dumb question about water breaking

Knottie13257900 · April 2016

I'm worried that my water will break and leak all over the couch, bed, carpet, car, or whatever--or if I'm in public, it'll get my clothes all wet. What do people do to prevent that? Wear a huge maxi pad in the weeks that you're expecting to go into labor?? I suppose I could do that...I'm not planning on wearing any super cute outfits by that time anyway...but I find it quite annoying to wear a maxi pad for that long (dealt with someone similar when I had a missed miscarriage)

kyraaD · April 2016

i mean.. you could do that. it doesnt always happen in a big gush though. you could just end up with a slow leak.

i personally didnt do anything to prevent that. my water broke at home while i was laying on the couch. it did get all over my sweat pants, but i managed to get off the couch & to the bathroom quick enough that i didn't get anything on the couch at all. i just washed the sweat pants & everything was good. it's really not a big deal.

SmrBrd2012 · April 2016

Your water breaking prior to labor isn't all that common. I think I read that it happens about 10% of the time. Also, when it does happen, it doesn't generally rush out of you. It's more of a trickle, especially if you are sitting or standing, since baby's head blocks the exit. You're more likely to leak more if you are laying down but that would be the least of my concerns! You could get a mattress pad if it stresses you out.

PhoebeJune1984 · April 2016

With my first, that was the thing I stressed about the most. I didn't want to go in public places, because I knew I would be horrified if it broke while I was out. Guess when it finally broke......at 41 weeks when I was getting induced, and the OB broke it. Two of my friends had their water break in the grocery store, but both said that it wasn't a gush and more of a trickle.

The only thing that I will do this time around, is make sure that I have something covering my side of the bed, so if it breaks there.....I am not getting it on the mattress.

Neesey · April 2016

Everyone can be different. When my water broke with DS it did gush and went all the way into my shoes. I'm not going to stress about it too much. I'll probably just put a towel on my sofa and under my sheets in bed when o hey closer. When going out I've got diapers for my son so in a pinch, I could put one in my pants or use the picnic blanket I keep in the car.

Soverthis · April 2016

My sister's broke in Walmart! 8 years later she still laughs about it and enjoys telling her story. I heard it again at lunch yesterday ☺. If it happens try to embrace it as part of your birth story. I have not worried about my water breaking, but recently I coughed until I peed my pants. So not cool! I am worried about cough or sneezing and peeing in public! I would be mortified!

rlbrooks84 · April 2016

Both times mine broke as I was getting back into bed after going to the bathroom. I just have a mattress protector on my bed. The first time I didn't have a big gush, I just thought I peed myself, the second time it was a big gush and the floor got a bit wet. But hey that's why I have a carpets cleaner, I just used a towel to clean up what I could and then took care of it when I came home. You'll be fine if it does break, I don't know anyone else who's had their water break so I don't think it happens that often anymore.

splsmama2016 · April 2016

You're creating human life. So what if it breaks in public? I think people will be understanding and not assume you peed your pants.

and if they judge, just go with it!! Lol.

AdorkablePixie · April 2016

I often wonder if my water breaks where and when it will happen. I don't plan on wearing pads or panty liners though. I'll keep some on hand for when I do, and maybe a towel in my car just incase but that's it. We already have a waterproof mattress pad on our bed because we have two dogs and accidents happen. I'd just try not to worry about it.

I am sure when the time comes if your water breaks, you won't care where you are or how it happens.

whataboutscience · April 2016

I've also heard that it only breaks at the start of labor 10% of the time. My labor was induced so my water was broken artificially, but it definitely was a huge gush. A maxi pad would have done nothing. I'm guessing it depends on how low baby is.

noelietrex · April 2016

sdLindenberg said:

You're creating human life. So what if it breaks in public? I think people will be understanding and not assume you peed your pants. and if they judge, just go with it!! Lol.

