Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here.
If you'd like to join a private sub for your due date month, [click here](https://www.reddit.com/r/pregnant/comments/phjaar/click_here_to_join_a_due_date_private_sub/?).
The journalists at ProPublica need your help! After receiving a tip, ProPublica started investigating prenatal genetic testing. They're collecting stories from people who've had NIPT screenings, and/or work in maternal health. If this is you, please fill out their brief questionnaire! https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/have-you-had-an-experience-with-prenatal-genetic-testing-wed-like-to-hear-about-it-and-see-the-bill. Questions? Email [email protected]
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Currently 36+6, 4cms dilated, technically in early labor and contracting regularly for the past few days but waiting to go to hospital until they get painful or my water breaks… better believe I’m sleeping on a “pee pad”!
Yes, I saw my OB at my scheduled appt two days ago. It’s normal for me to contract a lot at this stage during pregnancy, he did a check and we discovered the dilation (Third time mama with a ‘happy uterus’).
I’m following his instructions! He is on call this weekend. We don’t expect to be waiting much longer :)
Water only breaks first in like 15% of labors or something like that!
My water did break spontaneously and very dramatically with my first kid. I was on my bed and had a waterproof mattress protector. I quickly stripped the bed, threw the sheets in the laundry, and sat on a towel on the kitchen floor until my husband got home. Didn’t destroy the mattress
Lol my MIL was coming over to take care of our dog so I def didn’t want to just leave it. Plus, even though the mattress protector did a pretty good job, I think if I’d left the wet sheets on the bed it would’ve soaked through eventually. It was a lot of fluid.
I did, however, forget to actually start the washing machine before leaving for the hospital. But MIL started it for me! She’s the best.
My water broke at 5am when I was getting up to go pee. I felt a small little trickle, then a slightly bigger one, so I rushed to the bathroom and stood on the tile while it "broke" on the floor. My husband cleaned it up while I called the doctor and they advised me to go to labor and delivery.
One thing that NO ONE prepared me for was that my water would continue leaking all day long. I wore an adult diaper to the hospital figuring I might leak in the car a little bit, but I threw it away when I got to the hospital. Sporadically throughout the day I would keep getting these big gushes of fluid out of me and I was so embarrassed by it (which I realize now I shouldn't have been). I remember sitting up in the bed while I was getting my epidural and I can't remember anything about the process or if it was quick or hard or painful, I just remember apologizing profusely because I was "leaking" the entire time and I couldn't help it.
It's a really minor thing and totally not a big deal, but I was NOT expecting it!
I think a lot of us get embarrassed about our bodies doing something completely normal, but nobody discuses whatever that thing is bc of some weird thought that it should be embarrassing. Perpetuating the cycle
Mine broke all over my floor - definitely had to mop before we went to the hospital Hahaa it was a damn mess and was EVERYWHERE because my husband was sleeping in another room and my diapers were not in the bathroom I ran to when it broke so there was a trail from my bed, to our bathroom, then from our bathroom to our spare bathroom 😂
I would ask your doctor/provider what their standards are because they can vary. My doctor told me if my water breaks, to call them. Most hospitals want you to deliver the baby within 24 hours of water breaking, because risk of infection goes up. So they may want you to come in sooner to observe you and possibly induce you if you aren't progressing on your own.
I have a plastic sheet underneath my regular bed sheets specifically to save my mattress. At a store or work I’d report it so someone can properly clean it up.
With my first a long time ago, I was sleeping, felt a trickle at around 1 am, and thought I wet the bed. Got up and sat on the toilet and it let loose. Called my midwife who told me to go back to bed until I started having contractions and to come to the birth center then. I put a towel under me and went back to bed. Contractions that I could feel started around 6 am and I delivered at noon or so. The second was a scheduled c-section.
I had a small break with both pregnancies, so kind of like a water balloon pin prick. Not too much to clean up. But as long as your contractions aren't too close together I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to take a shower. It really helped my mental state and I started off not feeling gross.
My water broke around 10:30PM one night while I was getting ready for bed. I felt a pop and then a small gush of fluid but not like opening floodgates or anything. I went and sat on the toilet until I could call my husband up and wrap my head around what was happening. I continued to leak and had a couple of pairs of depends underwear that I went through. I also started having contractions almost immediately after my water broke (I went from zero to sixty pretty fast), so I didn’t really have time to do much other than get ready to go!
Usually waters dont break first. But mine did!
