Does anyone know WHY the bag of water breaks?

growingmybun

I understand that only about 15% of pregnant women will experience a spontaneous bag of water break/leak.  I am curious if anyone has any understanding as to why some people experience it and others don't.  Does it have to do with how low and heavy the baby is sitting, random chance, something else?  I meant to ask my doctor today, but forgot.

MrsGraham06

It has to happen eventually. It's weird either way.

Yes, I know there was a post earlier that shows a baby can be born before the water breaks, but at some point, the baby has to come out of the sac.

tesskerr

I wanna also know WHY the baby drops. Is it the baby just getting big and heavy? Is it your body opening up a little bit more? Chicken egg I guess.

LMCB12

My water never broke with my son. He was literally half way out when my midwife broke it.

ETA sorry, I don't have an answer. Just thought I would share.

growingmybun

I was in the same boat--my water didn't break spontaneously last time.  I think that I should have worded my question as "what would make the bag of water break spontaneously?"

AnnikaD20

My mental image is like it's a big baby-filled water balloon. If you've ever filled hundreds of water balloons for a balloon fight, there are always a few that break when you're filling them or when you set them down, or sometimes they're just sitting there undisturbed and *pop*. Maybe the baby finally got too big, or stretched, or put a pointy elbow in the right spot...

Then most of them break when they're supposed to- when you throw them at someone. Maybe that's like the majority of people who have their water break after they're in labor, probably from the force of the contractions.

And then there are a few stubborn water balloons that just bounce off of anyone you throw them at and won't break unless you stomp on them or something. Or have a medical person poke it with a giant crochet hook.

am0138

I've been wondering the same thing- I've read something along the lines of the baby sends signals somehow for the uterus to start contracting and labor to begin, but I didn't know how that would explain water breaking on its own, especially prior to labor.

MarkandAbbi

AnnikaD20 said:

My mental image is like it's a big baby-filled water balloon. If you've ever filled hundreds of water balloons for a balloon fight, there are always a few that break when you're filling them or when you set them down, or sometimes they're just sitting there undisturbed and *pop*. Maybe the baby finally got too big, or stretched, or put a pointy elbow in the right spot...

Then most of them break when they're supposed to- when you throw them at someone. Maybe that's like the majority of people who have their water break after they're in labor, probably from the force of the contractions.

And then there are a few stubborn water balloons that just bounce off of anyone you throw them at and won't break unless you stomp on them or something. Or have a medical person poke it with a giant crochet hook.

This lol. I will forever see water balloon fights so differently now.

lolinshag

I saw this and my sarcasm came out. All i could think was "well, tinker bell has this blow gun and hides in the toilet..." yep. I need help. 8-}

ETA @AnnikaD20 : wow, good analogy!

ETA2: with dd1 (35w6d), my water broke when i got up to go pee after having pee dreams all night. No earthly clue why.

jblank03

No idea - in childbirth class they told us it's more like 10% but nothing around the baby's position/station/contractions that correlate to being in that 10%. 

I did want to yell every time the video said 'bag of waters' - I know this is what it's called, but why must they add the 's' on water?!  %-(

Roses87

Xan84 said:

Dumb question, but... does the empty bag then come out with the placenta?

The membranes are part of the plancenta, they are attached. Ask your nurse to show u your placenta after you deliver, it will make more sense.

lolinshag

Roses87 said:

Xan84 said:

Dumb question, but... does the empty bag then come out with the placenta?

The membranes are part of the plancenta, they are attached. Ask your nurse to show u your placenta after you deliver, it will make more sense.

*shudders* no thanks! Haha

rowanthefrog

There are probably a myriad of reasons. My water broke with DS1 at 36.5 weeks. I was just driving home from work. My uterus is slightly smaller than normal (arcuate) so that might be why.

A

lolinshag

rowanthefrog said:

There are probably a myriad of reasons. My water broke with DS1 at 36.5 weeks. I was just driving home from work. My uterus is slightly smaller than normal (arcuate) so that might be why.

A

Ahhhhh, you are the reason grandpa keeps offering to drive me down a bumpy gravel road when i am ready to have LO!

And since i am post jacking like a mug(and with nothing even remotely useful), i am going to put the phone down and back away now.

