Waters breaking

iguana

Maybe a stupid question but as I get nearer to term I've been a bit paranoid about what happens when the waters break. Do they ruin whatever you are sitting/lying on? I figure the odds are they will break when I am sitting on the couch, in the car or lying in bed and then I will be left with sodden cushions or mattress. Not something I'd be all that keen on leaving to soak while I'm at the hospital/birth centre. And not something I'd be all that keen to having clean up when I get home, especially as in the UK they will let you home within a few of hours of giving birth if you and the baby are healthy and want to leave. If that happens all I'll want to do is go straight up to bed (with a massive plate of paté ).

Is there something I can use to 'catch' the fluid? Maternity pads? Rubber sheets? Or is it a case that the sack usually ruptures through movement, so your waters tend to break when you move around. I'm wondering is it more likely to be the latter seeing as how I've never/rarely heard of someone's bed/couch getting soaked in amniotic fluid before.

eviltwin

They can be damaging to certain fabrics so I would sit on a towel in the car for the next while, use a mattress protector on the bed etc

Waters don't always go in a gush, sometimes its a slow trickle so you can catch it before any major damage is done but I did lose all my waters with my first baby all at once and it was quite a mess. Thankfully I was in the hospital at the time but it was a lot of liquid, it would be some job to clean it up and you're right you don't want to be facing that job when you come home.

Best of luck with the new arrival

January

On my first two I had my waters broken in hospital (on the first I had a small gush and then nothing until the hospital but it was when I stood up to go the bathroom at home that morning). On my third I was lying in bed and I heard a pop and though "omg waters" and legged it to the bathroom, I made it before anything came out of me so didn't ruin the mattress thank god.

But yes, you should use a protector (you can buy Pampers bed sheets for night training toddlers and they are absorbent http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pampers-Bedmats-Baby-Mats-Large/dp/B001IOJUNK ) I've seen them in the bigger Tesco's over here.

Rachineire

Both boots and mothercare sell pads that can be placed in the car, on the mattress or on the sofa where you are sitting. They remind me of the puppy training pads lol! They are in the same section as breast pads and maternity pads!

sillysocks

I got the maternity bed protectors in mothercare and put them on the mattress in case. Ended up having to have my waters broken in the hospital anyway so didn't matter, was quite surprised at how much liquid there was!

iguana

Thanks guys. I was wondering if I was worried over nothing but I have heard people talk about there being an awful lot of liquid so I thought it might have potential to cause problems. I've ordered a waterproof topper for the bed and I'll get a few pads for the couch and car seat, either the toddler ones or the maternity ones, whichever I find first. I know they might never be needed but I'll feel a bit better knowing I have my bases covered.

Xdancer

My waters broke while I was asleep in bed. Luckily I had taken to sleeping on a doubled over towel and the initial gush wasn't too bad. The towel absorbed most of it thankfully. There was meconium in my waters too so the towel saved the sheets too.

xiwang

Thanks ladies, I didn't put much thought into this yet (only at 27 weeks now), but both protector sheets and a massive plate of paté seem like just what I need in my house when we get a bit closer to dday

deisemum

With my first I was in Mothercare getting the last few bits and just leaned over to pick up a nursing bra when I felt a pop and then the trickle started. I stood cross legged in the middle of the shop and my husband arrived back a few mins later and then ran to the top of the queue looking for assistance.

They got me into the toilets and gave me maternity pads and it just kept coming in gushes. They couldn't get me out of the shop quick enough but not before they charged me for the maternity pads. My waters kept coming for hours sorta like small gushes.

2nd time I was just starting to sit up in bed when I felt the pop and got out of the bed as quick as I could as it was a brand new bed that we'd only bought a few days before, all I was thinking about was saving the bed and to get help as I was a month early and my husband had left earlier to work away for a few days the other side of the country. :rolleyes:

This time the gushes were much bigger and I had a woman follow me around the house with a mop and towels as I got things sorted while waiting for my husband to get back and get childcare organised and try not to panic. I didn't leak as long this time as the gushes had been bigger.

The pampers bed mats are good and if you don't need them for breaking waters you can get plenty of use out of them once baby arrives. I'd recommend keeping a couple of maternity pads and a change of underwear in your handbag and the car.

IvyTheTerrible

I was induced, and my waters didn't break til I was a full day in the clinic. I was lying down and it came out in a gush. To be honest, I was in a lot of pain from the contractions and I didn't know if it was my waters or me pissing myself!

From what I have heard, the waters are more likely to gush if you are lying down. If you are sitting or standing, the baby's head acts like a "stopper" and so only a small amount of water comes out at a time.

Gosh, I never even thought about putting a towel on my bed, or pads or anything! I was lucky I didn't wreck anything at home!