Should I be investing in some kind of mattress cover?

[bumperlicious]

Should I get something to protect my mattress in case my waters break at night? And is it a bit of an exaggeration that whole waters gushing out that you see on TV? Sorry if that is a bit of a naive question!

[hotbot]

no yuo can het qite wet, maybe just something waterproof under yuor bum,,,bit of a gush and then aleak leak leak..... but everone is different

[hollyandalice]

I'm not going to bumper as I'm actually hoping my waters do break on my mattress so I can get a new one! Mine is really lumpy! If you have a good mattress I would get a waterproof cover. Not just in case your waters break on it, but afterwards you do leak a lot of milk, so it would come in useful there too. Maybe you could get a waterproof cover and cover it with a quilted cover so it wasn't horrid and rustley!

[hollyandalice]

My waters didn't break til dd's head popped out, so yes everyone is different!

[Nikki76]

You can buy disposable mats from Boots that you stick under your matress in case waters break. Handy for the car journey into the hosp and I also used them in hospital for changing DS on the bed as I couldn't lean over the cot due to C section pain etc

[bumperlicious]

Holly it's a pretty new mattress so don't really want it ruined!

[Nbg]

I would get one. I think you can pick them up pretty cheap in Argos. (Have been looking at them as we're getting a new bed next week)

My water didnt break at all with both babies but others just go with one great big whoosh. Better to be safe than sorry!

[ChippyMinton]

I slept on a pile of old towels, because the plastic sheets are a bit sweaty - definately worth it, mine went with a pop and a gush every time

[Winestein]

I would recommend the disposable pads that Nikkie referred to. They are really quite big, and the bonus is you can have one anywhere. If you're worried about your mattress, how expensive would your car seat be to replace?!

[cece]

DH made me sit on a bin bag and towels in his car - took him ages to arrange them. Meanwhile I am stood there in labour waiting to go to hospital

[Nbg]

Cece my dh did that with first baby.

Second baby he didnt get chance

[cece]

This was my second - the first was induced so didn't have my waters go till I was in hospital.

They actually went when I got up in the morning. So in the kitchen in my nightie with no knickers. Stood next to my dad who went pale, then frantically started mopping it all up and blabbering about what do we do now! LOL

[Nbg]

pmsl

Have visions of my dad doing the same lol.

[Bensonbluebird]

Why not buy a single bed sized waterproof sheet? much more comfy to sleep on and you will be able to carry on using it (to cover a cot mattress and then again when the DC is potty training). I've just nicked the one off DS' bed to put on mine.

When my waters broke last time I was so excited I ran to the loo expecting a big gush, but noooo it just dribbled out slowly over the next 3 hours until the baby was born.

[pirategirl]

i put a few towels under the sheet for a couple of weeks, which would have been useless in hindsight. My waters broke about an hour into pushing, and boy oh boy I nearly floated in the delivery room.

You can get matress covers from the same people that do the nets that go over prams and that, then you could re-use it for childs bed in future, they are singles but huge, and not fitted so would cover ok.

[maxbear]

I never got around to getting a matress cover (for my planned homebirth!) I just put a bucket by the bed and hoped that I would have quick reactions (maybe a bit niaeve). Luckily they broke in labour while I was standing up on a tarpaulin and there wasn't even that much.

[Bubbaloo]

I bought a double bed waterproof mattress protector,just incase.It was only £10 for Roseby's which is certainly alot cheaper than replacing a mattress IF your waters go in bed.

[Malaleche]

You can get covers which don't rustle - the towelling layer is bonded to the waterproof layer, they dont make you sweat either - i dont understand why anyone wouldnt cover their mattress (unless its very old or a piece of cheap foam) since for the next few years it is going to be subjected to all kinds of spills and accidents, my kids have covers on theirs too, it's a no-brainer!

[TheDuchessOfNorksBride]

Any of the below, they all work

You may also need something on the bed for post-birth blood leakage & free-flowing milk. Pampers Bed Mats are pretty good for that (or your midwife might give you some of the hospital equivalent) - you can also use them on your car seat.

[TheArmadillo]

I'd get a good mattress cover like Malaleche suggests. very useful with a little one (spills, wees, vomit etc) and also good for things like leaking milk if you're bfing (or your little darling gets reflux and vomits everywhere when you are feeding).

this one looks good and only £15.50 for king sized

[Egypt]

we have a cheap but rustle free shower curtain on our bed. perfect size and cost next to nothing

[rubles]

I used a shower curtain too from the pound shop. I am not sure whether it would have actually worked in the event of a full flood though.

Bear in mind with the cheaper waterproof coverings that you sweat a lot in the first couple of weeks after the birth so if they do not deal with the moisture properly it can be like sleeping in a swimming pool. (I forgot to take the shower curtain off and this was what I experienced).

[manuka]

Do you know whats really easy? Just get an old duvet and fold it over length ways and lie on that.

[gigglinggoblin]

i got one from wilko for £2. it was a bit rustly but worth it, a towel would not have contained the mess.
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