Water breaks. How can water break?🤔 It is actually not water breaking, but the membrane of the amniotic sac ruptures, and the amniotic fluid passes through the vagina.
Maybe because the water breaks the membrane and comes out. The way in which the fluid comes out is what we call water breaking.🤩
Most women these days face this situation even before they are in labor. For some women, the labor pain starts first, and then the water breaks. Recent research says that, if you are in 37 weeks or more, then it is okay to wait up to 48 hours after water breaking. But your healthcare might differ from this and they may follow a 24 hours window or even less than that depending on the individual.
I had no clue whatsoever during my pregnancy regarding this time limit. I did not prefer to read a lot, wish I had read during my pregnancy, I might have felt less stressed about all this.
My curiosity increased when I was in my 9th month and wanted to know how this water breaking happens. So, I started asking to my mother, mother-in-law, my sister’s mother-in-law as to what happens and how will I know that it is not urine but the amniotic fluid.
They did not say anything clearly. In fact, they forgot to mention the most important point, which is that the water will leak through your vagina and not from where you pee. Yes, we have three openings down there!
They asked me to keep a check whenever I went to pee, and that was like a hundred times! I preferred to use Indian style toilet, and that worried them even more, because once the labor started, within no time they expected the baby out. That is what happened to them apparently.
To everyone’s surprise, my baby had different plans altogether. She wanted to stay in a little longer before she was forced to come out.
Due to the wrong scan report of the baby’s weight, my doctor decided to do something about it. As my family members were also tense as to how I will be able to have a vaginal birth with a heavy baby.
So, I was given a teaspoon of castor oil and asked to monitor. I was losing my patience, and also was feeling very uneasy as time was progressing, but nothing seems to be happening. My baby was already in position but didn't want to come out anytime soon.
After my dinner, I decided to sleep early and totally forgot about monitoring the pee. Everyone else was tired too and all of them crashed along with me.
Then around 12.30 am, I stood up to go pee. The moment I stood, I felt my pants getting wet. Then I experienced it! This is what it is, the water breaking moment…
The fluid will also have a slight blood stain in dark color as the membrane is ruptured. The color is colorless and similar to water but slightly thicker consistency. It does not smell like urine.
I had no control over this leaking. As I was walking, I was leaking. If I sit and stand, I will leak. I completely understood what all those aunties were saying, you will have no control over it, it is because it is leaking from the vagina and not from where you pass your urine!
This water breaking can happen even during the 7th or 8th month, which leads to preterm labor. Labor pain is supposed to accompany water leakage, but that does not happen most of the time.
This can be mistaken for urinary inconsistency too, as it is common to leak urine during the last trimester. This leaking happens every time you have a slight pressure, you will leak. sometimes it is accompanied by cramps, pressure to poop, pain that may or may not be there. It is like a gush of liquid leaking, and you literally have no control over it.
Our lifestyle changes could be one reason for not having labor pain after the water breaks but the real reason is not known. Since I wanted to have a vaginal birth and there were no other complications, we decided to wait and my baby was out in the world after 20 long hours!
We keep preparing ourselves so much for the delivery, we forget to listen to our bodies. Our body is having its own rhythm and is working according to that. My water broke when I least expected it, it did not happen when I was waiting for it to happen. I was not listening to my body, but my body knew when this would happen.
The birthing centers are trying to create a lot of awareness around the wait time period after the water breaks. We tend to get worried and scared for the baby, it is natural to feel this way when we do not know what actually happens. But do you know, the baby actually knows when to come out.
Women need to be educated on the birthing process and not just on what size the baby grows each week inside the womb. It is our responsibility to make informed choices.
You will know if something is leaking from your body. Your body will send signals to you, all you have to do is to listen to it.
