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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Preparing for waters breaking

23 replies

GreenSunrise · 30/09/2013 10:03

At the end of your pregnancies did you wear a pad or sit / sleep on or towel or something in anticipation of your waters breaking and making a mess?. Does it stain sofas and mattresses? Thanks in advance :-)

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MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 30/09/2013 10:11

they often don't got until well into labour, so if you have chosen a hospital birth it may not be an issue.

But I also know someone who claimed on their home insurance for a sofa as the smell remained

fishandmonkey · 30/09/2013 10:13

didn't prepare at all because i was told that contractions would start first - they didn't, but waters didn't stain my clothes or car seat. this time i will be carrying a spare pair of knickers and trousers and thick sanitary towel in my bag to avoid the embarrassment of having to walk around with a big wet patch!

cakeandcustard · 30/09/2013 10:20

With both my DCs my waters went before noticable contractions started. Once over my bedroom floor (laminate and easily mopped ) but the second time over DHs car seat . That time I was wearing trousers, pants and a pad in anticipation but it soaked through the lot and the seat as well.

I don't really think there's a lot you can do to prepare TBH, its just a major clean up op afterwards

QuietNinjaTardis · 30/09/2013 10:23

We had a waterproof sheet on our bed. Luckily my waters trickled rather than gushed anyway but will be prepared again this time just in case.

niffernaffer · 30/09/2013 11:55

Depends how they come. I wasn't expecting it at all and hadn't really prepared as was expecting it would happen once I was in hospital. when it did it was a massive gush like I was doing a wee for about 10 seconds and no pad would have contained it. Just fortunate it was while I was brushing my teeth and therefore on the bathroom floor! Pretty easy to mop up and as amniotic fluid is clear I imagine a quick carpet clean would work fine. For me the smell was the bit that seemed to take a while to shift - rather like bleach, very distinctive. Had the window open for several days. Perhaps a waterproof sheet on your bed if you are worried?

rallytog1 · 30/09/2013 12:44

I had a folded towel under the sheet in bed and sat on a towel while driving too. In the end they didn't go until I was in hospital and in full blown labour but I didn't fancy ruining my nice mattress or hubby's car seats!

NewBlueShoesToo · 30/09/2013 13:02

With first and third I can only describe it as a huge bang, which woke me up. I used one of those paper waterproof toddler bed protectors under my sheets and then rather a lot of bath towels. Then I sat on DH's coat in the car!
With my second I had to have my waters broken.

A friend's son was born still in the sac of water, the midwives were quite surprised and told her that according to an old wives' tale he will never drown. I don't like to ask how big the whole thing was.

Allegrogirl · 30/09/2013 13:03

A had a huge folded towel on the bed. Just as well as mine went at 1.00-2.00 am both times. Unfortunately I didn't go into to labour either time and had to be induced with syntocin. Was all fine though.

First time was 4 days after waters breaking and I was ready to punch the next person who said 'I thought you went in to labour as soon as your waters broke'. Grrr.

TeWiSavesTheDay · 30/09/2013 13:06

I got a pack of disposable mattress protectors, then stuck one between two layers of normal reusable mattress protector.

Was handy because my waters did break in bed with my first! Then used another of the disposable ones to sit on in the car on the way to hospital.

plentyofsoap · 30/09/2013 14:38

Mine went in bed, continued down the stairs then back of dh car. It was huge. I now have protection on my bed and towels at the ready.

princesscupcakemummyb · 30/09/2013 18:39

im having a home birth im planning to get a waterproof matress protecter next week im 35 weeks now if they go on the sofa then god knows lol

swannylovesu · 30/09/2013 20:07

with ds2, mine went at the MiLs. it was very obvious, and as my waters broke, my contractions started coming every 2 mins. i had to go to hospital with soaking jeans and a tea towel to sit on....classy!

HadALittleFaith · 30/09/2013 22:14

Mine went suddenly, like..blip....gush! I was on the (fortunately leather) sofa. I didn't go into labour for another few hours and ended up being induced to get things going. I used puppy training pads from Poundstretcher to protect the mattress (cheap option!).

NatashaBee · 30/09/2013 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

littleoaktree · 30/09/2013 22:25

As I understand it there are 'fore' and 'hind' waters and one bit (can't remember which) isn't that much water and both times that went for me before any contractions, was just a trickle, in bed both times and I felt a little 'pop' and then a trickle so was able to grab a towel before any real mess.

I don't remember the 'proper' waters going with ds1 but with ds2 I was staggering walking elegantly across the car park to the hospital mid contraction and it soaked everything and gushed everywhere - was glad I'd got out the car before it happened

I didn't really prepare either time though

2kidsintow · 30/09/2013 22:42

My waters went slowly, slowly, slowly. Each pain has a leak. Lasting for about a day.

With DD1, I hardly had any water anyway, so I didn't have much to lose.
When it finally went, there wasn't a lot.

With DD2, I knew I was leaking waters so just had a maternity pad on. We went out for dinner with DD1 and as I got up to go to the loo, I lost a big gush of it. Thankfully, not enough to do more than soak the black trousers I was wearing. We left the restaurant, got DD1 home to my sister and got back to the hospital just in time to have DD2.

chestnut100 · 30/09/2013 22:49

Mine went whilst walking to sainsburys on a busy central London street. My jeans were absolutely soaked from top to bottom(and also covered in blood; I had absolutely no idea that there may be blood too but apparently it is not uncommon). A towel would have made absolutely no difference. I think there is really very little you can do to prepare...

ButteryJam · 30/09/2013 22:52

My water breaking shocked me to say the least. There was so so so much water. The waterproof mattress cover would not have a stood a chance. Thankfully they broke in hospital but I remember thinking then gosh, thank god they didn't break at home or else I would have needed to get in the bath tub!

MummyJetsetter · 01/10/2013 10:37

With ds1someone warned me to protect the mattress as her water went in bed and guess what sodid mine! He was 10 days early but I had put one of those bed mats (designed for kids to use when toilet training) under the fitted sheet. It only trickled so I made it to the toilet before the gush. This time been sleeping on a bed mat again and now also sitting on one as our sofa is quite new! x

candr · 01/10/2013 18:47

Put a matress protector on bed and a waterproof picnic rug on sofa which I took in car just in case. They actually broke my waters in hospital so am hoping I don't ruin sofa or bed this time around

LouiseD29 · 01/10/2013 20:08

I didn't - I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best! Fortunately they didn't break until well into established labour when I had a midwife and a trainee both rooting around my nether regions. Think they mainly exploded over the trainee midwife, bless her.

marthastew · 01/10/2013 20:59

I am 41 today and wearing a thin pad. (Had a sweep today.)

I also have a pack of disposable maternity mats from Boots. One under where I sleep in bed and one in the hospital bag to protect the car seat if it comes to that. I'll use the others on the bed when I come home. They come in packs of five from Boots.

Last time mine went in a huge gush when I bent down to put my shoes on. My only clean pair of maternity jeans were wet through and I had to go to hospital wearing pyjamas.

StuckOnARollercoaster · 01/10/2013 21:03

Bought a waterproof mattress protector in dunelm mill, but not needed for waters as they went in hospital. However it was very useful for my leaky boobs once my milk came in and soaked through my bra!

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