Hmmm... labor?

[staceyobu]

So, we were going to go out to lunch and I felt a small gush. We got out of the car and my pants were visibly wet from the outside. Decided to do a drive thru instead. Came home. Ate lunch. It's been two hours and nothing else has happened. Am I losing my mind?

 

The last time my water broke first, it was a small gush, small gush, then Niagra Falls. I keep waiting for Niagra... but nothing.

 

I'm over 40 weeks... I can't decide if it must be my water since I'm so far along... or if it is just completely wishful thinking!

[kristinannie]

I would go in right away. I had a similar thing happen with my DD. Her head was so pushed against my cervix that almost all the water came out with delivery. You only have 24 hours to get the baby out if your water breaks and the cord can get compressed. I would just go in!!! Best of luck!

[ssavings]

My water gushed with DD2, and trickle/stop/trickle with DD3.

 

Did you try laying down for a while, then seeing what happens when you stand? A small leak can be "blocked" by baby's head, so laying down might move baby's head up, and you could leak further.

 

'Course, DH would tell stories of DD3 jumping on my bladder and causing a much less exciting type of leak.....:tongue_smilie:

So hard to tell.

[Beth S]

Have you determined that it is amniotic fluid and not urine? :001_smile:

 

Regardless, I would put my feet up and start watching the 6 hour version of Pride & Prejudice or something. :001_smile:

 

You will know soon enough!

 

P.S. Drink lots of water, and make note of the time. Keep The Exit Area as clean as possible! Best Wishes.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Beth S

[staceyobu]

Have you determined that it is amniotic fluid and not urine? :001_smile:

 

Well, that's what I'm wondering. :tongue_smilie: I didn't cough or sneeze or anything, though!

[Beth S]

Usually a sniff can be helpful. The hospital has pH strips, to avoid having to sniff! :001_smile:

 

(But I would wait just a bit before heading to the hospital. Just put everyone on alert!)

Edited May 5, 2012 by Beth S

[TXBeth]

Have you tried lying down on your side, rolling over, standing back up? If baby's head is in the way, sometimes that will jostle him/her enough to let more fluid out, and then you know.

[Heather in OK]

Totally agree with everything Beth said. :)

 

I would also add to keep track of baby's movements.

 

You only have 24 hours to get the baby out if your water breaks and the cord can get compressed.

That's simply hospital protocol.

 

And cord compression isn't necessarily something that's a result of rupture of membranes. It can happen with intact membranes depending on where the cord is and if baby is putting pressure on it (many times changing Mama's position solves that issue).

[melissad2]

When ds was born two weeks ago, I woke up to a small gush and thought I pee'd on myself so I got up to go to the bathroom and there was another gush. Still unsure (I have c-sections and have never been in labor) went downstairs gushing fluid all the way. Woke DH up,went to the hospital and had a c-section 4 hours later.

[Jpoy85]

Totally agree with everything Beth said. :)

 

I would also add to keep track of baby's movements.

 

 

That's simply hospital protocol.

 

And cord compression isn't necessarily something that's a result of rupture of membranes. It can happen with intact membranes depending on where the cord is and if baby is putting pressure on it (many times changing Mama's position solves that issue).

 

:iagree:

[swellmomma]

GEt checked. My water broke with 3 of mine, 1 was a huge gush, 1 was a slower trickle and 1 was in between. 1 I delivered that day via c-section. 1 I induced a week later (was on iv antibiotics for that week). One delivered on her own 2 days later, I was on oral antibioitcs.

 

YOu can wait for labour to kick in but do get checked to see if it was your water as they can give you antibioitcs to protect baby while letting nature take its course.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I would go in right away. I had a similar thing happen with my DD. Her head was so pushed against my cervix that almost all the water came out with delivery. You only have 24 hours to get the baby out if your water breaks and the cord can get compressed. I would just go in!!! Best of luck!

 

I actually wouldn't go in right away because the hospital is probably the worst place to be with a broken bag - all those germs that are not familiar to the body. I would continue at home - try to walk and move around to encourage the baby to come. The longer you are in the hospital, the more likely it is that you will have interventions that really aren't needed. As long as mom and baby are fine, staying home is the best option for now.

[SJ.]

With my first son my water broke in the morning. I didn't start contractions until around dinner time. My midwife recommend I stay active and drink lots and lots of water and them some more :tongue_smilie:

[Cinder]

Did you go in to get checked? With 2 of my 3 I had very small trickles. (The third never broke though I was in active labor.) The nurse for one was pretty sure I just wet my pants. :glare: Until she checked it. Because she had to. I was told for both that the baby's head dropped and blocked the rest of the fluid from coming out.

[celticmom]

I actually wouldn't go in right away because the hospital is probably the worst place to be with a broken bag - all those germs that are not familiar to the body. I would continue at home - try to walk and move around to encourage the baby to come. The longer you are in the hospital, the more likely it is that you will have interventions that really aren't needed. As long as mom and baby are fine, staying home is the best option for now.