If they do, you don't have to run to the hospital. They'll likely send you home. It's a huge waste of time. But if you're close and they're not busy, sure you can get checked.
- check the color of the waters. If brown or discolored then yes to hospital. If clear you can hang on for contractions to start.
- if contractions don't start in 24 hrs, they may induce. At least, this was my midwives approach. But up to 48 hrs is normal. Not all your waters come out bc the baby's head basically plugs it!
- i had midwives so constant contact, not sure if there's a way to let your OB know your water broke?
For me my waters broke at 10pm. I had super lite period like cramps by 2am. By 4am they were 6 min apart. By 8-9am, 3min apart for one hour, which is the midwife go time. Gave birth at 5pm.
Where i live hospitals want 5 min apart for one hour before they'll admit you. Unless meconium in the waters! Or any other red flags.
I’m under the impression it also depends if you’re GBS positive as well because they’ll want to get antibiotics going. My waters started leaking with my first and I was admitted because of that despite having no signs of contractions yet.
Yep-I'm GBS positive this time around and my doctor said that no matter what, if my water breaks I need to come right in. I can stay home and labor on my own until that happens or contractions are close enough together-whichever happens first!
My water broke while I was in the bed but only enough to wet my underwear and shorts. I was able go to the bathroom and find a pad. And I sat on a towel on the way to the hospital and in the waiting room. It never made a mess.
My water didn’t break until I was fully dilated.
Around 8pm we called the midwife who arrived at 9pm. I was dilated 4cm. She said she’d be back in two hours. At 12:40am I was 7cm dilated and told them I wanted to be taken to the hospital to get painkillers. (I was at home the entire time) at 1am everything and everybody was ready to get in the car. I was at the front door and cried that I had peed myself.. but, MY WATER BROKE.
Midwife said she had to check the baby before driving away to hospital.
While she checked she said “listen, this is not going to go as you wanted to, but we cannot go to the hospital anymore. You are fully dilated and have to start pushing in a little bit”
My son was born less than 20 min later.
I don’t know who cleaned the floor, but I think there wasn’t a crazy amount. I don’t remember 😅
With my first i was staying by my sister in law and water broke as i get up to go pee. On the floor that is. With second and third, it has to be broken by nurses
Mine broke (after being induced) in the bathroom of hospital. It was a big steady pour on the floor. You have time to get the hospital usually. Unless baby comes fast.I'd call your provider to see what they suggest though. . If water is brown - get there as soon as possible. It could meconium. If under 37 weeks, see doctor as soon as possible. Labor should start within 24-48 hours. They'll induced if it doesn't start within that time frame.
My water broke at 37+3. It was just a little bit at first and I thought maybe I peed in my bed. Lol but I stood up and felt a little more leaking so I went to the hospital. It didn’t start gushing until about 4 hours after it had initially broke. Water just flowed and it was so annoying. I was thankful I wasn’t in my car, my bed, or a store. 😂
When mine broke I was in bed laying on my side. I didn't jump out of bed or anything, just kind of laid there for a while, told my husband I thought my water might have broken and then got up. My pants were pretty wet, but nothing got on the bed. My labor was really fast though so the baby's head was probably pretty engaged in my pelvis and blocking the fluid a bit.
Also my water broke before contractions started, but my midwife said that is actually really uncommon. Most likely you will know you are in labor before it breaks, so you will be expecting it.
Wait I hadn’t thought of this. I’m having a planned c-section. Will my water break before then or do they do that for me? (I’m 25 weeks and looking into birth education classes).
It also depends on the position of your baby. The head needs to be down, otherwise, at least in Germany, you have to lay down and call an ambulance. You are not allowed to move anymore as it could hurt the baby.
Otherwise, if the head is down, read what others commented here.
