Scared my water will break at work

jschmidt6 · May 2013

As a full time prego one of my biggest fears is that my water will break at work! I know it's silly but I work in an office with 14 people and only one of them has kids, so pregnancy in the office is sort of new for all of us! I told my manager I wanted to work from home the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy and he gave me an attitude about it saying he "didn't know how productive I will be at that point" I don't know what he was getting at but I just imagine myself being extremely uncomfortable, cranky, out of clothes that fit, and not wanting to sit here in an office chair for 9 hours. How many people worked right up until birth and did you stay in the office the whole time?

seahorse102410 · May 2013

Anything can happen and people will get over it. But for most if it happens it's not like in the movies. Kinda feels like you peed your pants but don't remember peeing.

jlaOK · May 2013

I worked until my induction with DS and I am currently 35 weeks pregnant now and will also work until I deliver. Yes you will be uncomfortable, but I only get 8 weeks off for maternity leave and want as much time with DD as possible.

As far as your water breaking at work - if you are that worried about it then bring a towel and a change of clothes and leave them in your office just in case.

1NAM · May 2013

I worked all the way up to the day I went into labor... I worked all day went home and ate dinner, tool a nap and woke up in labor...

I couldn't do my job from home if I wanted to and I could only take 4 weeks maternity leave so I had to keep all my free time and never got to take a day off at all...

When my water broke it was like someone poured a gallon of water out so I understand how you feel ...I'm worried about mine breaking while I'm the car because I just bought a new car...

Leap08 · May 2013

First, keep in mind that most women go in to labor first and then their water breaks.

Second, when my water broke with DD2 and it was nothing like they show in the movies or on TV. My underwear just felt a little damp. If you're really concerned about it, I'd carry some spare undies and a pad.

schmood · May 2013

I started having mild contractions on a Thursday night. I ended up staying home that Friday 'just in case' and nothing happened during the day that day, so I was upset that I had burned a vaction day. My contractions really picked up Friday night and I had the baby Saturday night. My water didn't break until about 12hrs into labor. At our childbirth class, I think they said only about 15% of people have their water break like it's depicted in the movies. I looked at it like this, I wanted to work as long as I could so I could preserve my time off for once the baby was born. Were the last few weeks uncomfortable... yes. But I would have much rather have been at work than sitting around at home waiting for something to happen.

SPIJaimie · May 2013

I worked the Friday before I was induced Monday evening. Honestly, you get miserable but you are miserable pretty much wherever you are. We are not able to work from home so I trudge in every day. My swelling was almost comical so people kinda hovered over me those last few weeks. I had the same fear as you, especially since I work with mostly men. I wore pads those last couple of weeks since they said it would be more like discharge than the huge waterbuckets at the theme parks style. Also, they say to put one of the waterproof bedliners on your side so it doesn't soak your mattress.

SummerOH · May 2013

I worked until the day before my scheduled induction. I commute an hour each way and am at the office for 9 hours. 11 hour days were tiring, but I wanted to save all of my time for after DS was born. Push through it. It's uncomfortable for sure but you'll be so glad you did!

EastCoastBride · May 2013

Also keep in mind that in reality, MOST women's water doesn't actually break "on it's own". I think it's something like 15%. In most cases, the doctor actually has to break it.

LBStewart · May 2013

I worked until the day I got induced. I'm a high school teacher and all my students were convinced my water was going to break in the middle of class. Thankfully it didn't. I was uncomfortable, but it wasn't too bad. I tried to stay on my feet as much as possible.

*sparky* · May 2013

I went into labor on a Sunday but I was at work the Friday before and had no plans of taking early leave to wait for labor. As others wrote, the chances of your water breaking and it being a spectacle are really small. I wanted to save my leave for after the baby was born.

itsmevkb · May 2013

I worked up until the day I gave birth with all my kids. Sure I got more and more uncomfortable the more pregnant I got but I never felt like I needed time off. I wouldn't have minded being allowed to work from home but, then again, being in the office as a good distraction for me.

As for your water breaking, trust me, if it does happen at work or anywhere else, you'll be too excited, nervous, etc. about what's to come to really care.

alstumb@gmail.com · May 2013

I worked up until 3 before getting induced. My water never broke on its own.

jf198400 · May 2013

I also wanted to WFH at the end of my pregnancy, but it was because I had an hour commute, not b/c I was worried about my water breaking. My boss let me WFH the last 1.5 weeks before my due date. I ended up working an additional week past that b/c I was late. I was finally induced 10days late. I got really lonely, bored, and unmotivated working at home for that long. I was not really productive at all.

