Technical question possibly dumb. What causes your waters to break?

KateLouise · June 2013

For both my girls, my waters broke about 15minutes before the were born. For DD1 the mw broke them, and for DD2 they broke spontaneously.

It makes sense to me that when waters break towards the end of labour, that all the pressure of contractions has caused them to rupture.

I've just been wondering what causes them to rupture when it happens as the first sign of labour? Is it just the general pressure of day to day life, and baby growing and moving?

dmhrn13 · June 2013

No one knows really. It is true that a drop in barometric pressure (such as a rain storm) can do it. It happened to me & it really sucked. 14 hours later, no labor & I needed to be induced

A37licia · June 2013

I've wondered that too, as mine broke in early labor both times. I'm curious to see what happens this time as I've come to expect early rupture! LOL.

But, I've never read into it. I don't necessarily think mine was weak, but it *could have* been, as I'd read that good doses of Vit C during pregnancy helps have a strong bag of waters.

Temp76535187505890 · June 2013

I've often wondered that myself since the rupture of membranes was the first noticeable sign of labor for both of my pregnancies. Someone once said here that there is some thought its a deficiency of some sort (which I can't recall) but I'm not sure I put much stock into that at all.

aylafsu88 · June 2013

I have wondered this as well. I had a rupture up high and a small leak. My labor started immediately and progressed quickly. My waters completely broke when I was in transition. I wanted to ask my doula about it but I was focused on survival after LO was born. I am curious to see what people post to this question. .

annabelle.27 · June 2013

I don't know. For my first birth, they broke my water at 8 or 9 cms to "help speed you through trsnsition." I wish I would have declined as the contractions were more painful afterwards. With my second, my water breaking was the first sign of labour, and contractions started shortly after.

principessa81 · June 2013

I'm curious too! With my first, my OB broke my water right before I started pushing. My water didn't break at all with my second, and my baby girl was born in the caul.

*LrCg* · June 2013

With 2 of my 3 kids, my water broke without any contractions. With my first (37 wks), it was 12 hours before I had a single contraction- it broke while I was sleeping. With my 3rd (39 wks), it broke while I was just sitting watching tv and I didn't have contractions for a few more hours. However, once contractions started my labors were 4 hours and 2 hours long. So for me, I don't see where anything I did could have caused it (not that you were saying that) and I don't think either of my kids ran out of room because they were rather small babies. I just think they were ready.

sschwege · June 2013

I've always wondered that too. I asked my MW about that when I was pregnant with my second and she didn't seem to have an answer. I have heard, as pp mentioned that Vitamin C can make it stronger. I take Vitamin C tablet every day in addition to what's in my prenatal vitamin and with both my babies my MW broke my bag right before crowning, so maybe there's something to it?

April! · June 2013

I have been wondering this too! In my labor my water broke and then I started having contractions about an hour later. I was fully dilated something like 7 hours after that. My baby had been super active for a few hours before my water broke, so I figured all his movement had something to do with it!

ChristyML · June 2013

My MIL had just run up a flight of stairs when her water broke (she was carrying twins unknowingly). She had them 4 weeks early, like twins usually are (early), so I'm guessing it was a mixture of all those things.

mylovelyll · June 2013

Nobody seems to know for sure, but in my case I felt his hands that night working down below- I only felt the hands occasionally and only when I sat up straight (a rare occurrence!). But that night my friends commented on my exceptional posture - I don't know why I sat up so straight all night that evening...it might not have been his fingers breaking through, but maybe it was...

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Technical question possibly dumb. What causes your waters to break?

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