I know it's early but...

misslizzy82 · October 2014

I was wondering for those of you BTDT mom's that worked up until baby came. What would you have done if your water broke at work?

kcrusius · October 2014

Gone upstairs to L&D

I am a nurse so it makes it easy- tho I will say some of our charge nurses probably wouldn't have let me go if that meant that they had to take my patients. I would have to give report to another nurse. I worked in a pretty hard core ICU.

nursemarie925 · October 2014

Lol. I would've hightailed it out of there ASAP. Fourth time mom here and my water has never broken on its own though.

babyzap20 · October 2014

OMG this is my biggest fear. I plan on working all the way up to the big day (hopefully) Thanks for posting this question!

misslizzy82 · October 2014

Well that's convenient! I'm wondering if at some point it should keep a change of clothes and a towel at work

or would that be silly.

southernyankeegirl · October 2014

My Mom did this - she worked up until she went into labor.

For the vast majority of people, it isn't like the movies - usually labor starts sooner and the water breaks sometime later. So in that case, you'd have time to excuse yourself from work and get someone to drive you to the hospital.

Also, you're at work only approximately 1/3 of the day (8 out of 24 hours) and 5 days of the week, so chances are pretty good that it's going to happen some other time outside working hours.

In the totally awkward worst case scenario where your water breaks in a meeting, well... I dunno... have someone call the janitor? If you're working for a big company, I'd talk to HR about your concerns. If you're working for a smaller company, I'd talk to your boss about your concerns. I imagine that would be truly awkward to suddenly soak the floor, but I can't imagine it happens very often.

Maebb · October 2014

My water broke at home (thankfully), but a change of clothes and a towel (and an extra-thick maxi pad and maybe a trash bag to put on the car seat) are all good ideas.

My only plan last time was that I talked to a coworker a few months ahead of time who agreed to drive me to the hospital if needed and another one as a backup.

Mrs_Bennett · October 2014

I was a SAHM, so it wasn't a big deal (plus it was the middle of the night), but my water spontaneously broke like the movies when DS2 was born! Contractions started an hour later, and he was born about 12 hours later. It's not common (like 10%?), but definitely happens!

MusicFanatic · October 2014

I will be conveniently located in a hospital bed if my water breaks

(and this has always been a fear of mine, too).

[Deleted User] · October 2014

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elleswarth · October 2014

I would go upstairs to L&D as well and would have to give report from the hospital bed! Although depending on how far along I am, if I'm under 36 weeks, I get shipped to our sister hospital that has a NICU. I've been working on getting my bag together and plan on having it in my car in the next few weeks jussssttttt in case.

Samiantha101 · October 2014

I guess I would probably try to clean myself up in the restroom and call my husband.

With that said, I had been in active labor for hours before going to the hospital. It was a couple hours after arriving at the hospital before the doctor actually broke my water. I'm not going to stress about the possibility of it happening at work.

I do usually keep some spare clothes in my car though but not for any specific reason.

Mom2anAngel2 · October 2014

Of course L&D is not at my campus of the hospital, because that would be too convienent. LOL. I would just change into scrubs and "barrow/steal" some towels to drive over to L&D.

My water never broke in its own with DS. I was 9/10 cm dilated when they broke my water and I started pushing.

Edvent · October 2014

I was worried about this last time but my water did not break on its own. I didn't bring a change of clothes or anything to work, but it can't hurt. I did put a waterproof liner under my sheet on my side of the bed towards the end, because I was worried about ruining my nice memory foam mattress!

ksilmom11 · October 2014

My water broke with DS in the middle of the night. But it was just a tiny bit. The test didn't come out until he was out (ahhh sweet relief)

If it happens at work I will change my clothes and drive to the hospital. A mile up the street.

does anyone know if your water broke the first time if it's likely to break again with other pregnancies?

Aillise · October 2014

I was on bedrest and I had time able (not painful) contractions that went on for a week. I went to L&D on monday, wednesday, and friday. By Friday they had enough of my coming in, said I had 3 more weeks go home (I def think they thought I was crazy). I knew though. Saturday morning when I got out of bed I was leaking.

motherboy · October 2014

My water broke at like 2 am. It wasn't a huge gush like in the movies.

But I was teaching juniors in high school last time around, and one kid asked me what I would do if I went into labor in class. I told her I would make sure my water broke all over the floor. Nothing like grossing teens out over labor. Maybe it helped decrease teen pregnancy?

I had a change of clothes at work for the third trimester in case of emergencies. That's a good idea,for a couple of reasons. I would have had my husband come pick me up.

llambrose · October 2014

This is a fear of mine. I kind of want to stop working a week early because the idea really worries me of going into labor at work. I work at a University so there are tons of people around and I think I would be really embarrassed and feel really vulnerable. Last time I went in to the hospital to be induced in the morning and it broke at 2 AM. I may have to take a water break preparedness kit into work.

Pips09 · October 2014

I've only known one person that this happened to. She tied a shirt around her waist and drove to the hospital.

Trek3 · October 2014

Pips09 said:

I've only known one person that this happened to. She tied a shirt around her waist and drove to the hospital.

Yeah, I would do this. I might carry around a pad just in case (it keeps trickling or occasionally gushing after breaking), and I always have a sweater at work.

Mine didn't break with #1. With #2, it broke in the middle of the night. I asked DH to get me a towel before I got up so there wasn't much mess aside from my pyjamas & said towel.

YaMrWhite · October 2014

Gone home. If that's what happens that's what I'll do.

LadyXaverian · October 2014

I was one of those people whose water breaking was the first sign of labor. It broke in dramatic fashion... but we were at home, so it was fine.

I teach HS, and my students have started asking about the "what ifs" of this happening, so we're going to come up with a plan. I just don't know what it is going to be yet lol.

Jellybean707 · October 2014

With DS I had planned to take the 2 weeks leading up to my due date off. He had other ideas because my water broke on my last day of work! Luckily I was home at the time. I plan to work up until my due date this time so maybe I'll keep an extra pair of clothes in my car just in case

ECATX · October 2014

My water didn't break until I was at the hospital and about to start pushing. I would guess it was probably 11 or 12 hours after I was really in labor, so I had lots of time!

robsbabygirl08 · October 2014

I would go upstairs to L&D. I'm worried it will break in front of a patient, but the chances of that actually happening are pretty slim.

csjsmom · October 2014

Both times when my water "broke" it was only a trickle. The baby's head dropped down and stopped the fluid from coming out. So I wasn't totally sure. Just a little leaked out when I moved around a lot (sat down). I have heard you should put towels down in the seat of the car to drive to the hospital just in case. I'm a teacher so I guess I'd get someone to take over my class and figure out how to get home or to the hospital. First time water broke first but I didn't get contractions without being induced. Second time my water broke (going over a speed bump) around 24 hours after contractions started.

storm08 · October 2014

My water didn't break until I was already in labor and admitted at the hospital at 3 am Sunday morning. I never had a plan for what to do at work. My DH works at the same company/site, so he'd be able to drive me to the hospital. I guess we're doing the same thing this time, I'm planning on working right up until I go into labor.