A gush and a push and a baby is born.

[Bewlay Bros]

Where did your waters break? And did you get any freebies?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/ 7081174.stm

[netibiza]

Mine were leaking 3 days before the baby was born in a "dry" birth.

[Katie~77]

Thankfully my waters were broken by a midwife in hospital with both of my babies. Wouldn't want to spring a leak in the middle of Tesco!!!x

[dot.hawkes]

With my eldest I had been in St david's cardiff\ maternity ward for 3 weeks due to odema and I was walking up the ward to ask for a paracetamol cos i had stomach pains, they were actually labour pains but what did I KNOW? can't remember with the other two, it was less dramatic i think, Errr and after that first 'gush' I had 22 hours labour before being ready to push, so less of the over simplification mister!

[cazzz1975]

all at hospital to the relief of the retail world ;D

[Katie~77]

22 hours Dot.....Pah! I had 39 hours with my first!lol.x

[dot.hawkes]

well i suppose it was really 40 katie but i had an epidural, 39 is nuffink!!!!!!!!!!! tut, lightweight !!!!!!!!!!

[Katie~77]

Epidurals are for wusses Dorothy!x

[cazzz1975]

so is gas and air and pethadine

[dot.hawkes]

well i had an epidural for 8 hours and did the rest meself, but with my daughter i had gAS and air and it was wicked, with my youngest boy though i did it all on my own and i called my hubby and the midwife fit to burn!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigmamma]

The doctor broke mine in the labour ward , half an hour later my son was born......ah the memories ....

[smudge]

Fortunately, the midwife broke my waters in the labour room not long before each of our two daughters were born -three years apart I might add!

[Ice-Maiden]

Mine were the same as Katie's - broken in hospital both times. My first labour lasted 25 hours, the second just six. I had no pain relief at all, and was even laughing with the midwives in between the final contractions. My sister was practically the same, so I guess we were just lucky. I wouldn't crow about labour times though - some women have it rougher than others, some are just tense and petrified, and for a few, there are major complications. Still, all worth it in the end, eh?

[annie0000]

With my first , the broke very conveniently while I was sitting on the toilet. I stopped peeing..........and yet the water kept running!! Went in to labour later that morning - into hospital that night and my son was born by emergency section two days later! Had an epidural for the last 6 hours - meant to be only for the surgery, but I kept on getting "bumped" in the queue for the theatre.

2nd was a planned section - presume they broke the waters during the op, but I wasn't aware of any flooding.

My sisters waters broke in BHS. This was 3 weeks before she was due and was her last trip into town as she was paranoid that her waters would break when she was in a shop! My mum (who bore 7 children herself) ran away and got on a bus leaving me and my sister. I didn't have kids yet at that point, so it was all a bit of a mystery to me. My mum has spent years apologising for that one - she says that she just panicked.

[Bewlay Bros]

Excuse my complete ignorance, but how does the midwife break your waters??

Nothing too graphic please.

[Goodsoulette]

like a big plastic pointy stick. I had mine broken the first time and they tried the second time but my sack was just too tough. I had loads of back water with the sedcond too. Do your waters breaking in earlier labour or before labour have something to do with not having such a strong pelvic floor.

[chicklin]

The first one was like annie's - while sitting on the toilet...the second while I was walking down the stairs at home.

[Psychick]

I was already in hospital having been induced and just been given an epidural (Katie....grrr.......epidurals arent for wimps! I was talked into having as things were going so slow and the midwife wanted me to get some rest!) Anyway, the midwife told me the next thing to be done was to break waters and i said I think they just have. She looked and said good girl? Like I had anything to do with it? lol

It has dawned on me though I have yet to face having my waters break on me when I least want it to! Like in tesco lol

[helliebobs]

So much for the sisterhood, I had gas and air, pethidine an epidural and then an emergency c section with my son who was refusing to budge so if that makes me a wuss then I'm glad because it meant he was born healthy and shiny. Thanks very much Katie, Cazz, Dot et al, I feel wonderful!
Hope I've not overreacted too much :)