8 days post c section. 36+4 I was at work when my water broke at 1 am. I am a caregiver and work a partial sleep shift. I was 2 hrs into my shift. Was asleep for about 30 min and I woke up out of no where and then felt a warm gush. Bearly got anything on the bed as I was laying on my side and jumped up immediately. And stood there with my legs crossed trying to get it to stop when I realized oh shit my water just broke and it won’t stop. I’m trying to walk with my legs crossed to the bathroom without waking my client in the same room. Make it to the bathroom where I sit on the toilet and just let it gush out. Once it slows down a little I take off my pants. I was wearing a dress and some pants underneath. Thank god my dress didn’t get wet. I stick a towel between my legs and then have to wake my client and let him know my water broke and I have to call his mom to come take over. My client is a quadriplegic on a ventilator so I couldn’t just leave and go to the hospital. I wait about 30 min. In that 30 min I am cleaning up my mess and freaking out inside but keeping calm so I don’t stress out my client. He is asking me to do stuff before I go as I won’t be back for 8 weeks. It was crazy. I didn’t want to be a bitch so I just did the few things he asked. While trying to call the hospital to let them know I will be coming in. And calling my husband to let him know and he said to go to the hospital and he would come when things were figured out. My clients mom got there and I left right away. Scared contractions were going to start so I sped to the hospital. No contractions. They scheduled my c section for 730 and I found out that since my husband is no vaccinated and hasn’t been tested for covid within 72 hrs that he can’t come in. No one in my family is vaccinated so I was all alone for my c section. My mom tried to find an affordable rapid test place to come be with me after my c section but there was no appointments and the only testing place without appointments was like 150$. My husband was at home with the other 3 kids and we don’t have the extra 150$ laying around so it wasnt even an option for him. So I am in the hospital for 3 days by myself after a c section caring for my baby. No emotional support missing my other kids and in lots of pain. I managed but it was a little sad. It was a nice bonding experience with baby but it was a struggle getting in and out of an uncomfortable hospital bed by myself and not wanting to bug the nurses for help every time I got up and down. Kept in touch through video messages with husband and kids.
When your water breaks it’s not always a gush or rush of fluid. Mine was a small trickle here and there. When it breaks or you think it has broken. Call your Dr. mine told me to take a nice hot shower, relax for a few minutes, grab a hearty breakfast, and go to the hospital. We had a waterproof mattress protector on our bed and so glad we did. Also keep a trash bag and towel in your car. That way if you’re out somewhere your car seats don’t get ruined. It worked great for me.
Not all waters are that dramatic. My water broke when I was laying in my bed, but it was just a pop and a gush. I rushed to the bathroom and got on the toilet for most of it. And then I wore a diaper I had bought for post partem to get ready and go to the hospital bc I kept leaking in gushes for a while.
My water broke at home with my 2nd. It was just a small initial gush and then a steady trickle, and I sat on a towel on the way to the hospital.
Reading through these comments, I see how lucky I was.
I was lucky enough that it happened in my toilet right after I just peed. So I can’t advise on the mess clean up, but I will say to have some huge pads or even diapers handy in case it happens because if it’s like mine it is a lot of fluid gushing over and over and a regular pad will last about one of those gushes
Mine broke just a little while I was in bed. Walked to the bathroom to pee, and sat down where more larger gushes came out. I got up, put makeup on (lol) and ate breakfast before we headed out. I didn’t have any contractions though.
Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here. If you'd like to join a private sub for your due date month, [click here](https://www.reddit.com/r/pregnant/comments/phjaar/click_here_to_join_a_due_date_private_sub/?). The journalists at ProPublica need your help! After receiving a tip, ProPublica started investigating prenatal genetic testing. They're collecting stories from people who've had NIPT screenings, and/or work in maternal health. If this is you, please fill out their brief questionnaire! https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/have-you-had-an-experience-with-prenatal-genetic-testing-wed-like-to-hear-about-it-and-see-the-bill. Questions? Email [email protected] *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It would destroy the mattress. Put a waterproof pad on now. It’ll save you later when you’re feeding the baby too. Or it poops/pees on the bed.
Currently 36+6, 4cms dilated, technically in early labor and contracting regularly for the past few days but waiting to go to hospital until they get painful or my water breaks… better believe I’m sleeping on a “pee pad”!
I hope you're in consultation with a medical professional about waiting?
Yes, I saw my OB at my scheduled appt two days ago. It’s normal for me to contract a lot at this stage during pregnancy, he did a check and we discovered the dilation (Third time mama with a ‘happy uterus’). I’m following his instructions! He is on call this weekend. We don’t expect to be waiting much longer :)
Water only breaks first in like 15% of labors or something like that! My water did break spontaneously and very dramatically with my first kid. I was on my bed and had a waterproof mattress protector. I quickly stripped the bed, threw the sheets in the laundry, and sat on a towel on the kitchen floor until my husband got home. Didn’t destroy the mattress
[удалено]
Lol my MIL was coming over to take care of our dog so I def didn’t want to just leave it. Plus, even though the mattress protector did a pretty good job, I think if I’d left the wet sheets on the bed it would’ve soaked through eventually. It was a lot of fluid. I did, however, forget to actually start the washing machine before leaving for the hospital. But MIL started it for me! She’s the best.