Image: https://img.pandawhale.com/post-61376-everybody-my-age-pees-their-pa-Rcyw.gif

MynaBird · April 2016

I don't think this will make you feel any better (sorry!), but I don't think any maxi pad would have made a difference when my water broke (at home, at least). I had a trickle, and then a gush, and then some more gushes, including as I was standing at the admissions desk at labor & delivery. I apologized to the nurse for getting amniotic fluid all over her floor, and she said not to worry about it -- happens all the time.

PP was right -- if it does break in public, people will understand, you'll give them all something interesting to talk about at dinner, and you'll have a good story afterward!

CecilB93 · April 2016

Mine broke as I was getting back into bed at 2:30 in the morning after going to the bathroom. I had just laid down, then heard and felt the pop, then a huge gush. I managed to jump out of bed and get to the bathroom before it hit the bed, and I think I barely got any on the carpet either. I had a maxi pad in for some reason and it did help give me time to get to the bathroom, but as I pulled my shorts down there was a ton of fluid still falling out of me and onto the floor. My shorts were soaked, rug in the bathroom was soaked, pad was soaked. I'm glad I had a pad in my case, but for most women it's not a huge gush. Like others said, you could get a waterproof cover for your own furniture, but public is hard to prevent or cover up. In the moment I wasn't thinking much about protecting things, it passed through my mind for a minute or two as it happened, but once it soaked in (pun not intended) that my water had just broken, those were the least of my worries.

smn14 · April 2016

Mine broke in a supermarket but I was wearing a pad which absorbed huge amounts! I was worried I would look like I had peed myself but none leaked out of the pad and it was a big gush! A lady saw me hiding, waiting for DH to bring the car over and worked out what was going on and was really nice to me ; people are kind! At the time it was embarrassing but now it's a hilarious story we laugh about! Don't worry too much about it, if it happens it happens. In the long run you will not care, as you will have a lovely baby!

micmash · April 2016

If your water is going to break in a big gush in its own like mine did no maxi pad is going to help.

Mine broke at home. I was walking down stairs to make coffee, had no signs of labor etc and I was exactly 38 weeks and then waterfall. My pants etc were soaked and you will continue to leak after the fact. Honestly it should be the least of your concern. You can't predict it and if it happens that way it's going to happen. Good luck

Ceridwen77 · April 2016

My water broke in bed. I was 40w +2 so I had been sleeping on a big thick towel in anticipation of this event. Good thing because it was a huge gush.

FutureMrsCaesar · April 2016

Like others have said, it's rare that your water will break prior to being in labor, but from my experience, if it does, no pad is going to help contain it. I agree with others, I wouldn't stress too much, it's part of life! I have some friends who are teachers and they worried about their water breaking in front of their class, which I can definitely understand. But in most cases, if it broke in public I think people would be understanding.

mmemartinez · April 2016

I used depends once my water broke and it was fabulous. My water broke after using the bathroom...I got back in bed and felt still wet which was weird. So it was a little trickle, went back to the toilet then it was a bit more powerful. Put on a pair of depends to get stuff ready and eat something before heading the hospital. Things would have been messy otherwise, in the car and on the way up to L&D too.

clairemwalker · April 2016

My water broke in a lovely gush, but even then i still had time to get onto hard flooring before it soaked through my pants and onto the floor. The only thing we did was put a mattress protector on the bed, but that was more in preparation for leaky breast milk. I did end up standing there swaying for about 20 mins until it stopped and then put on a maxi pad

DominiqueU · April 2016

FutureMrsCaesar said:

Like others have said, it's rare that your water will break prior to being in labor, but from my experience, if it does, no pad is going to help contain it. I agree with others, I wouldn't stress too much, it's part of life! I have some friends who are teachers and they worried about their water breaking in front of their class, which I can definitely understand. But in most cases, if it broke in public I think people would be understanding.