Mamaleeks

My midwife explained that some people ( like myself mom of 4 1/2) water never breaks because they have stinger membranes is all

Mamaleeks

Stronger****

BShreeve

While we are on the topic, do I need to line my side of the bed with puppy pads or something, in the small chance my water breaks at night?? Stupid question I know.

thegosiers

jblank03 said: I did want to yell every time the video said 'bag of waters' - I know this is what it's called, but why must they add the 's' on water?!  %-(

Oh god me too. It sounds so archaic or something. Or like it should be spoken with a British accent. 

kw42775

BShreeve said:

While we are on the topic, do I need to line my side of the bed with puppy pads or something, in the small chance my water breaks at night?? Stupid question I know.

@BShreeve, my husband wants to line the bed, the car seats, the couch...everything. He is scared to death I'm going to ruin something!

salsamommy

@BShreeve with DS I lined everything with those puppy pads. Turns out my water never broke!
But it is a good idea! JUST IN CASE!

Firefly9

Mine broke during my 34th week with DS, they have no idea why it happened.  I think they ran a bunch of tests on my blood or placenta (I think??) and they don't know.  I'm convinced he decided to claw his way out because he thought he was ready   I'm on weekly progesterone shots this time to help strengthen the water membranes.

ac1259

Yeah..my water broke on it's own at 36 weeks 4 days. I know doing cervical checks can cause you to go into labor and like 12 hours after I had been at the OB's office and she told me baby's head was "right there", my water broke..I half wonder if she like irritated something and that contributed to my water breaking..but who knows, I had been checked a million times before that and nothing ever happened so I think it just kinda depends on the situation. 

Firefly9

ac1259 said:

Yeah..my water broke on it's own at 36 weeks 4 days. I know doing cervical checks can cause you to go into labor and like 12 hours after I had been at the OB's office and she told me baby's head was "right there", my water broke..I half wonder if she like irritated something and that contributed to my water breaking..but who knows, I had been checked a million times before that and nothing ever happened so I think it just kinda depends on the situation. 

You know, I do kind of wonder if this happened to me.  I *think* I had a cervical check at my 34 week appt, which was at 34w4d.

Jackapatamus

@BShreeve they make good night pads for toddlers, and they are quite big. They stick to your sheets, and you could put those down (car, couch, bed) if you are worried. They are in the diaper aisle. My water broke at work last time, and I just sat on a sweatshirt on the way to the hospital! It worked well enough!

thegosiers

I might be insane that I almost want my water to break in our bed so DH finally caves and buys me (us) a new mattress!!!

ac1259

Rinny85 said:

ac1259 said:

Yeah..my water broke on it's own at 36 weeks 4 days. I know doing cervical checks can cause you to go into labor and like 12 hours after I had been at the OB's office and she told me baby's head was "right there", my water broke..I half wonder if she like irritated something and that contributed to my water breaking..but who knows, I had been checked a million times before that and nothing ever happened so I think it just kinda depends on the situation. 

I hadn't really thought about it before, but I had my Strep B culture done on Friday afternoon (12/6) and my water broke spontaneously which then started my labor early on Sunday morning (12/8). I wonder if the culture swab irritated things in there.

@Rinny85- now that I think about it she may have done a strep B that day too...hmm...From the sounds of it we had very similar labors..my water broke around 3 am and DD1 was born at 3:33pm..on 36w4d..kinda funny!

am0138

I'm not sure the Strep B could be the culprit...it was just a quick swipe across my vagina & bottom. I have heard cervical checks could though because they are internal.

WinsyWade

I thought I remember from my bradley class, that waters break early for some due to protein? This is typically why the brewers diet is recommended in pregnancy because more protein in your diet keeps them in tact? Some babies are born in their bag (also called "Born in the Caul").

Strunella

I read 10% of women have the spontaneous water break, and I was one of them.  I'm sure even fewer women have their water break in public, but I was one of them too. I did put a waterproof mattress pad on our bed, but it was a non-issue for us.

speachey

I'm a 10%er- broke a week prior to my due date. No clue why or why not. Thankfully, a painful contraction made me stnad up, so it didn't happen in my bed.

DaniB784

My husband and I acutally asked the dr this the other day! He says that there is a bacteria (not a bad bacteria) that grows inside that wears at a part of the bag and the bacteria slowly like rubs and thins it out until that spot breaks. This is why some women's water breaks and others it doesnt its just the presence or lack of the bacteria. Those whos breaks but its a slow leak or just a trickle only have a small amount of bacteria present. My first baby my water broke right before I went into labor. It was like a faucet and pretty much felt like I was uncontrollably peeing myself, but much more fluid TMI I know but just thought I would share! But break or no break it doesnt mean anything is wrong as long as it doesnt happen premature there is no worry!