The second time around I still had an hour commute but continued to work in the office b/c I was on a classified program and could not WFH. I was not all that productive in the office either but it was nice to talk to people and have lunch with my coworkers etc. I also worked a week past my due date. Went home Friday night and went into labor Saturday afternoon. I thought I was in labor starting around noon on Sat and didn't go to the hospital until 7pm. There is plenty of time to get to the hospital, no need to worry about rushing.

Mustardseed2007 · May 2013

I was very worried about that too, evern though I knew it wasn't likely. But I worked up until I went into labor. Of course, I went into labor on a Sunday so I wasn't actually at work. FWIW, my water didn't break on it's own, my doctor ended up breaking it for me to encourage labor along.

However, I understand that one person in my office (of 150 people) did actually experience this. Her water broke and one of her coworkers drove her to the hospital in her car, and another coworker followed to bring the driver back to the office.

People will get over it if it happens...they will probably always remember it though.

I mean, this woman's kid is 7 or 8 years old now, and I actually wasn't working there when it happened, when I became pregnant someone told me the story. Her kid is super super cute.

cltk12 · May 2013

I too was scared of my water breaking at work.

I worked the day I went into labor (37 weeks exactly). I got home, took a nap, went for a walk, watched some tv, and just as I was getting into bed, my water broke. I'm one of those that it did break to start labor.

I did have a big gush of water and then it just trickled out for the next 15 mins. I just had undies on, but if I would have had pants on, the pants would have absorbed it. Don't stand up and yell, MY WATER BROKE and really, no one well probably know. You'll probably freak a bit, walk to the bathroom and let it trickle out there for a bit, then go back and tell whoever you need to that you need to leave.

My fear was that it would break while sitting in a chair in a conference room and there would be bloody mucus everywhere. It's really just water.

Mrs.RockyM · May 2013

I was petrified of that too and I actually made my last day of work 2 days before my due date, just incase. Well lucky me, on my last day at work, my water broke at the office!!!!!

I felt kind of wet and went to the restroom, where I felt something plop in the toiled . A piece of my plug fell into the toilet - yes, at work. I basically just put on one of those obnoxiously large pads, went back to my desk and quietly called DH (who asked if I was sure I didn't just pee my pants) my doctor (who said to go to L&D) and then DH again (to tell him to meet me at home), and then told everyone I wasn't feeling well and left. I had parked pretty far away that day, so by the time I had gotten to my car, I was kind of a wet mess - but nobody saw me. It wasn't a gush like in the movies, more of a leak. I didn't even tell anyone at work because I didn't want them to all freak out and make a fuss.

So lessons learned:

Keep super large pads in your pocketbook at all times. Towards the end you might even want to wear them regularly. Luckily I was, or it could have been messier.
Keep a towel or a trash bag in your car just incase your water breaks while you're out. You really don't want to sit in a puddle of amniotic fluid, and I have no clue what you'd do to even get that out of the fabric (I sat on my coat)
As embarassing as you'd think it would be, nobody even noticed. As soon as I realized my water had broken, this emmense sense of calm came over me and I just said, I'm not feeling well, I'm leaving, bye. I called them the next day to tell them everything. It took a while for contractions to start even after my water broke, so I was fine to drive home.
Even if I had gushed, who cares. At that point, all you'll be able to think about is - wow, I get to finally see my LO!

hoping4sticky · May 2013

Statistically, very unlikely. And if you weren't having contracts yet it would be PROM, which is even more unlikely, I want to say around 2-3%. I did have PPROM, but was fortunate enough to have my water break at home before work. Even then it started as a slow trickle so if I was at work I wouldve made it to the bathroom.

But in the off chance that it does break at work, you will forever be referenced as the girl whos water broke at work whenever anyone is pregnant. Apparently it happened to someone in my office 5 years ago and at least 2 people told me about it when I was pregnant. I do believe the company replaced the chair though. I really wouldn't worry about what you can't control.

ETA - I worked up to the end in the office with my first but that was at 35 weeks so it was a surprise. With my second I was already working 2x a week from home and with my early and fast labor and being 1.5 from the hospital at work I worked from home full time starting a month before my due date. I would not recommend taking your leave prior to your due date, you will want that for when the baby is here, especially with your first, imo.

Ago · May 2013

I feel that people get overly dramatic about this. It is very unlikely it will happen at work. I worked through Friday and went into labor Sunday night. I don't really see it as a reason to stay home. I probably sound pretty harsh saying it, but I seriously eye roll about the water-breaking anxiety.

christinak22 · May 2013

I worked right up to birth with both of mine, too, and so glad I did. I was sooo anxious and impatient by then, it was good to have a distraction. With my second, I lost my mucus plug on my bathroom break out of the office and immediately started having contractions on the commute home. My water didn't break for 12 hours into labor, though.

