If your water breaks before labor....

laurmar21 · December 2011

do you pretty much just arrive at the hospital soaking wet? I know this is a silly question, but with my 1st, they just broke my water in the hospital, so I have no idea. I know it's probably slightly different for each person... but just curious what everyone's experience is with this....

Rowenarg · December 2011

Yes, I tried to wear pads and after about 5 minutes realized that was a lost cause. My friend drove me to the hospital after I had already changed my pants once and I put a towel down in her seat and I was pretty much soaked when I got to the hospital with water all the way down both pants legs. I didn't feel any contractions at all. The water just kept gushing out every few minutes, pretty gross feeling.

Melanie.Brown · December 2011

My water broke at home. I immediately went and sat on the toilet. I tried putting pads on but it was just pouring out and I was soaking through them in just a few minutes. So I just sat on the toilet and let it trickle out while I called everyone. It eventually slowed down so I put a pad on while I got ready, and sat on a towel in the car. The pad was soaked when I got there, but my pants were still dry.

Now moving around in labor while leaking was a bit different. I tried keeping pads on but it was pointless. I eventually resorted to just taking all my bottoms off and scooting around with a towel under my feet and just let it run down my legs. LOL

nolongerdinks · December 2011

With DD #1, my water broke at home (2:30 am) and was a giant gush! I know some people have slow trickles, but mine was true water works! I wasnt having ANY contractions but knew I would have to go in to the hospital regardless- once your water breaks, the risk of infection increases so you're not supposed to stay home for labor to progress. I showered then wore a pad and I was dry until the nurse in L&D checked me, then a slow trickle continued from then until baby arrived. It was weird feeling the wet trickle the whole time, but the nurses were great about swapping dry sheet pads every time I asked for them!

ryry1977 · December 2011

With DS my water broke...a nice big gush. Then once it slowed down, pretty quickly I was able to wear pads and was fine. The doctor told me I could labor at home for up to 12 hours, then had to come in regardless. I did fine at home and didn't go to the hospital until 8 in the morning (water broke at 8pm the night before). I plan on laboring at home this time too if at all possible regardless of water breaking. Of course as long as the doctor says ok.

Stirpy33 · December 2011

my water broke at home at 5 am, no contractions, just a big gush. called the on call OB and they said to go to the OB office to be monitored when they opened at 8:30. I wore a few pads until then due to more leaking. They sent me home and told me to come back at 6 pm if I didn't start having contractions. So I was home for a while and then started contracting on my own, we went in at 3 pm. by then I wasnt really leaking anymore. Its kind of a slower process if you don't start contracting right away. My SIL actually called us an hour after my water broke and said she was already at the hospital!!! We had to tell her we weren't even there. I guess she didn't realize that the baby doesn't just pop right out. He wasn't born until 24 hours after my water broke.

mommybrynn · December 2011

I wore an overnight pad and was fine-- if you get a huge gush it might be more of an issue, but for me it ended up being a trickle and DD's head acted like a cork to stop it when I moved or positioned myself in certain ways. I ended up waiting like 6 hours to go in because it was such a trickle I kept thinking that maybe it wasn't my water?? I must have been in labor-denial or something.

kjg5445 · December 2011

mine broke at home. i put on like 3 pads and a towel in the car and i was soaking...

oh and the L&D nurse insisted on doing the swab test to make sure it was my water. so i undress and am laying on the table in triage with the water pouring all over the floor, up my back, all over the table. she walked in in shock. she felt dumb that she still had to do the swab test but i guess its policy lol. too funny.

rinny25 · December 2011

My water broke sometime between 12:30-2:30am and it such a slow trickle I just thought I had to go to the bathroom. When I realized it was my water I put a pad on and showered & such. It didn't pick up until I was having more intense contractions and in the hospital. It was the weirdest feeling with the gushes & each contraction. The nurse was wonderful at changing the pad every 10min or so until it slowed down.

hewinked · December 2011

With my DS, I went to the hospital cuz I thought I was leaking. It really wasn't any greater amount than the regular discharge (which increases at the end), but I felt leaking every time I got up from sitting or lying down. It was just different than the constant discharge in pregnancy. So I wasn't soaking wet, but I just knew something was different.

KAYLA919 · December 2011

My water broke (total gush) at 3:30am, right after I had gotten settled back into bed after peeing for the 5th time. I thought maybe I dreamt going to the bathroom but peed in bed instead. The liquid didn't smell like pee so I knew it was my water. Like many other posters, it was useless to put on a pad... I would soak through it in 10 minutes so I resorted to towels. I called the doc emergency line right away and was told by the doc to labor at home and check in with them at 9am or so. Contractions didn't start until 5am and I went from 20 minutes between the first two contractions to 11 minutes between 2 and 3. By my 4th contraction, I was timing at 5 mins apart! I thought I was doing something wrong. By 7:30am, I was 2-3 mins apart and said "screw calling at 9am, I'm going in!!!" Course that took an hour due to rush hour. Found out at the hospital that I was 8 cm dialated!!! While it is ok to labor at home, trust your body and your timing!

