Water Breaking Preparation

I had no idea about water breaking either. I held my water until my exam at the hospital for my first pregnancy. My water broke in the back of the car for my second. Luckily, my niece had put a large trash bag underneath me before I got in the car( it was her car lol). My best suggestion is to have a sheet of plastis, like a painters tarp or a large trash bag near when you go into active labor. Always have poise pads on hand just in case it trickles instead of gushes.

Hi K.,
I think if you research it you will find that the percentage of women who's water actually breaks if very very very low so don't worry. That being said I bought a new mattress right before my delivery date and decide just in case to buy a plastic mattress cover. My water never broke on that or any of my other three pregnancies. Good luck!!!

Before my water broke I felt some cramping (contractions)for a little while. That is how I knew that it might be coming. The first time it was 4:00 in the afternoon and the second time it was about 2:00 in the morning - I had a weird dream that someone kicked me in the stomach and all of the sudden I woke up and my water broke! Weird, huh. Basically, if you are feeling crampy for a while - not bad crampy, but just constant crampy, that could be a sign. That was the sign was for me.
Jenn W.

Oh its not that big of a deal. For some its a gush for others a trickle. And rarely does it leave a HUGE puddle behind. When its about time you can always wear a pad, but you will go thru alot just waiting for it to possibly happen. Of course you can lay a waterproof pad down under your bed sheet as well. But as far as anything else its all washable. Its just fluid, normally clear, sometimes blood tinged.
The other thing is...it may NEVER happen. My water only broke w/ my 3rd child. And it felt like a small gush, but was a trickle. Nothing soaking. But yes sometimes it can just trickle out over time and never fully "break".
I can think of 100 other things to fret about, lol.

This is a little late, but with my first my water didn't break at home...., my second they told me would be completely different and it was. Including the water breaking in the car. My husband was driving us to the hospital and I started to cry because I was pregnant, in labor and I thought I had wet my pants...

So with that... You can buy crib bed liners that are not plastic that help protect the matress and bedding... you could lay this down and then when you are over that stage it can be used in the babies crib... I have a large one that covers the surface of the crib mattress and a small one that fits in a basinett... they also work great for changing stations and when the babies are sick... I just layed it on the floor with a towel for my todlers when the got the flu this winter and it made the clean up so much easier... they are washable and bleachable so it is easy...

Good Luck

K.,

with my first, we were so paranoid about my water breaking on our new matress that I basically slept in my bathrobe on several layers of towels laid over one of those bed wetting mats (you can buy them next to the depends in most grocery stores) -- with both my children, my water didn't break until well INTO my labor.

Save yourself the worry and stress. What is going to happen is going to happen.

Best of luck to you, and CONGRATS!

Hi K.,
With my first pregnancy I covered the guest bed with a protective cover. It made the bed very hot. My water didn't break on its own. the dr. did it both times. I laught everytime I see a show or movie where the woman's water breaks and she goes into labor the absolute second a crisis breaks out. That never happened to me... When you get to the hospital, don't store anything under the bed cuz its get ruined.

Go to any pharmacy to the adult diaper section and buy extral large disposable under pads. They are blue on the bottom and white on the top and absorb a ton of water. You can put several between your mattress and your sheet. You can also put one on your car seat. Later on, I used them (well, I still do) as the disposable pads for the diaper changing table (instead of having to wash the pad all the time) and I always have a few in the diaper bag for out oh home diaper changes. They are the most un-spoken of and best things to have while having a baby. Anyways, that should do the trick if your water breaks while you sleep or in the car. They had to break my water for me in the hospital so I never had the 'pleasure' of having it happen unexpectedly. Good Luck!!!

That only happens in less than 15% of cases. So, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Most people's water breaks during delivery unless your doctor elects to break yours at the hospital to try to induce labor. In the cases where it does happen, the majority of those women experience a gradual leaking. You might get a big gush, but it happens a lot less than you see in all the movies. Simply wear a light pad. If you happen to be one of the few to get a big gush.....there's not much your going to be able to do to prevent it or anticipate it happening. I don't think it would ruin your furniture anyway. LOL! You are stressing way too much.

