15 women share what actually happened between the moment their water broke and giving birth.

Ask any mum and they'll tell you no two birth stories are alike. 

...But the moments leading up to the birth are also just as unique.

For some women, the moment their waters break means grabbing their hospital bag and running out the door. But for others, it's just the beginning of hours of waiting, where they have the time to enjoy a leisurely lunch or shower.  

And for one mum in particular, it was a manner of minutes before giving birth on the bathroom floor. 

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To find out what actually happens after between your water breaking and giving birth - and just how different the experiences can be - we asked the Mamamia community to share what they went through. 

Here's what those moments looked like for 15 women. 

"My water broke at a cafe when we were having brunch. I went to the bathroom and finished brunch."

"My water broke at a cafe when we were having brunch (one day past due date with my first). I felt a pop, went to the bathroom but nothing. I finished brunch and then my partner asked if I still wanted to walk to the post office. I said yes as still nothing. By the time we walked home I looked like I’d wet myself. Rang the hospital and came in as instructed (I actually walked to the hospital). They monitored me and told me I was having contractions. Still couldn’t feel anything and thought ‘this is not so bad’. Went home for 5 hours and by then boy could I feel the contractions!! Laboured for another 12 hours then had emergency c section at 7am the next day and my gorgeous girl was born happy and healthy." - Lisa.

"My water broke about half an hour after we had new carpet laid!"

"I had a really lovely experience! My water broke around lunchtime on a Friday (about half an hour after we had new carpet laid!). I moseyed up to the hospital later that evening, only to be sent home. I had a great sleep and was awoken by contractions at 8am. By 10am they were close enough for me to want to go to hospital and my daughter was born two hours later naturally and drug free!" - Nikki. 

"On the way to the hospital, I thought I was going to have the twins in the car."

"My waters broke for my twins around 7:30pm on a Friday night as soon as I sat down on the couch. Twenty minutes before, my husband had ordered takeaway for dinner at the local shops. So before we left for the hospital, he drove up to the shops to get the food. Meanwhile, our neighbour came over and saw that I needed to get to hospital ASAP and helped me pack the car and get ready. I could feel the babies coming as I was sitting in the car waiting for my husband to get back from the shops. He finally got back and on the way to the hospital, I thought I was going to have the twins in the car. We eventually got to the hospital and as I started pushing, my husband was standing there eating his burger and my steak sandwich. out and At 10:30pm my first baby came ten minutes later my second was born." - Des. 

"I had no bag packed, no laundry done... I had the worst undies on you’ve ever seen."

"My waters broke at 32 weeks in the middle of the night. I had no bag packed, no laundry done, no maternity leave, I had the worst undies on you’ve ever seen, parents were overseas on holidays so I didn’t tell them. My friend took me to the hospital. I didn’t go into labour but I had to stay there cause of infection risk. Bubs arrived just shy of 34 weeks after A c-section (prompted by bleeding) ... parents arrived back just in time for birth. Not quite how I saw things going but hey, that’s kids for you." - Kerry.

"I had a shower and washed my hair then put on a face mask before leaving the house."

"My water broke when I was in the shower. The birthing suite told me to slowly make my way in so I decided to get back in the shower to wash my hair then put on a face mask before leaving the house." - Kylie.

"I gave birth on the bathroom floor."

"My waters broke at home and I gave birth on the bathroom floor a few minutes later. My husband caught the baby." - Ray.

"I'm a teacher and at 3pm on the last day of term my waters broke."

"I'm a teacher and at 3pm on the last day of term my waters broke. I was in complete denial and thought I'd wet myself. I said goodbye to everyone (and told no one) and drove home. I laid on the lounge at home and called my mum (still hubby didn't know) and she agreed I wet myself. When I got off the lounge more water came. I wasn't expecting my twins for another 10 or so weeks so I remember sitting there thinking I will have no bladder control for the remainder of the pregnancy. Few hours later I decided to call the hospital to ask if I should come in. They said I should, and I got my mum to take me to hospital (hubby still has no idea at this stage as I didn't want him to worry). I was looked at and I was told I wouldn't be leaving hospital the until twins were born. At this news I thought my husband should be informed, so I called him. I spent all that night and the next morning complaining and trying to negotiate with any nurse or doctor who came near me why I should be permitted to go home. I was consistently told no and that I was on 100 per cent bedrest. At lunchtime I think I had complained so much that a nurse said I could sit in a wheelchair and eat lunch outside with my husband. I had just been wheeled outside when I started getting pains. I was taken back into my room and three hours later the twins were born." - Nicole.