 

:iagree:

[staceyobu]

I haven't gone in. I felt some more small gushes earlier. But, they've stopped completely and nothing else has happened. I tried to lay down to take a nap, but couldn't really sleep.

 

If I go in and get checked and it's negative, I think we pay something like a $200 copay for going in. If I go in and it's positive, they'd probably immediately start pit. So, as long as baby is moving and everything seems normal, I'll probably wait a bit.

[Guest]

I haven't gone in. I felt some more small gushes earlier. But, they've stopped completely and nothing else has happened. I tried to lay down to take a nap, but couldn't really sleep.

 

If I go in and get checked and it's negative, I think we pay something like a $200 copay for going in. If I go in and it's positive, they'd probably immediately start pit. So, as long as baby is moving and everything seems normal, I'll probably wait a bit.

 

I would go in.

[staceyobu]

I would go in.

 

Why? And, not like a snarky why... like a genuine why...

[Jean in Newcastle]

Walking is what got my labor started initially and then restarted when it stalled. I think I walked a good 5 miles with my dd!

[Lisa in Jax]

I haven't gone in. I felt some more small gushes earlier. But, they've stopped completely and nothing else has happened. I tried to lay down to take a nap, but couldn't really sleep.

 

If I go in and get checked and it's negative, I think we pay something like a $200 copay for going in. If I go in and it's positive, they'd probably immediately start pit. So, as long as baby is moving and everything seems normal, I'll probably wait a bit.

 

Not to be graphic, but what's the consistency of the leaking fluid? If it's like jello before refrigeration (slightly thicker than water, a little slick, too), it's probably amniotic fluid.

 

If your vaginal-rectal GBS test at/after 37 weeks was negative and you don't have a fever, staying home is a reasonable choice for many. Oh, and whenever you *do* go in, ask for a visual exam in lieu of a digital exam. There's no good reason to touch the cervix if membrane rupture is suspected; every hand introduced increases the risk of infection. They can test for amniotic fluid w/o checking the cervix, too.

 

Lisa

Edited May 6, 2012 by Lisa in Jax

[Guest]

Why? And, not like a snarky why... like a genuine why...

 

For a genuine why? I would care more about getting the baby here sooner than I would about possibly paying a co-pay that was unnecessary or getting there and having them set me up for pitocin. There's bad history there for me. Once the membranes are ruptured, there is a greater chance of several bad things happening. My history makes me more sensitive to those risks than I am of having pitocin or a more medicalized birth. YMMV, of course.

[Unicorn.]

Any baby news yet?

[mommy5]

For a genuine why? I would care more about getting the baby here sooner than I would about possibly paying a co-pay that was unnecessary or getting there and having them set me up for pitocin. There's bad history there for me. Once the membranes are ruptured, there is a greater chance of several bad things happening. My history makes me more sensitive to those risks than I am of having pitocin or a more medicalized birth. YMMV, of course.

 

:iagree: I'm all about getting baby out sooner rather than later, though, because of my history of a complications at birth.

[melissel]

:lurk5: Stacey, I hope you're either resting quietly or holding a new baby by now!

[SJ.]

Thinking about you today! Let us know when that sweet baby comes :D

[kristinannie]

Wow, this message board got pretty heated pretty quickly! I guess there are lots of opinions about this. The reason why I recommended going in was due to the risk of cord prolapse which can lead to fetal demise. This is less likely when you have a smaller gush since the head would be so close and blocking the rest of the water (and, most likely, the cord). Also, my labor didn't start on it's own when my water broke one time so they did end up inducing me. Obviously, everyone has to make their own decisions, but I would always urge caution in these matters when giving advice to others.

[funschooler5]

:lurk5: Stacey, I hope you're either resting quietly or holding a new baby by now!

 

Me too! Hope all is well and you're able to update us soon. :001_smile:

[staceyobu]

Me too! Hope all is well and you're able to update us soon. :001_smile:

 

I'm still here. :D Nothing else ever happened. I have been losing my mucus plug over the last several days, so I'm thinking at this point it was just discharge... Eww! I have an appointment tomorrow, so that will be good. I feel like if it was amniotic fluid, I probably would have noticed more at some point... I'm 40 and 4 today. UGH!

[Barb_]

I'm still here. :D Nothing else ever happened. I have been losing my mucus plug over the last several days, so I'm thinking at this point it was just discharge... Eww! I have an appointment tomorrow, so that will be good. I feel like if it was amniotic fluid, I probably would have noticed more at some point... I'm 40 and 4 today. UGH!

 

Stacey, if you aren't in labor by your appointment tomorrow, be sure to mention the fluid leaks. They can test your ph there. I wouldn't risk an internal exam unless you know for certain your membranes haven't ruptured.

 

Barb