Good morning and congrats on your 1st pregnancy! This is the first time I have ever responded to one of the e-mails but when I read your note this morning, I thought back to myself just 17-months ago when I was pregnant with our daughter, Reagan. When I went into labor at 6pm on a Friday night I called the doctor who politely told me to call back when I could no longer speak - she suggested that I go walk the Wal-Mart and get something to eat. My husband and I did both and finally he went to sleep and I was just up and about most of the night until around 4am when I finally started to have serious contractions. I got my husband up and he was getting the bags into the car, taking the dogs out etc., and well, the contractions were getting more and more strong. I headed to the car which happened to be only two days old. As I went to get into the front seat I bumped my head as I was getting in...reason being...my wonderful husband had stacked at least five to seven towels on the front seat of the car in the event that my water broke on the way there the car would be protected. At the time I was not humored but in hindsight, even as I write this note I have to laugh out loud. 45-minute drive done in 23-minutes door to door, we skipped triage and went right to delivery, got the epidural at 7-centimeters (nearly missed my window of opportunity) and our daughter was born about 2-hours later at 8lbs 10oz.

Bottom line, in terms of protecting your property in the event that your water breaks - I am all for it! We just used basic bath towels which ultimately were not needed because my water had to be broken by the doctor. Sometimes your water is a small trickle and sometimes it can be a gush - I have heard it go both ways - and then sometimes not at all like myself which I was not expecting.

Best wishes to you and your family. Enjoy every moment.

A. & Reagan

Dear K.,
This concern about your water breaking is very normal for first time moms. I'm a childbirth educator and do suggest that you get a waterproof mattress cover or a sheet of plastic to cover your mattress. If you are sitting on your couch a great deal, you can also put a platic sheet over that as well.
Let me give your some facts to help. Only 20% of women have water breaking as first sign of labor. Sometimes it's not a big gush, only a little leak. It depends on where the tear is in the sac.
I don't know what your birth plan is; but I'd strongly suggest that you look into taking a birthing class other than one that is offered by the hospital. You will get detailed information without hospital bias, that is important to your health and the health of your baby.
Good luck, and please feel free to contact me if you have questions or want more info.
L.
Birthbliss- Hypnobirthing childbirth education and doula services

Hi K.-
Yes, I do suggest that you protect your bed, furniture etc.. One thing for sure, you don't know when your water might break. I've had three pregnancies and each totally different. Two experiences was in the hospital and the other at home in my bed. Thank God I had a chuck pad to put under me, otherwise we would have had a MESS!!!

Hi K.!

First of all congratulations on the impending event-water breaking and all! As a mother of 4, I have a water breaking story for you...

It was a week away from my due date of my first born. Shortly before my husband needed to go in for a 12 hour shift at the command post, I started having mild contracts about 20 minutes apart. Now, my husband and I had just recently moved to Spain. We didn't know our neighbors yet and were living about ten miles from the base he was stationed at. We only had one vehicle so driving myself was not even an option. I had to go with him and hang out on the base till he got off work. For the most part I sat in the car, because the base hospital would not admit me till I was further along. They instructed me to go for a walk around the golf course. I couldn't make it but half way around b/c the contractions were too strong. Even though I was having painful contractions, my husbands commander would not let him off to tend to me b/c he wanted to play baseball! So I came into the command post so I wouldn't be alone while waiting for his shift to end. My husband insisted I go to his bosses office as it was the most comfortable place. It was almost time for my husbands shift to end when during a painful contraction my water broke as I was sitting in his bosses leather office chair. It was only about 4onces or so and I was a little embarrassed, but looking back, I could not have picked a better place! At that point, my husband took my to the hospital, FINALLY! Everything went well with the birth and we now have a 17 year old daughter that can't wait to get out of our house! ;)

I have another story I may send you later. It's funny though...

T.

Hi K.