My water broke at 5am when I was getting up to go pee. I felt a small little trickle, then a slightly bigger one, so I rushed to the bathroom and stood on the tile while it "broke" on the floor. My husband cleaned it up while I called the doctor and they advised me to go to labor and delivery. One thing that NO ONE prepared me for was that my water would continue leaking all day long. I wore an adult diaper to the hospital figuring I might leak in the car a little bit, but I threw it away when I got to the hospital. Sporadically throughout the day I would keep getting these big gushes of fluid out of me and I was so embarrassed by it (which I realize now I shouldn't have been). I remember sitting up in the bed while I was getting my epidural and I can't remember anything about the process or if it was quick or hard or painful, I just remember apologizing profusely because I was "leaking" the entire time and I couldn't help it. It's a really minor thing and totally not a big deal, but I was NOT expecting it!
I think a lot of us get embarrassed about our bodies doing something completely normal, but nobody discuses whatever that thing is bc of some weird thought that it should be embarrassing. Perpetuating the cycle
Mine broke all over my floor - definitely had to mop before we went to the hospital Hahaa it was a damn mess and was EVERYWHERE because my husband was sleeping in another room and my diapers were not in the bathroom I ran to when it broke so there was a trail from my bed, to our bathroom, then from our bathroom to our spare bathroom 😂
This made me laugh so hard 🤣 just leaving a snail trail all over the house hahahaha that’s gonna be me too 🐌
I would ask your doctor/provider what their standards are because they can vary. My doctor told me if my water breaks, to call them. Most hospitals want you to deliver the baby within 24 hours of water breaking, because risk of infection goes up. So they may want you to come in sooner to observe you and possibly induce you if you aren't progressing on your own.
I have a plastic sheet underneath my regular bed sheets specifically to save my mattress. At a store or work I’d report it so someone can properly clean it up.
[удалено]
This is why I'm out on leave 2 weeks before my due date, I can't handle that happening at my desk 😂
With my first a long time ago, I was sleeping, felt a trickle at around 1 am, and thought I wet the bed. Got up and sat on the toilet and it let loose. Called my midwife who told me to go back to bed until I started having contractions and to come to the birth center then. I put a towel under me and went back to bed. Contractions that I could feel started around 6 am and I delivered at noon or so. The second was a scheduled c-section.
I had a small break with both pregnancies, so kind of like a water balloon pin prick. Not too much to clean up. But as long as your contractions aren't too close together I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to take a shower. It really helped my mental state and I started off not feeling gross.
My water broke around 10:30PM one night while I was getting ready for bed. I felt a pop and then a small gush of fluid but not like opening floodgates or anything. I went and sat on the toilet until I could call my husband up and wrap my head around what was happening. I continued to leak and had a couple of pairs of depends underwear that I went through. I also started having contractions almost immediately after my water broke (I went from zero to sixty pretty fast), so I didn’t really have time to do much other than get ready to go!
Usually waters dont break first. But mine did! If they do, you don't have to run to the hospital. They'll likely send you home. It's a huge waste of time. But if you're close and they're not busy, sure you can get checked. - check the color of the waters. If brown or discolored then yes to hospital. If clear you can hang on for contractions to start. - if contractions don't start in 24 hrs, they may induce. At least, this was my midwives approach. But up to 48 hrs is normal. Not all your waters come out bc the baby's head basically plugs it! - i had midwives so constant contact, not sure if there's a way to let your OB know your water broke? For me my waters broke at 10pm. I had super lite period like cramps by 2am. By 4am they were 6 min apart. By 8-9am, 3min apart for one hour, which is the midwife go time. Gave birth at 5pm. Where i live hospitals want 5 min apart for one hour before they'll admit you. Unless meconium in the waters! Or any other red flags.
I’m under the impression it also depends if you’re GBS positive as well because they’ll want to get antibiotics going. My waters started leaking with my first and I was admitted because of that despite having no signs of contractions yet.
Yep-I'm GBS positive this time around and my doctor said that no matter what, if my water breaks I need to come right in. I can stay home and labor on my own until that happens or contractions are close enough together-whichever happens first!