"I did the dishes, had a shower, packed last-minute things, woke my fiancé back up at 5.30am and had to wait for him to cook himself breakfast."

"My water broke at 3am just after I got back into bed after going to the toilet. Contractions didn’t start till 4am. I did the dishes, had a shower, packed last-minute things, woke my fiancé back up at 5.30am and had to wait for him to cook himself breakfast then met my midwife just before 6am. Contractions were six minutes apart so left for the hospital which was a two-hour drive and our wee boy arrived at 11.48am." - Megan.

"I hadn’t packed a hospital bag or anything."

"I was 34 weeks and spent the day helping my mum clear out under her house. I went home for a shower before going back to her house for dinner. When I got out of the shower I thought I’d peed myself a little and was embarrassed but went to dinner anyway and had a lovely night. When I went to get in the car to go home I felt it again so my husband took me to the hospital. They checked me out and sent me by ambulance to the next town over because she was going to come early and my towns hospital couldn’t deliver that early. Two days of steroid injections and she was delivered via classical c-section. I hadn’t packed a hospital bag or anything." - Nic.

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"My waters broke at home while we were having family over for lunch."

"With my first, my waters broke at home while we were having family over for lunch but there were no contractions. So we called the hospital and they said to take our time, pack a bag and slowly make our way to the hospital. So we sat back down at the table, had a weirdly totally normal dessert with the family, packed a bag (the baby was two weeks early so we had nothing prepared) and then went to the hospital.  21 hours later, my little girl was born." - Madeline. 

"I gave brith in the shower at 2.03am."

"For my most recent bub, number four, my waters broke when I was fast asleep at 1am. I hobbled down the staircase and into the bathroom, bub was born in the shower at 2.03am! It was a planned home birth, but my midwife just made it. To be honest, it would have been at home or in the car!" - Elli.

"While I was in labour people showed up at my house for my surprise baby shower."

"My obstetrician said my baby would not be coming ANY time soon (10 days before the due date). I went for curry that night, came home and got into PJs and my waters broke. I went off to hospital and they kept me there. I didn’t know why and when they told me the next morning, we were going to the birthing suite I was shocked! While I was in labour people showed up at my house for my surprise baby shower. I ended up with emergency c-section. And once I had my bub I actually heard the hospital tour I was meant to be on from my room - with my baby in my arms!" - Anathea.

"My waters broke explosively in the bed at home, like they do in the movies."

"With my first, they broke explosively in the bed at home, like they do in the movies. I was exactly 40 weeks. The hospital told me to take my time getting there as they were doing their handover. I could feel that my body was pushing. Hospital is literally a five-minute drive so off we went. We got to the maternity ward, the nurse went to get some stuff to 'check I was in labour', I said to my hubby 'get her back here now', they could see the head when she checked. I reckon I had about maybe five to eight contractions from water breaking to baby born (which was about 25 minutes). They weren’t super close together like they say they’re meant to be and I wasn’t in pain which is why they didn’t believe I was in labour when I rang." - Erin.

"After my water broke, I just sat at home watching TV, eating chips and walking around doing nothing trying to help it all along."

"With my first babe Summer, I woke at around 3am to what felt like period pain. I took myself sleepily to the toilet to do a wee and thought to myself 'gee, that might have been a lot more liquid than normal'. I woke my hubby and told him that I thought my water had broken but wasn't sure, he said 'you're ok, go back to sleep'. I woke maybe an hour later and walked to the kitchen to get a drink of water. The minute I stepped off the carpet and onto the kitchen tiles, my water broke... trickled down my legs... continuously. I was feeling fine so I stayed at home until about 1am the next morning. Once I got to the hospital I was in a lot of pain, so I stayed the night at the hospital as I wasn't dilated enough to be taken to the birthing suite but they wanted to keep an eye on me. The next day at around 3pm (I think...), Summer was born. There was such a gap in between that my folks had time to drive down to Sydney from Port Macquarie to be there for her arrival. I just sat at home watching TV, eating chips and walking around doing nothing trying to help it all along." - Rikki. 

Feature Image: Getty/Mamamia.