You really can't plan for exactly when your water is going to break. But what people don't tell you is that after it breaks you get water gushing out with each contraction. This happened with me with my first son. From eating dinner at home, I had a cramp and them I heard a huge gurgle sound and water came splashing down my leg and on to the floor. It was hectic trying to get ready to leave and at each contraction I was wet again. All the way to the hospital there was alot of water coming out with each contraction.
Have plenty of towels available. Its not yucky or smelly and nothing was ruined in my case. It was just a pain continually grabbing more towels. But it worked, we got to the hospital at 7:30pm and he was born at 8:50pm, yes a little over an hour and he was 8 pounds 8 ounces. Natural birth, no iv or epidural.
The only time I have heard of the embriotic fluid being smelly was after the baby is past term and they have done their first bowel movement.
Good luck, hopefully your water will break in the hospital and you won't have to worry about towels or washing them. ;-)
M. (married mother of 4)

Since my water broke suddenly with my first (I felt wetness in my pants but it didn't really flow until I got into the bathroom ) For my second I carried a towel around with me just in case, and you know what, it didn't break. So you just never know, but I wouldn't worry about it.

Hi K.! Congrats on your pregnancy - get ready for the craziness. Here is my experience: my water broke with both of my kids while I was lying in bed. But it barely soaked my underwear before I got up. Seriously, it's not like a geyser or anything! I suppose it wouldn't hurt to put a little pad in your car, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. Good luck with labor and delivery, and enjoy your new little one :)
-K.

Definitely wise to protect yourself. I used a waterproof mattress pad cover starting about a month before I was due. Also used an old beach towel on the seat of the car. In the house sat on old towels on furniture I wanted to protect. A plastic bag with a towel over the top will also work.
My water broke at home all three times, didn't ruin anything, but was glad I had that beach towel on the way to the hospital.
Better safe than sorry. Good Luck with the rest of your pregnancy and delivery!

Hi K.! My water never broke with my son, I went into labor and they had to break it at the hospital. My husband was paranoid about my water breaking though, and had me sit on a folded towel in the car or on the couch. I'm not sure if it would actually do anything, but I guess it doesn't hurt to be prepared!!

K.,
I put a waterproof mattress pad on my bed. I am glad i did. My water broke during the middle of the night. I didn't do anything to my car seat or other furniture.

With my first pregnancy, I wore a maxipad at work. I also had a beach towel with my labor bag so I would have something to sit on in the car if my water broke during labor. It ended up that I only had that "trickle" that they talk about about, and I wasn't even sure til I got to the hospital and the nurse told me.

With my second pregnancy, I didn't do anything special because it had been no big deal the time before. But I ended up being induced and they ruptured my membranes. If you have a gush like that, there is not much you could do to prepare. Except, I would suggest still being ready to cover your seat on the way to the hospital.

Good luck, and congratualations. Being a mom is the best job in the world. The first 3-4 months are hard, but it will be great and worth it.

Hi K.,
Its not going to break and gush so fast that you would ruin your furniture if not prepared. If you are awake and able to move, you will get away with your clothes to absorb it for you until you can get to a bathroom. I would advise having a towel on every level of your house.

Also now is the time to invest in a waterproof mattress cover if you can afford it, even if you don't need it your child will eventually throw up all over your bed almost guaranteed (and my kids even slept in the crib). We were given these extra large waterproof lap pads for our babies and I kept one of those on the car seat under me and one under my sheets - they were awesome because they didn't make a rustling noise like using a cut open trash bag.

My childbirth educator said that the best thing for the ride to the hospital is too have a leaf size trash bag in the car and to just sit in it even if your water hasn't broken yet.

Of course I was prepared and mine didn't break until I was pushing.

Hi,
Several people mentioned to use a mattress pad. Not all are water "proof". Kohl's sells one called total protection it has a lining but doesn't make you hot or uncomfortable (all our beds have one great for potty trainig too). I bought it for my first pregnancy, and just needed it for my third. I had a c-section scheduled but she had her own idea and my water broke in bed. I soaked the bed, floor and couch were I stayed until the EMT's arrived. (DH was away on a business trip 3hr away) If the baby is breech like mine was the water never stops.
Wishing you a healthy, happy pregnancy and delivery.
L.

