Waters breaking - midwife says they haven't!?

Question

Nearly 38 weeks pregnant.

Last night couldn't sleep so came downstairs and whilst sitting on the sofa I had a trickle then a small gush of water (about a teacup full) from down below.

There was no pain or further fluid loss.

I went to the hospital to be checked this morning and midwife said that there were no waters leaking, my cervix was completely closed, baby's head not engaged (last midwife I saw said it was 3/5 engaged) and I had either imagined it or I had "wet myself" (I know I hadn't wet myself! I had just been for a wee a few minutes before this happened!)

I feel like I'm doubting my own sanity here!

Don't know what to do! No pains or contractions yet. Baby not moving much. Should I go back to the hospital or leave it another couple of days?

Answer 1

I am a labor and delivery nurse and believe me we have a lot of mothers that come in thinking that the gush of fluid was their water breaking. A lot of times it is but sometimes it is just pee or a real runny vaginal discharge. You may not have felt the urge to urinate but if your baby pushes on your bladder it may empty itself automatically. This happens more often towards the end of pregnancy.
**The best thing for you to do if you are having some doubts about your midwifes opinion is to wear a panty liner as you walk around today. If it is damp then i would go back and have them recheck you. There are two test usually done to check and see if the liquid is amniotic fluid. One test is the put a sample on a piece of PH paper if the paper turns blue/green than it is amniotic fluid.... The only time this is not the case is if there is also blood or semen in the sample. Even a tiny amount of blood can change the PH paper blue/green also. The other test is they look at the fluid under a microscope. Amniotic fluid has a distint look when maginifed. This is the most reliable way to check. (In case you are curious it's called a Fern Test - becasuse when magnified it looks like the underside of a fern leaf... It also looks like an icy windshield) I hope that helps!

Answer 2

If you are having no other leaking then it probably wasn't your waters breaking. When your waters break, its not something that happens and then stops. Its a continuous seepage or leaking. Its usually more pronounced when you are laying down because they baby's head (if even slightly engaged) can act as a stopper. It could be that you didnt completely empty your bladder and the pressure of the baby forced it out. Its a very common thing near the end of pregnancy. They usually do a test where they swab the cervix for amnio fluids when there is a possibility that the waters have broke. Chances are if the professionals don't think your waters have broke then they haven't.
What does cause slight concern is the baby not moving much. Carrying a baby you notice movement patterns. These can change throughout and the little ones might not be as noticeable as you progress to term because you get used to the bigger ones as the baby gets stronger. Try eating something sugary, give it 30 or so minutes and lay down and count the movements (do this during a usual active time for the baby). You should be able to count at least 10 movements (flutters, kicks, pushes) in 2 hours. If you don't, I would definitely contact your midwife asap.

Answer 3

When the baby is that low, even when you pee, you typically dont completely relieve yourself. The urge is gone, but there is still urine in the bladder.

Its likely that you did wet yourself, with the pressure of the baby on the bladder, the movement of walking and sitting down on the sofa, and that sort of thing.

You can certainly go get a second opinion from another OB or the ER or another midwife. It would probably make you feel better.

It also could have been part of the mucus plug, which can be quite watery some times, and isnt directly followed by your water breaking.

Either way i'd say theres an explaination from it... and its not fair that the midwife didnt give you one.

Answer 4

If your leaking, you will keep leaking is my understanding. My midwife told me with my first that if I thought I was, put on only a robe and walk/ lay around the house. If you are leaking fluid, it will be kind of sticky and you'll feel it more on your thighs. If you're peeing yourself and don't know it, it will trickle down your legs.
I think I was about 37-38wks when I started having the pee problem. I didn't know I was going, even after I had just went, but the pressure of the baby on the bladder kept squeezing out any little drops there are in there. In fact when I was in labor in the hospital, I kept swearing that my water was leaking because I would sit down and there was drips on the chair and my robe, etc. But after they broke my water, it was obvious I had just been peeing myself.
Try the robe thing and if you still aren't sure and something doesn't seem right, head for a second opinion. You can't push instinct aside in times like these!

Answer 5

Please for the sake of your baby get a second opinion. I would also get an ultrasound done. If the baby isn't moving it could be sleep, lazy or something wrong. If it has been a long while eat something like ice cream to make it move. But if nothing I would definitely go to the doc. you are dealing with a precious little life.

Answer 6

You can ask for an ultrasound this will dtermine if there has been any fluid leaking or not. You know your body better than anyone else does no matter how much schooling the doctor or midwife has.

Answer 7

frequently as quickly as your waters have long previous you're in hazard of an infection and there is in basic terms a definite volume of time they're going to leave you till now attempting to get labour going (induction). I went into an infection throughout the time of my first labour 10 hours whilst they broke my waters. it rather isn't any longer advantageous and that i became ill, had uncontrollable BP and shivered consistently. IMO she ought to be in the labour ward now. Get her to call her MW.

Answer 8

why don't you go to another midwife? I just have a thing for them I don't like them tough, it's a personal thing..I'd rather have a doctor check me...I trust them better...it's just a question of trust...if you don't believe your midwife you should do something about it..this is the woman that is going to deliver your baby

Answer 9

Congratulations on your pregnancy, I would go back and get a second or even third opinion until you know in yourself that they are listening to you. They were not there last night when it happened, and it may be that you have a small leak but when the baby sits in a certian position it blocks the leak. My sister inlaw had this happen and it was a month later they decided to induce her labour because she got the infection strep B from been ignored.

You know your own body better then any doctor or midwife so make sure they listen. They stress to you when in anti-natal classes you know your body so listen to it, but then when it comes time the doctors and midwifes fob you off like you don't know anything. Keep going back until you know in yourself they have stoped and listened to you, its your baby and so if they fob you off you could have your baby at risk, thats not fare keep on their cases and mae sure they know your not messing around. Its hard when your this far and nobody listens to you because its very easy to get emotional. Use it.

I had contractions for over 5 hours and finally went up to the hospital and was told it was nothng, and it couldn't be labour or even pre labour as I was only 36 weeks. I ignored it and went home, thinkig I had made a fool of myself thinking I was in pre-labour and it was nothing. 2 days later my waters broke and I didn't want to go back to the hospital as I imagioned I had over 6 hours of labour ahead of me because it was my second child and I had a 9 hour labour the first time. I didn't want to rush to the hospital and feel like a complete idiot again so I waited at home, and hour and a half later after no contractions I cleaned the house and waited for my husband to get home. I was in no rush at all. He went to ring his mum to pick up my son and she told him to get me to hospital. I was like no they will just tell me to go home. After I arrived at hopsital, I was told it was nothing but yes my waters had broken as they were leaking everywhere and just to sit on the monitor. 55 mins later my daughter was born.
If it wasn't for my husband draging me up to the hospital I would have had her at home because I was so sick of hearing the doctors knowing everything but not listening to me.

My point is Stress until your blue in the face that you want a second opinion ask the midwife who sees you if she treats you like you don't know anything. You know your body. Good luck and best wishes.

Answer 10

You could have 'wet yourself', it happens sometimes with all the pressure on the bladder.
Don't worry about this, we all feel like we have gone crazy at one point or another...you are fine.

But, if it puts your mind at rest, call the maternity ward and see what they say there.