I teach 3rd grade and I kind of think it would be hysterical for my water to break in front of my class. They're already so invested in this pregnancy and honestly, that's a story you'd tell forever.

adiaz132003 · April 2016

plan on doing g the good old garbage bag trick. One for the car and one for my bed. Take a garbage bag and cut the sides so it's just one flat piece of plastic. Put one on your bed under your sheets and have a towel next to the bed so you can stuff it between your legs while you waddle to the bathroom. Take the other bag and set it and a towel in your car so that you can put the bag on the seat then the towel on top of it if A, water breaks on the way to the hospital while your in labor or B, it broke while you are out.

delujm0 · April 2016

My water broke when I was at the hospital and had just been admitted, while I was waiting on the epidural (I was 6cm at the time). At first I thought I was peeing myself, it was a trickle. Later on, I did have a gush, DD must have moved positions suddenly or something. I thought that my catheter had fallen out and made the nurse check it for me haha.

SIL's water broke in bed before labor...she woke up thinking she had wet the bed and then went to the bathroom and her mucus plug came out in the toilet. But she just cleaned it up...it wasn't really a big deal. I was at work, in my cubicle, until 39+4 (DD was born at 39+6, which was a Sunday), and I was slightly worried that it would happen at work but I didn't wear a pad or depends or anything. not much you can do about it anyway. I can't exactly remember, but I THINK I did sit on a towel in my car when we drove to the hospital because I was afraid it would break in the car. Really though, 9 times out of 10, you'll be in the hospital when that happens.

jrouge12 · April 2016

I was worried about that too. But my water broke at some point while I was sleeping in labor in the hospital. Baby's head blocked all the water. The midwife was like "When did your water break?" (She only knew it had because it was time to push and she only saw the baby's hair no amniotic sack). I had no clue.

clw617 · April 2016

With my first, my water broke while my OB was stripping my membranes. She said, "Alright... put your pants on, let's go down to labor & delivery" (my OB office was in the same building as the hospital). Ah, nothing like putting ON jeans just after your water has broken. In summer. It's a good feeling.

FiancB · April 2016

Honestly, it's not something you have control over, it doesn't smell or anything, and it's exciting- so I don't really see anything embarrassing about it. I probably wouldn't wear a skirt around that time or anything, but that's about as far as I'd go.

shalyncross · May 2016

When my water broke, it was just like I peed myself a bit. My pants were wet but nothing drastic.

mldutton · June 2016

Our doula suggested putting a waterproof mattress cover over a sheet set on the bed, and then putting a sheet set over the mattress pad. That way, if/when your water breaks in bed, all you have to do is remove the top sheets and mattress pad, and you have a fresh pair of sheets waiting for you!

Alygohome · June 2016

Also, it doesn't smell bad or anything (its actually sort of sweet smelling??) So its not like people will think you pee'd yourself.

MamaKat13 · June 2016

I had no idea mine broke during the night - it wasn't until my appt with my ob the next morning that she told me! Ultimately, this amazing thing happens when you go into labor and that is you stop caring about everything except having that baby. It doesn't matter what you look like or who sees what.

vintagevix2016 · June 2016

We have a waterproof mattress pad on the bed, in case my water breaks while I'm there. We also have a garbage bag and towel on my seat in the car, so that if it trickles on the way to the hospital, it won't make much of a mess. If you're really worried about it happening in general, then try wearing Depends. I know, I know. It's not exactly the sexiest bit of garment but it would help keep the majority of a gush contained. A friend of mine wore Depends Silhouettes after delivery for peace of mind since she bled a lot for an extended period. I have a pack ready to go for that purpose.

splsmama2016 · June 2016

Mine broke in the bathtub. It was not bloody at all, and I couldn't tell at all. I thought that it was pieces of my mucus plug until my contractions got too painful and about 5 minutes apart, almost 36 hours later. It was determined in L&D triage that my water broke and I was admitted to l&d.

tiffanidaniels · June 2016

I hope no one minds me jumping in with a question here but giving the title I didn't want to start another thread for the same kind of question.

I'm 34 weeks 1 day and I just went to the bathroom and then felt a small gush when I sat on the couch and it kinda feels like a slow leak but then I laid down and haven't felt anything.