I think it's worth the 30 bucks or so to get the waterproof mattress pad. You really don't want the amniotic fluid to get on your mattress...it will ruin it! Mine happened early in the morning and would have happened in bed, but I woke up after feeling a little tug or movement. I jumped up and said "I think my water just broke". I don't know how I knew b/c I'd never been pregnant before, but yup, it was true! So I only made it as far as the floor next to my bed, couldn't make it to the bathroom. I had my husband throw a bunch of towels to me and I just stood over them until it slowed down to a trickle and then it kept trickling for a while longer (I just sat on the toilet for a while, and then I wore a pad).

It was more than I thought it would be, and would have made quite a mess!

Anyway, you will want the waterproof mattress pad AFTER you have the baby too. The baby will pee and spit up on your bed if you ever cuddle in there, and it is good protection for your mattress then.

Good luck, and enjoy the little miracle growing inside you!

K.,
Also be aware that your waters can begin to leak. Just a trickle like you are peeing on yourself. I did this with my first. She was early (4 weeks) I thought I had lost bladder control. I think what they tell you is if you are soaking a maxi pad you need to go get checked. Good luck and congratulations!

K.,

I had my baby at home, and the midwives told me to put a shower curtain on the bed under the fitted sheet. It slipped around a bit, but it would have done the trick if my water broke. You can also buy super-absorbent first-aid pads--they're about 2x3 feet, blue plastic layer with a cottony layer that's just really absorbent.

My water ended up breaking just before the baby crowned. It was a HUGE gush of water because the baby was pushing against it in the birth canal. It was kind of funny--my husband just said, "WOW." Luckily, the midwife could tell it was going to break, so she had those absorbent things all over the place, and nothing around us got wet (well, ME, but not the bed or anyone who was down there).

Good luck!

Hi K.
My water broke at home at 12:30am! All I had done was put a super absorbant towel (as seen on TV - haha) under my bed sheet. When it happened, I woke up wondering if I had somehow peed myself - it was more of a trickle than anything else. However, when I stood to go into the bathroom, I had a bit more fluid (no huge gush though). I think that if you are at all concerned, it can't hurt to protect your bed or wherever you might be sitting at the time. Just don't go too crazy over it =).

By the way - I almost did nothing at all because everyone kept saying "it only happen X percent of the time" - but I was glad I did anyway.

Hello

i know how you feel,

yes i got a thick trash bag and cut it open and layed it down on my matress padd and then put a towel down then i put my bottom sheet over all that it was a little uncumfortable but the thought of cleaning up that smelly mess later was even worse for me.

i also made sure the colsser i got that i had a plastic bag and some towels down where ever i sat. and in the car i carried extra towels because once it breaks depending you might get one big gush or a small stream.

have your bag ready to go, have pleanty of sex swim and walk as much as you can this will all help. but do check with the doc first.

hope this helps

Hi K., my brother and his wife did get a waterproof mattress pad, but her water never broke. I never used anything. My water broke in the middle of the night. I had fallen asleep for a few hours and woke up around midnight. I couldn't go back to sleep and I also sensed something was going to happen that night because I was already 3 days over due. All of a sudden, I felt/heard this internal POP deep inside me. As soon as it happened, I rushed to the bathroom. Fluid started to rush out of me as soon as I got on the toilet. Good thing I was quick to rush to the bathroom. About 2-3 minutes after, my contractions become extremely painful and I knew it was time to go to the hospital. I did, however, remember to take a towel with me to sit on in the car. I didn't want to leak all over the car seat. Maybe you can keep a towel in the car so that you don't have to worry about remembering to get one as you rush to the hospital. By the way, my water broke at 40 weeks and 3 days. Good luck and congratulations, you're in for quite an experience!

