I'm really looking forward to getting pregnant (which I hope will happen soon!) but the one thing I'm concerned about is what actually happens when your waters break. I've heard that it's just a rush of liquid, but do you get any idea that it's about to happen? Do you have a chance to get to the toilet, or even to the bath?!? Or could it just happen in the queue at Sainsbury's? And if it just happens when you're at home, will it ruin your carpet? I'm sorry if this is a really dense question, but there are things about being pregnant that people just don't tell you about!
2006-10-02 08:00:04 · 31 answers · asked by Fifi L'amour 6 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
It seems to happen differently for everyone. there are two sacs of water - the hind water and fore waters. With my son I had a hind water leak - I woke at 4am for a loo trip (one of MANY when you are heavily pregnant) and as I stood fluid leaked down my legs. I rang the hospital and they told me to check that the fluid was clear (no blood or yellow, green or brown discolouration - this is meconium the babys first poo and if this is in the fluid it can mean the baby is in distress). If it was clear I could just go in in the morning to be checked - this is when they told me it was the hind water as the membrane for the fore waters was still in tact. It is not true that contractions start as soon as the waters have broken - I leaked water for 36 hours before anything happened. However - once the waters have broken the baby may be more susceptible to infection as the membrane is what protects the baby from the world outside! Hospitals have individual guidelines as to what they feel is acceptable amount of time to lapse before they would like to induce labour because of this increased risk of infection - this can range between 24-72 hours (even then it is up to you if you are induced... these are guideline - not the law! However it would be extremely wise to carefully consider the information given by the medical staff).
If you are already in labour and the waters have not broken your midwife may break them with an implement that looks like a crochet hook, as once the waters have gone, the baby will exert more pressure on the cervix which can speed up the contractions and dilation.
Unless the midwife breaks them for you - it is unlikely you will know it is going to happen - some people feel a 'pop' and others it just leaks out - it is rarely as dramatic as portrayed on the TV with the waters breaking and labour quickly ensuing.
As for the safety of your soft furnishings generally it is just clear fluid so after a good clean (get dad to be to do it lol!) all should be OK.
Good luck - it's a magical journey!
2006-10-02 08:31:06 · answer #1 · answered by unruffledemu 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was carrying my 19month old son down the stairs when my waters broke (I was a week overdue) with my daughter. It was a strange sensation - a bit like having a wee, but with none of the 'pressure' or feeling of relief (if you can understand that!). It can happen anywhere at any time, I'm sorry to say, so yes, it could be when you're in the supermarket! (But I don't think people would mind! After all, you're just about to have a baby!!)
It's a clear liquid and mine was just a trickle. We have a wooden floor so it was wiped up very easily. However, if your waters do break, it's really important to ring up the delivery unit and tell them, and get down there immediately! You can get an infection.
I hope this helps and I also hope your dreams of being a mother come true for you. It's the best thing that ever happened to me.
2006-10-02 21:50:18 · answer #2 · answered by Roxy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the person. When your water breaks, what is actually happening is the pressure of your baby being so low (in the early stages of labor) causes the amniotic sack in which your baby was gestated to tear, and the amniotic fluid comes out. This sensation can be as little as a trickle, as if you urinated a little bit on yourself, or something more.... water-worthy, a gush of water. I heard that an actual "gush" is few and far between and most women figure out their water has broken when they go to the bathroom because it can be pinkish in color (from the blood in your uterus).
With both of my kids, my water actually never broke. The doctor took an object that looked like a plastic crocheting needle and put it in my vagina to break the water. It was such a great feeling of pressure relief! I didn't even feel him break it... just a warm gush of water all over the hospital bed and immediate relief.
There shouldn't be anything to worry about. I doubt you'll ruin anything or have a ball of water drop from your dress while waiting in line.... The worst thing that can happen is that you will get some water-like fluid on something. And it will be easy to clean!
Good luck! I hope you get pregnant soon! It's really cool and the end reward is worth the wait!
2006-10-02 08:15:26 · answer #3 · answered by Summer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not a dense question. A lot of women wonder the same thing. I did.
Your baby is surrounded by a wall of ammonic fluid. This keeps the baby safe like a cushion. When the baby drops and you are in labor your contractions is what helps your water break. Your baby is pushing down and the wall or cushion breaks.
