible you've shaken things up a bit, so it is possible things may start happening. Like Yogababy said, are you trickling each time you move? If you think it's your waters breaking, it's best to pop down to the hospital to get checked out.

Mine leaked for a few days, before I went to hospital, and it was just a little trickle. When it started, it was just enough to soak a pad in about 5hrs or so. It gradually got more over 2 days, but still only just enough to soak a pad in about 3hrs. I called the hospital and they told me to come in to be checked out and it was found to be my waters. I was induced the next day and bubs was born 24hrs later.

Thank you so much for that ladies!
It seems to have stopped now which is good. I have an appoinment this afternoon with my OB so I'll let her know.

Thank you once again. You have all put my mind at ease... I think I will know when they really are breaking! :)