Hi K.! Congrats on the coming of your first little one :) My water broke at home. At first it felt like i leaked pee on myself. I went to the bathroom and the party started. It gushes at it's own pace and will continuously gush or drip at it's own pace. I was under the impression, for some bizarre reason, that it would all come at once and that would be the worst of it. I was not expecting to be sitting on a pile of towels in the middle of my bathroom floor laughing at the fact that I had absolutely no control over what was exiting my body. You can't hold it like your pee. I would recommend.. have at least, two large bath towels in the car to sit on. I would also recommend Depends adult diapers. I tried using one of those super plus absorbency feminine pads and it was completely useless. (I could have used a bucket)If your water does break, don't expect to show up to the hospital in dry pants. Have a sense of humor about it as well, it helps. :) Keep you head up and good luck :) As far as the covering of funiture.. I didn't do it, but it wouldn't hurt to get a cover for your mattress and sit on towels if you are worried about the furniture :)

With my first child they had to break my water in the hospital so with my second I was totally unprepared. Luckily it broke at home while I was sleeping. At first it came out as a large amount of water but then mostly trickled here & there after that. They say only 25% of women have their water break so there is a chance you may not have your water break. Good luck!

Hi,
You are on the right track! It is suggested in many books on pregnancy that you put a waterproof mattress cover under your sheets to protect the bed the last month or so.

For the carseat, you could get a small waterproof sheet or pad . The pad-about 3feet by 3feet would be good for the car.

Also, you might carry a few very absorbant sanitary pads for the last month or so. Then you'll be prepared for a leak. There is not always a big gush. Sometimes it is a steady smaller leak.

Good luck!
A.

I did!! I put towels on carseat, my normal seat on my couch, my chair at the dining room table, and an extra blanket under the sheet on my bed!! Yeah this was one of those things my crazy pregnancy brain swore I HAD to do!!

Thank goodness though, because my water DID break! I sat down on the couch and if felt like I sat on a water balloon!! Now not everyone's water breaks that way, but mine sure did!!

Everything will be fine. you shouldn't worry so much about it. Look at it this way everything can either be cleaned or replaced. Your water may not even break while you are at home or in the car. I know people who said their water broke while standing in line at the bank. Do you think they hung around and cleaned that mess up before going to the hospital? I have two kids and both times my water broke in bed. One was a huge gush and the other was a slow trickle. All my husband did was wash all the sheets and matress pad. Stop stressing you will have time enough for that after the baby pops out.

Hope this helps.
L. S.

Hi! I'm a mom of both a 2 & 3 yr old. I didn't place anything on my bed w/ my first pregnancy & although my water did break in the middle of the night I was lucky enough that I just happened to be using the potty at 2AM. One warning that you may already know, but I just didn't put 2 and 2 together the amniotic fluid keeps producing until you deliver which means you keep leaking & I mean leaking until you have the baby for me 15 hrs later. You will most likely need alot more than a pad to get to the hospital in the car (think plastic). With my second I purchased a water proof mattress cover at Target like you would put on a kids bed that was potty training only in a queen bed size it was around $5 & was a brought a good sense of security for me even though my 2nd labor & delivery were very different from my first & I didn't end of breaking my water again until the end.
Have fun, laugh & relax as much as you can. God bless & good luck.

My husband had us put a cover under our sheets when I was pregnant. We got it from Walmart but just a warning, it is NOT very breathable and we woke up sweaty all through the night. I am not sure it was worth it. I was so hot already being pregnant that adding to it for a small possibility of my water breaking at home just didn't seem as important as staying comfortable. We kept towels in the car just in case. I ended up having my water broke at the hospital. Everyone is different, a friend of mine had her water break but didn't have any contractions till they induced labor at the hospital. Good luck, and try not to worry, the baby will come in his or her time, his or her own way.

Hi K.,
When I was pregnant I read that only 15% of women have their water break naturally prior to reaching the hospital. So, that was a comfort for me to know. However, I did put one of those waterproof mats under my side of the bed because I didn't want to have to replace my nice mattress if my water did break. I was induced, so they broke my water in the hospital and I didn't even feel a thing...no gushing, no warmth...they just told me that it was now broken. Easy as pie. My sister and my best friend all had their water break at home--no major issues or embarassing situations though (both in the middle of the night.) Best of luck with your birth and new baby!

