How did you know for sure you were in labor? Of course, the contractions coming every five minutes would certainly clue you in…I was just wondering how many of you actually had your water break. I know that some women are not conscious of it because it leaks out slowly…Did any of you not have strong contractions and then just say, “Eeeek, the baby is coming?!”
My back is feeling funny - but I’m not having contractions…I don’t think. I just hope I’m not going to be one of those women who has the baby in the backseat of the car :rolleyes: Our hospital is 45 minutes away…sigh.
For all 3 of my children, my water never broke, it had to be broken for me. THe first time, I thought I had a bladder infection - every time I used the bathroom, it hurt like crazy. Turns out I was in labor. Second time, a little more aware of the way it would feel, I went in and was sent home, only to go back again the next day. Third time, I went in three times and got sent home before they finally decided to induce me - two weeks early (there were a few risk factors involved). The night before my induction, I told my by-then highly skeptical husband to take me again, and I was finally admitted, and gave birth 30 minutes before the scheduled induction.
So in short, my answer is, one’s mileage will definitely vary. With my third the contractions came every 5-10 minutes for days. I was at the doctor’s office every other day (at their request) to get stress tests done.
If in any doubt whatsoever, call your doctor. Better to feel silly and have it be nothing to be giving birth in the front yard because you waited too long.
My water broke at 4:30 am and woke me up. There is no way I could have confused it for leaking urine in my case. I was GBS positive, so I insisted on going to the hospital around 6. However, I never had a single contraction throughout my whole pregnancy that I could feel until around 11 am of that day (although they could see some on the machine at the hospital when they admitted me). The baby was born at 3:43 pm, and would have been born much sooner if she hadn’t been turned sideways and stuck.
So I’m with TMINC, it’s definitely YMWV. There’s no harm in calling the doctor.
I can’t give too much personal experience as I was induced. A friend of said that she had diarrhea before labor (either a few hours or a day before) & that she had more lower back pain than contraction pain.
Don’t hesitate to call your doctor – that’s why they make the big bucks!
With WhyKid, I couldn’t sleep and couldn’t stop eating. We had been in the ob’s office that evening and he told us I was 80% effaced and about a centimeter dilated, and that I’d probably deliver later in the week (this was 3 weeks before my due date). All night I was just so restless. I finally got out of bed to read a book (had a huge snack as well.) Half-lying on the couch, on my back with my wrists resting on my belly holding my book, I noticed that my belly was even harder than late-pregnancy hard belly. It was as hard as an overinflated basketball. A minute or so later, it was back to normal.
“Huh,” I think, and then go back to reading.
10 minutes later, my belly’s hard again.
I didn’t feel a single cramp, tug, pull, “downward rush” - nothing. But about two hours later, my belly was getting “basketball hard” every 5 minutes or so. So I called the doctor and we went into the hospital at about 3:00AM, and I was at 4 cm. And there it stayed for an hour or so.
They finally broke my water. I was put on an internal monitor, and then the back labor hit at about 6 AM.
With WhyBaby, I started bleeding at 23 weeks, and went to the ER. I didn’t feel any contractions, cramping or anything, but insisted they hook me up anyway, since I didn’t feel anything for hours with my first. It was inconclusive - sometimes it seemed as if there were organized contractions, but not definitively. She was born by c-section several hours later.
OH, I forgot to tell you - my ob said that walking is the best test of whether it’s real labor or false labor. If you feel low back pain or pressure, cramping or hard belly, take a walk. If the sensation stops, it’s not labor. Real labor is in fact quickened by walking, false labor is stopped by walking.
I had the water broken with my first two - with number one it got my contractions to go from so-so to “serious”, with my second it didn’t change much.
My third was born and thus his water must have broken at some point, but I was never aware of it. I, too, thought I was getting a bladder infection before I realized that it was labor. It’s possible it passed when I was on the seat.
I was about a week and a half late rotten kid when I woke up around 11PM or so to go pee. As I was waddling back to bed, I felt a stream of wet going down my leg. :eek: So I roused my darling spouse. I got some stuff together and he cleaned up the mess I’d made. Then we headed to the hospital.
Our daughter arrived at 2:21 PM the next afternoon.
I vividly remember my water breaking with the first one…especially because I had to stand in line at the records office to pick up my file before we went to labor and delivery (it was a military hospital…lots of do-it-yourself) and someone who shall remain nameless except for the name A**hole refused to go get the records and let me wait in the car. So I stood in line with a towel stuffed up between my legs under my dress so I wouldn’t leak all over the floor. And the leaking was worse with each contraction.