I seriously wouldn't worry about it. Like PPs said, bring pads and extra clothes just in case. You don't have to scream bloody murder and make a panic about it--just calmly leave the office if it happens and everyone will understand.

honkytonk_kid · May 2013

EastCoastBride:
Also keep in mind that in reality, MOST women's water doesn't actually break "on it's own". I think it's something like 15%. In most cases, the doctor actually has to break it.

What? No. In 15%ish of pregnancies the woman's water breaks before labor labor starts.

AROM is done to speed up labor, not because your water won't break on it's own. Sometimes the baby is born with an intact bag (called en-caul) but it's extremely rare.

jschmidt6 · May 2013

Mrs.RockyM:
I basically just put on one of those obnoxiously large pads, went back to my desk and quietly called DH (who asked if I was sure I didn't just pee my pants)

Hahahha. This would be my husband.

Thanks for the advice! I'm not planning to start maternity leave until he's born. Those paid days are too precious. Just wondering if I'll be able to function in the office and it sounds like I'll be fine.

amyc216 · May 2013

I was scared of the same thing! Also, I work with all men so I couldn't imagine how awkward that would be if it had happened! I also asked my boss if I could work from home the last two weeks and luckily he was fine with it. I did work up until my due date and I was grateful to be at home b/c I had to take a lot of breaks to lie down! I was too uncomfortable sitting at a desk all day. It also worked out b/c I pretty much spent the last few weeks letting my customers know about my ML and they stopped sending me things and my coworkers didn't send me much either. GL! Hope you get to work from home at the end!

pitterpatter129 · May 2013

I taught all the way to the end (I think I was about 37 weeks when I was crawling on the floor tracing kids bodies on big paper to make life-size penguins!) You'll be fine. Most people's water doesn't break before you are in the middle of labor and if it does, it's usually plugged by baby's head and will be a trickle easily managed with a pad (like starting your period at work.)

TheyCalledHerKate · May 2013

I'm 6 days away from my due date. Starting next week I will work from home until I deliver.

oooCarrieB · May 2013

My water broke at my sister's house. It was not messy at all at first, just a slow leak. I didn't wreck her couch or anything. Try not to worry too much. I worked up until my due date. The next day I started leave and that was the day that my labor started.

shannm · May 2013

I worked right up until the last minute. My water never broke on its own.

Can it happen? Yes. Is it likely? No.

I'd say if that you are taking that time off or working at home just because of that particular fear, then you shouldn't.

Edit to add: I did think that it may have broken one day late in my pregnancy. My DH works in the same building so I texted him that it "may" have happened and I needed to go to the restroom before we met for lunch. Like a jackass, he tells his male boss (who I see regularly) before confirming what it was. Of course, I was wrong and it was just excessive mucous/maybe I peed? (LOL) and then when he told his boss it was a false alarm, he wanted to know why I thought that was what happened. REALLY?? Do we need to really go there? We really need to talk about what is currently happening in my underpants?!?!

ridesbuttons · May 2013

It can happen like they show in the movies: a huge gush of water that no pad in th world would hold.

But guess what? Nobody will care. It has no odour, no colour, it is water. And if it breaks at work big deal.

honeybee111 · May 2013

With DD, I worked up until birth(she was 2 weeks early). I worked on Friday, and she was born on a Sunday. I'm due with our second in 2 weeks, and I'm pretty uncomfortable, but it's not that bad. Yes, I'm uncomfortable, not sleeping well, wearing the same clothes every week, etc., but it's only temporary, and I want to maximize my time at home after I have the baby. I'm a teacher, so in front of kids all day, and yes, I'm sure they would be slightly traumatized if my water broke in front of them, but oh well. I don't think I'd be as worried if I worked in an office type environment. I mean, at least you work with adults, and you can run out right away.

Strunella · May 2013

My water broke at the diner on my first day of maternity leave. It was 5 days before my due date and I had no contractions or any other symptoms of labor. I had a great big breakfast and went to go pay my bill when GUSH! There was no mistaking it. Jeans were soaked. But I didn't say a thing. I drove home, called DH and my doctor.

Wannalitter · May 2013

I worked through 41 weeks with my first and will do the same with this one. I work a pretty physical job and spend a lot of time on ladders and working with hand and power tools. I was always afraid my water would break with my boss standing under me while I was on a lift or something so I just wear a giant pad all day.

With my first my water didn't break until I was well into labor. I went into labor on the last day I planned to work, shortly after I got to work. Once I was sure of what was going on, I told husband to be on standby. I worked through the day and even stayed a little late to get a few things wrapped up before I would be gone.

Some days I just wish my only job was "being pregnant" but I know if I were home right now I'd be going crazy with the waiting. I'm 36 weeks now.

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