Hi K., hang in there! Just do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Sleep on a towel, put one in your car, etc. 90% of the time the waters don't break until well into the labor process. I, as "luck" would have it, fell into the other 10% and my water broke, very gently - nothing a maxi pad couldn't handle, as the beginning of labor, even though I was only minimally dilated. I had walked a LOT that day, though, so I think I brought it on myself. Anyway, I would recommend some sort of just-in-case protection, because I wouldn't want amniotic fluid getting in my upholstery. Don't worry about it until your due date, or until you start dilating a lot, though. Best wishes for your coming motherhood - it's really amazing!

I'm pretty sure that when your water breaks, it doesn't come out in a huge gush. It's more like a constant trickle, with little gushes when you move. At least that's what I found through my own experience! You could buy some super absorbant maxi pads and wear them daily if you're worried about an embarrassing leak :)

Water breaks outside the hospital in only 10-15% of pregnancies. I was in that 10-15% with both of my kids. For the most part, when you're standing, the gravity of the baby blocks the release of water but some still can come out. Put some kind of water blocking material on top of your mattress, maybe underneath your mattress pad so you're not feeling "crunch crunch crunch" when you move around. Then the books say to carry spare pants etc in your car incase it happens when you're out.....I'd suggest carrying maxi pads too cuz if it happens when you're out, what you change into will get soiled as well...Fortunately for me both times I was home, once in bed the second time getting out of bed to pee.....Good luck!

Don't worry about putting down protective covering. My water broke suddenly in the middle of the night. It started by just leaking a little so I jumped up and went to the bathroom. My underwear was definitely wet but on my way back to the bed, all of a sudden water just poured out of me. Very strange but completely painless. My husband ran and got some towels and I just had those around me. I changed my clothes, called the doctor and got ready to go to the hospital. I never had labor pains until we were in the delivery room (they gave me something to increase the contractions). I never had to worry about counting contractions. It was a very smooth and easy delivery. FYI - the water that comes out is totally clear. We definitely cleaned the area with carpet cleaner, but if you didn't see it happen, you would have never known it was there. Good luck and don't worry about it!!!! (easier said then done i know)!

Yes, I will admit I carried one of my daughters little crib covers (those things that you put under the crib sheet to soak up any pee in the crib). It was a cheap and easy fix to the issue. I began carrying it around the last month and a half to work with me, slept on top of it in bed and also sat on it in my car (because I did NOT need that extra cleaning bill for my car). A month before I was due, I went to work on a Saturday night and got off after midnight. The next day, we walked around like crazy all day...and I mean all day of shopping...rough on the feet. Then at 10:45 pm, I had JUST gone to the bathroom and then sat down on my couch (which had a blanket covering on it anyways for our dogs) and I felt like I peed myself. My water had broke...a month early.

Take it from me...carry something around with you because if something happens and your water breaks on your mattress or in your car...for one, you will be in the hospital for a few days and worrying about other things and not even really think that your fluid soaked car or mattress is sitting there fermenting...won't be a pretty smell when you are finally home and settled (I've read horror stories) and two, it just gives you the peace of mind knowing that the day is soon approaching and that you are pseudo-prepared for it.

I hope this helps you and good luck!!!

Hi K.,

Usually the water-breaking thing happens gradually until in are in active labor. At that time, if you are having a home birth, then you would put paper on the floor. Many times, the Doctor breaks the water sac during delivery.

I think the water issue will be the least of your worries when the time comes.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your labor and delivery.

D.

No. Mine broke at home while I was having contractions. I felt the need to go to the bathroom before and then it ruptured. A lot of the time, it is just a slow leak.

Mostly your bag of waters does not rupture prior being in labor though.

Don't worry about it. You can't control it and I don't know anyone who ruined anything from their bag of waters rupturing.