Where were you when your waters broke?

[Pinkmarshmallow]

At 39+6 wks pregnant today, I have become a bit obsessed with the thought of my waters breaking. Now, I know it might happen somewhere "handy" like on the loo or even on the bathroom floor or on the labour ward but keep thinking what if it happens somewhere that it would be totally mortifying? eg. in a queue at a shop, at someone else's house on their new sofa or living room carpet or in church? Did this happen to any of you? What did you do? How did everyone react? I know that people should understand, that you can't help it, it's a normal part of pregnancy etc. etc. but I can't help worrying how embarrassing this would be!

dd-in hospital - things weren't progressing
ds - head came out with waters intact

ds1 in hospital

expected the same thing for ds2, so was quite shocked when (at 37 weeks) they went with a pop as I shifted on the living room floor to help ds1 off the potty. Should have plonked myself on instead, I suppose...

Allegedly in operating theatre having CS {grin], although I think some of the fluids leaked earlier the day before.

In bed at home twice, both times before labour started. Wit dc1 while having a lie in on a sat morning watching Ant and Dec (that long ago!). Dh jumped out of bed when I told him and said: "Quick get a bucket"!! My reply was of course "Don't be stupid, bring me a bath towel!" With dc2 I woke up from the pop and gush feeling. That waterproof mattress protector I got has been worth it and I'll put it on again in a few weeks time. You never know it will happen again.

Mine broke with quite a gush both time and both my girls were ealrly so wasn't expecting it. First I just got out of the car on the way to my midwife appointment and just stood in the road and the water ran into the gutter, got back in the car drove the 2 mins home (sat on a plastic bag which did nothing DH was furious) and then stood in the bath for another 5 mins. Second time I was in M&S getting a nighty, with first child in toe, when they started to go but started gently and only when I got out of the car at the hosptial did they go properly and I paddled through the hospital with the friend who had driven me laughing and very thankful it hadn't happened in her car.
Worth noting, my first child was breech which apparently causes the waters go much more suddenly because the baby's bottom doesn't sit snuggly in the pelvis so the water can escape unhindered.

In Labour in hospital. MW said "no CMOC you just wet yourself a little".

DD was born - then she said " oh maybe your waters did go earlier".

I had low fluid levels so had been told there would not be a tide - pity the delivery MW didn't notice. Turned out DD had been for her first poo and had her cord around her neck the whole time. MW was very cool about it but looking back I think she might have been counting her lucky stars!

In Labour in hospital. MW said "no CMOC you just wet yourself a little".

DD was born - then she said " oh maybe your waters did go earlier".

I had low fluid levels so had been told there would not be a tide - pity the delivery MW didn't notice. Turned out DD had been for her first poo and had her cord around her neck the whole time. MW was very cool about it but looking back I think she might have been counting her lucky stars!

In Labour in hospital. MW said "no CMOC you just wet yourself a little".

DD was born - then she said " oh maybe your waters did go earlier".

I had low fluid levels so had been told there would not be a tide - pity the delivery MW didn't notice. Turned out DD had been for her first poo and had her cord around her neck the whole time. MW was very cool about it but looking back I think she might have been counting her lucky stars!

In Labour in hospital. MW said "no CMOC you just wet yourself a little".

DD was born - then she said " oh maybe your waters did go earlier".

I had low fluid levels so had been told there would not be a tide - pity the delivery MW didn't notice. Turned out DD had been for her first poo and had her cord around her neck the whole time. MW was very cool about it but looking back I think she might have been counting her lucky stars!

Both times I was in the birthing pool, pushing. My waters didn't break before labour with either of mine. The midwives were going to break them for my first, but I said no.

Good Luck

opps

Ds1- trickled for 2 days before giving birth. Midwife adamant that I'd wet myself. Could not think of a way to assure her that I knew the difference without sounding like I always peed myself.

Ds2- in bed, about 3 a.m. Thought I needed the loo, got out of bed and had to just stand there while they gushed all over the laminate floor. Couldn't summon dh cos I'd banished him to the sofa downstairs cos I 'needed' the 6ft wide bed to myself. Still wonder if it seeped under the chest of drawers.
Weirdly, though, at the hosp (2 days later!!) they said they hadn't broken. Did not want to pursue the weeing myself line again so left it.

DS1 - sat on the bed watching the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympics - was waiting for Zimbabwe to walk through with their flag - but only got as far as "S" when I felt weird and thought I needed the loo. Half way down the stairs I felt something odd inside and just instinctively thought "my waters"!!! - made it to the bathroom door then Niagara Falls ensued

DS2 was less dramatic - walking up the steps to church felt a trickle, totally different from DS1 but "knew" . I used most of a roll of toilet paper to make a "pad" and played the organ for the service with my knees tightly together incase they went with a pop again

DS3 - sat on the birthing ball in the hospital about 1 1/2hrs after getting there, 2 hours before he was born. I felt them go, told the MW and my Doula who looked around me and said "no can't see anything". A short while later I wanted to transfer to the bed and as I stood up the confirmation was there

They went with a pop in the birthing pool, so no embarassing leakage!!

I was quite amazed that I did actually hear a pop when my waters started leaking. When I had ds1 they were broken to try and speed up labour, but with ds2 I woke up feeling a bit funny hear a quiet pop and then felt liquid trickling between my bum cheeks. Ran to the bathroom and got on the loo just in time for another small gush. And thats how it carried on until ds2 was born lots of little leaks.

First time lying on a hospital bed waiting to be given my child (born in the caul) second and third times I wouldn't know I was under GA.

36wks dd had to stay in my neighbours house because of a bat problem (another thread)and joked before we went off to bed 'don't worry I won't be shouting my waters have broken!' but guess what at 2.22am I did! I got up because I thought I need the loo and it all gushed out and all I could think of was putting my large collection of cushions I needed to sleep with at the time between my legs to soak it up coz it wasn't my house. I didn'y even think about the cleaning up until I was pg 2nd time and it came up!(blush)

I was in bed asleep - I was about 35 weeks - I didn't hear a pop but there was a gush! My god it was like a tap on full pelt and the carpet still has a slight stain!!

Flat on my back giving the MW "the Evil Eye",whilst she used her "Crochet Hook" !!!

Ouchhhhh!

Think I may be the only one on this discussion who had no idea when her waters broke. I was induced on a Thursday morning, contractions started in the evening and I had a couple of baths to ease what were almost constant contractions. When they came to examine me at 4am my waters had gone! I can only imagine they broke during one of those baths!
xxx

In the bathroom -9-10 weeks early!!(The other two in hospital

Didn't break on their own with either child. Got to 10cm with both and MW had to do it.

Getting out of the bath, then all over my notes (pregnancy file) on living room floor.

Sitting in a swivel chair in the loft room. Lucky it was wipe-clean vinyl

They went on a Saturday at 5.30pm and labour didn't start till the early hours of Monday.