AliciaBeth · December 2011

My water broke at home. I put on one of my maternity dresses, changed my underwear and put on a pad. Then I sat on a towel in the car on the way to the hospital with my dress pulled up high enough (lol) so that I wouldn't soak through it.

HeyJune · December 2011

Yes. I kept a towel in the car and a trash bag in the glove compartment (to put under the towel) with my first because I was so afraid of ruining our car's fabric seats.

danlexi04 · December 2011

Mine broke at home with my first pregnancy. I was asleep and felt a pop, ran to the bathroom, and sat on the toilet for awhile. I wasn't having contractions so I shoved a towel down my pants and waddled around. Contractions started at two minute apart so we rushed to the hospital with the towel still down my pants, so attractive.

Texas77again · December 2011

nolongerdinks:
I wasnt having ANY contractions but knew I would have to go in to the hospital regardless- once your water breaks, the risk of infection increases so you're not supposed to stay home for labor to progress.

not true. you can absolutely stay home and labor after your water breaks, just keep everything out of your vagina, that's what introduces the bacteria.

CalMum_Momma · December 2011

I wore super heavy duty pads, and didn't leak during the 40min ride to the hospital. Mine was a fairly slow leak though.

dixee.deluxe · December 2011

Lurking from 2nd tri,

I kept a newborn diaper in my purse and just put that in my undies after my water broke (on the OB table at my 39w appt).

ashleylanford · January 2012

My water broke at home with the 1st. It was just a small trickle and didn't last long due to he was so far down that his head acted like a cork and blocked it. I got up showered, called everyone and drive myself to the hospital. I would go in through if it does break due to infection setting in. I have to have a c-section this time and my doctor told me to go straight in if my water breaks because I tested positive on Strep B test. If this has happened to you, go straight in so they can start the antibiotics that baby needs!!!!

kerryholmes · January 2012

My water broke with a huge gush, I changed my underwear and pants and never leaked again after that. I've heard it's very common to leak with each contraction after it breaks though.

DeliveryNurse27609 · January 2012

As you have read everyone's experience is so different. If you are GBS positive and your water breaks you need to call your doctor and head to the hospital. Also if you think your water is broken and you aren't full term contact your doctor.

My experience was this: my water broke around midnight. Just a small trickle of wetness even between going to the bathroom. I put a pad on, I hadn't lost much fluid so I knew the baby had plenty. I went to bed and figured I'd wake up either with contractions or more leaking. I woke up at 8 am! Neither had happened. I then dropped my son off at preschool and called the office and headed in to be evaluated. My water indeed had broken slightly but no labor. So I headed into the birth center and tried natural methods towards promoting labor. I was only 2 cm to begin, with some walking, showering, nipple stim, and eventually breaking the bag of fluid the rest of the way delivered naturally.

pinksweetpea2 · January 2012

Texas77again:
nolongerdinks:
I wasnt having ANY contractions but knew I would have to go in to the hospital regardless- once your water breaks, the risk of infection increases so you're not supposed to stay home for labor to progress.
not true. you can absolutely stay home and labor after your water breaks, just keep everything out of your vagina, that's what introduces the bacteria.

Exactly. The risk from infection is because everyone and their mother have their hands up there when you get to the hospital. If you are at home waiting for labor there is little to no risk.

Water breaking puts you on a time clock when you get to the hospital and can lead to a lot of unnecessary interventions if you rush off the second your water breaks.

GL

mrs+harlow · January 2012

pinksweetpea2:
Texas77again:
nolongerdinks:
I wasnt having ANY contractions but knew I would have to go in to the hospital regardless- once your water breaks, the risk of infection increases so you're not supposed to stay home for labor to progress.
not true. you can absolutely stay home and labor after your water breaks, just keep everything out of your vagina, that's what introduces the bacteria.

Exactly. The risk from infection is because everyone and their mother have their hands up there when you get to the hospital. If you are at home waiting for labor there is little to no risk.

Water breaking puts you on a time clock when you get to the hospital and can lead to a lot of unnecessary interventions if you rush off the second your water breaks.

GL

Lurking and absorbing...pun intended...from second tri....

I am Group B Strep positive and my OB advised I will have to report to the hospital immediately upon my water breaking to start IV antibiotics so it doesn't pass to the baby....

If your water breaks before labor....

Re: If your water breaks before labor....

Choose Another Board

Search Boards