I don’t remember much about my water breaking with Number two, but it must have since my labor didn’t start until they did an enema, and I wouldn’t have gone to the hospital otherwise. And this time A**hole wanted me to press his uniform for him before we went…but I refused. Though he did make me wait and watch while HE pressed it. Very important for him to look fresh and tidy during my labor and delivery, I guess.
I went to the hospital with contractions at midnight. They broke my water…weird experience…I was wearing socks and the warm water just soaked them. My daughter was born at 3:00 am.
Mine was just a little trickle and I was already in the delivery room. I didn’t even know I was in labor. I had gone to the hospital because I was spotting.
Yikes, no wonder I’m so stressed out! It seems that not everyone’s body has read the mannual or sticks to the “contractions every 5 minutes call the doctor” rule…I’m seeing my OB at 11:00 AM so hopefully I will hold out until then…Actually, I did try walking and it does get better when I do that so I’m most likely ok.
I’m never been so scared though. I’ll be glad when this is over!! (Where is the crying icon?)
You’re going to be fine. It’s not that your body hasn’t read the manual. It has. It knows exactly what it’s doing. Your body, in fact, *wrote *the damn manual. It’s just that we all have different models.
Remember your body knows what it’s doing. Relax into it and let your body tell you what’s going on. Listen - just like you did when you took a walk and noticed a change. You read that just fine, and you’ll read the next chapter as it comes up. Trust your body, trust your baby (who’s doing an awful lot of prep work and training in these last few days to get ready for that arduous 5 inch journey!) and remember that you’re about to enter the ranks of millions of sisters who went before you.
Remember, for very person out there, someone went through this. And no two of them will share the same birth story - not even twins! Whatever works for you is what’s right. Yours is the only manual that matters.
Oh Shana! Don’t be scared! You’ll be great! And you’ll have a baby when you’re done!
(May I add that it’s not as bad as many of the ‘old wives’ would have you believe).
My water was broken for me with Kid #1; with baby, it broke and I felt a squish. Labour didn’t start until they hooked me up to a pitocin drip.
A word to the wise: EAT NOW. They won’t let you eat once you’re admitted, if you’re heading in to the hospital today.
Mine broke almost 2 weeks to the day before I was due. Out of nowhere. I hadn’t dropped, no contractions, wasn’t even remotely dialated yet. I thought I had peed myself, honest to God. The next morning I went to my doctor’s office just to get it checked out because it did seem rather strange that I would pee myself while just lounging on the couch. They did some tests and determined my water had indeed broken and because I was GBS positive was admitted to L & D immediately. Never felt a contraction, nothing. The rest of my water came gushing out in the bathroom at Labor & Delivery while I was changing into my buttless gown.
Another vote to EAT EAT EAT while on your way to getting checked out at the doctor. I was so freaked out by the surprise of having a baby 2 weeks early that I didn’t stop anywhere on the way to the hospital to get anything. My son didn’t come until almost 15 hours later. That’s a VERY long time to go without eating, and hospitals don’t exactly have a buffet open at 12:15 a.m.
Oh, Shana! Hopefully you are through it all now and have a lovely baby. If not, try not to be scared, your body knows what to do.
My water didn’t break until I was about 7cm, and then while the nurse was doing an internal check. Big rush of water, no mistaking it. My sister’s water broke suddenly before any contractions with both of her babies so that was what I was expecting. Just goes to show how each person is different.
I was having false labor for a few weeks before the real thing. Hard belly and tightness, a few times I was sure something was starting, only to be disappointed a few hours later when nothing happened. For me it was worse when I was active and stopped when I laid down. My Dr. also told me that real labor would progress, and that if I was having contractions while laying down to walk, and if having them while walking to lay down. If they stopped they are just ‘practice.’ I had them often enough I was worried I wouldn’t know the real thing too, and waited for a while when labor started ‘to be sure.’ After a few hours they got stronger and stronger and they felt different, I had pain low and across my back. I knew this time was different.
Still no baby…This labor/false labor thing is a tricky business I’ll tell ya…My OB said I was “effacing nicely” but still no dilation. I told her about the pains in my back and the pains in the front of my uterus and she gave me the same advice as Velma’s doctor…There was a brief moment today when I thought “Wow, this is it. This really HURTS! This must be labor!!”…but no, it went away after I laid down for a while. I suppose you just have to wait until it’s so bad that you can’t walk or rest it away? My nerves are quite frazzled, but I’m trying to calm down. Most women have such long labors the first time. So there’s no reason to think I won’t make it to the hospital in time…
Thanks everyone so much for your input and concern!
