With dd1 my water broke the day before any contractions started (I was at 42 weeks at that point). Despite a very laid back and supportive birth team I did end up with c/s in that birth.
With dd2 I was super scared of a repeat, but thankfully for my peace of mind contractions started just a few hours after my water broke (at 40 weeks) and dd2 was a successful vbac.
With ds I was at 41 weeks (actually 42 weeks, but since the hospital wouldn't "allow" vbac past 41 weeks my provider and I had fudged the dates just in case and thank goodness), I'd had nearly non-stop prodromal labor for about a week and a half, and since I was facing the absolute limit of what my provider/the hospital would stand in terms of vbac I had an AROM. Contractions picked up within minutes and ds was born roughly 4 hours later.
I know that water breaking prior to onset of contractions isn't really the most common scenario (something like 15% of moms have this happen), but it seems that my body simply doesn't know what to do if the membranes are intact! LOL I'm curious to see what happens this time round, but I think that if I go to 41 weeks with prodromal labor again I'll actually ask for AROM based on my prior birth experiences. (not that I'm suggesting AROM casually, it might be one of the least invasive of the invasive induction techniques, but it still carries some significant risks both biological with potential infection/reduced mobility for babe and artificial with hospital policies about clocks and mobility after ROM)
Follow Mothering