This is my 4th baby but the Dr has always broken my water in L&D so I don't know what to expect here. I also am not sure if I should call OB or not I don't want to bother them. Also this just happened a few mins ago but not contractions as of yet. Any opinions?

splsmama2016 · June 2016

tiffanidaniels said:

I hope no one minds me jumping in with a question here but giving the title I didn't want to start another thread for the same kind of question.

I'm 34 weeks 1 day and I just went to the bathroom and then felt a small gush when I sat on the couch and it kinda feels like a slow leak but then I laid down and haven't felt anything.

This is my 4th baby but the Dr has always broken my water in L&D so I don't know what to expect here. I also am not sure if I should call OB or not I don't want to bother them. Also this just happened a few mins ago but not contractions as of yet. Any opinions?

If you're concerned, either call or go in. You are not a bother to them unless you're going in every single day

it's their job.

BecauseBabyIamAPug · June 2016

Yes, if you think your water has broken, just go straight to L/D. Especially when you are not even early term (or late pre-term).

Bestmomideas · August 2016

The doctor had to break my water with both babies.

SmrBrd2012 · August 2016

tiffanidaniels said:

I hope no one minds me jumping in with a question here but giving the title I didn't want to start another thread for the same kind of question.

I'm 34 weeks 1 day and I just went to the bathroom and then felt a small gush when I sat on the couch and it kinda feels like a slow leak but then I laid down and haven't felt anything.

This is my 4th baby but the Dr has always broken my water in L&D so I don't know what to expect here. I also am not sure if I should call OB or not I don't want to bother them. Also this just happened a few mins ago but not contractions as of yet. Any opinions?

Don't quote me on this but I thought I had read that you should go in within 24 hours of your water breaking. You don't have to rush there if you don't have any other signs of labor yet. However, I do think you should just call your OB's office and see what they say. I'm sure they'll recommend you come in so they can just check and see what's going on.

von1976 · August 2016

SmrBrd2012 said:

tiffanidaniels said:

I hope no one minds me jumping in with a question here but giving the title I didn't want to start another thread for the same kind of question.

I'm 34 weeks 1 day and I just went to the bathroom and then felt a small gush when I sat on the couch and it kinda feels like a slow leak but then I laid down and haven't felt anything.

This is my 4th baby but the Dr has always broken my water in L&D so I don't know what to expect here. I also am not sure if I should call OB or not I don't want to bother them. Also this just happened a few mins ago but not contractions as of yet. Any opinions?

Don't quote me on this but I thought I had read that you should go in within 24 hours of your water breaking. You don't have to rush there if you don't have any other signs of labor yet. However, I do think you should just call your OB's office and see what they say. I'm sure they'll recommend you come in so they can just check and see what's going on.

No, they want you to deliver within 24 hours of water breaking for infection prevention. You don't have to rush by any means, but if labor doesn't start, you need to go in to be induced.

veetveet · August 2016

My water broke at home with my first baby.... it was nothing a maxi pad would have even been able to hold. And it wasn't clear fluid, it was very bloody and there was a ton of it! (apparently common... she is now almost 6) I literally went thru 6 towels on the way to the hospital.

I'm sure this is not the vote of confidence that you were looking for. Aside from investing in a really good mattress pad, and perhaps sitting on some towels while on the couch, there really isn't much you can do. Whatever happens/happens.

splsmama2016 · August 2016

Mine broke in the bathtub. I didn't feel it, it wasn't bloody all that much and it wasn't red. More brown tiny floaty bits that I thought were crumbs from the chocolate chip muffin I was eating at the same time.

Babymakes5! · August 2016

Mine broke in line at a burger joint. I gave less than half a damn, grabbed a pad from my mom (was a small gush with constant leaking), and ate that damn burger while my husband panic vomited in the bathroom. Best burger of life. And no one saw/had any idea what was going on.

TeamJyler · September 2016

Babymakes5! said:

Mine broke in line at a burger joint. I gave less than half a damn, grabbed a pad from my mom (was a small gush with constant leaking), and ate that damn burger while my husband panic vomited in the bathroom. Best burger of life. And no one saw/had any idea what was going on.

You are my spirit animal!

dumb question about water breaking

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