No you do not have time to go anywhere when your water breaks. You will not know exactly when it will break. It does not stain. It is a clear fluid that comes out.
In my experience, my water did not break. It ruptured but leaked. I honestly felt like I was peeing without the peeing feeling. I did not realize until later that day that it was my water that broke. It was not painful just a warm fluid.
My contractions were not coming as they should. This is why my water did not just bust like some others do. They had to induce my labor...... the contractions did not really hurt before it broke. I was laying in bed at the hospital when I felt it. It felt just like a water balloon breaking. Thats when the pain of the contractions started.
Word of advice. when you become pregnant and you think your water is leaking or has broke get to the hospital immediately. You are going to be in major pain when it does.
2006-10-02 08:02:07 · answer #4 · answered by Keith Perry 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When I had my son I was woken at 6am by a popping sensation (no pain at all), then a slight trickle which gave me about 3 seconds to grab a nearby pile of towels. As soon as I stood up there was a gush of liquid that I could not control. Trust me - I have never woke up so fast in my life!! I was lucky I was in bed at the time, I guess had I been out, there would not have been much I could do about it. Just hang around mothercare from week 39 - I heard a rumour if your waters break in there they give you a years supply of nappies!! lol
All being well it should be a clear liquid so should wash off things easy enough.
Remember though, not everybodys labour starts like that, you may just get contractions first which would give you a warning things are about to happen.
2006-10-02 08:22:20 · answer #5 · answered by mum2jdh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It can indeed happen any time anywhere. Some people have a small leak that will just sort of trickle down their leg and others will have a huge gush. It is normally colorless so it should not ruin your carpet, but you may want to make sure you have a waterproof cover on your mattress in case it breaks in bed as it could ruin your mattress. They did pop my water in the hospital and it was one huge gush (felt very strange). A friends wife had hers break at work. You just never know.
2006-10-02 08:20:26 · answer #6 · answered by sooz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hi there. Oh yes I remember that all too well. I also thought it was like a gush of water. And no-one ever explained it to me. When my waters broke I got an AWFUL pain. Like a big contraction. I was lying on my bed and jumped out. There was a small gush but it just drenched my underwear, not enough to flood the room! But what I didnt know was that it doesnt stop. It keeps on trickling. Keep a few sanitary towels handy. Will keep you nice and dry until you reach the hospital. The water should be a clear colour. My first gush was clear but with my jumping and the fright i got, I frightened the life out of poor baby and made her take a poo! This can cause distress and you should go straight to hospital if the water changes colour. Good Luck. x
2006-10-02 11:48:24 · answer #7 · answered by Teresa M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every one is different. I had four children and my water only broke naturally with one of them. It wasn't a gush for me, more like a slow trickle but I know women who had the "gush". No, I don't believe it will ruin the carpet but I would certainly have it cleaned up. And if you are out in public and it happens you just deal with it and then go to the hospital and have your baby. I mean you can't control when and if it happens so why worry about it. I wish you good luck whenever you do have your baby and a very blessed pregnancy.
2006-10-02 08:05:53 · answer #8 · answered by ♥Stacy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both times my water broke, once in the car on the way to the hospital, and the other right after i stood up after a pee.
Your question is not dense!
I had the same one, the water, is just that, water.
It will not wreck or stain anything, in fact, its kinda strange.
I always thought it would happen in the mall, or at the movie store, but apparently is doesn't happen that way, i have never seen any woman loose her water.
Don't be scared of it, some women have to get there waters broken while in labour, that happened to my sister with both of her kids(it doesn't hurt)
Any more question, e-mail me if you like,
Good luck, and enjoy being pregnant, sleep as mush as you can.
2006-10-02 08:05:29 · answer #9 · answered by girlscanfishtoo 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Speaking from personal experience, when my water broke it just came out like a gush of water. This happened with my daughter 3 years ago. When I had my first son, my water broke but I did not realize it at first because it was the middle of the night and I kept on having to goto the bathroom.
Then I noticed that I was not actually peeing, it was just coming out on it's own. It could happen at any time, anywhere.. The way that you can find out is towards your last trimester you keep having intensed contractions, this also happen too me. Then immediately after that my water broke..
2006-10-02 08:10:59 · answer #10 · answered by Vicky 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