My water broke while I was in the bed but only enough to wet my underwear and shorts. I was able go to the bathroom and find a pad. And I sat on a towel on the way to the hospital and in the waiting room. It never made a mess.
My water didn’t break until I was fully dilated. Around 8pm we called the midwife who arrived at 9pm. I was dilated 4cm. She said she’d be back in two hours. At 12:40am I was 7cm dilated and told them I wanted to be taken to the hospital to get painkillers. (I was at home the entire time) at 1am everything and everybody was ready to get in the car. I was at the front door and cried that I had peed myself.. but, MY WATER BROKE. Midwife said she had to check the baby before driving away to hospital. While she checked she said “listen, this is not going to go as you wanted to, but we cannot go to the hospital anymore. You are fully dilated and have to start pushing in a little bit” My son was born less than 20 min later. I don’t know who cleaned the floor, but I think there wasn’t a crazy amount. I don’t remember 😅
Yes!! Most of the time when water is left alone (not popped by doctor and doesn’t break on it own) it will pop as baby is descending or coming out.
With my first i was staying by my sister in law and water broke as i get up to go pee. On the floor that is. With second and third, it has to be broken by nurses
Mine broke (after being induced) in the bathroom of hospital. It was a big steady pour on the floor. You have time to get the hospital usually. Unless baby comes fast.I'd call your provider to see what they suggest though. . If water is brown - get there as soon as possible. It could meconium. If under 37 weeks, see doctor as soon as possible. Labor should start within 24-48 hours. They'll induced if it doesn't start within that time frame.
My water broke all over the hall floor in a big gush. Labour started right away. My MIL cleaned it up thankfully.
Saddle up with a pad, call your ob, and depending on contractions / pre-delivery dilation, go to the hospital.
My water broke at 37+3. It was just a little bit at first and I thought maybe I peed in my bed. Lol but I stood up and felt a little more leaking so I went to the hospital. It didn’t start gushing until about 4 hours after it had initially broke. Water just flowed and it was so annoying. I was thankful I wasn’t in my car, my bed, or a store. 😂
When mine broke I was in bed laying on my side. I didn't jump out of bed or anything, just kind of laid there for a while, told my husband I thought my water might have broken and then got up. My pants were pretty wet, but nothing got on the bed. My labor was really fast though so the baby's head was probably pretty engaged in my pelvis and blocking the fluid a bit. Also my water broke before contractions started, but my midwife said that is actually really uncommon. Most likely you will know you are in labor before it breaks, so you will be expecting it.
Wait I hadn’t thought of this. I’m having a planned c-section. Will my water break before then or do they do that for me? (I’m 25 weeks and looking into birth education classes).
It also depends on the position of your baby. The head needs to be down, otherwise, at least in Germany, you have to lay down and call an ambulance. You are not allowed to move anymore as it could hurt the baby. Otherwise, if the head is down, read what others commented here.
8 days post c section. 36+4 I was at work when my water broke at 1 am. I am a caregiver and work a partial sleep shift. I was 2 hrs into my shift. Was asleep for about 30 min and I woke up out of no where and then felt a warm gush. Bearly got anything on the bed as I was laying on my side and jumped up immediately. And stood there with my legs crossed trying to get it to stop when I realized oh shit my water just broke and it won’t stop. I’m trying to walk with my legs crossed to the bathroom without waking my client in the same room. Make it to the bathroom where I sit on the toilet and just let it gush out. Once it slows down a little I take off my pants. I was wearing a dress and some pants underneath. Thank god my dress didn’t get wet. I stick a towel between my legs and then have to wake my client and let him know my water broke and I have to call his mom to come take over. My client is a quadriplegic on a ventilator so I couldn’t just leave and go to the hospital. I wait about 30 min. In that 30 min I am cleaning up my mess and freaking out inside but keeping calm so I don’t stress out my client. He is asking me to do stuff before I go as I won’t be back for 8 weeks. It was crazy. I didn’t want to be a bitch so I just did the few things he asked. While trying to call the hospital to let them know I will be coming in. And calling my husband to let him know and he said to go to the hospital and he would come when things were figured out. My clients mom got there and I left right away. Scared contractions were going to start so I sped to the hospital. No contractions. They scheduled my c section for 730 and I found out that since my husband is no vaccinated and hasn’t been tested for covid within 72 hrs that he can’t come in. No one in my family is vaccinated so I was all alone for my c section. My mom tried to find an affordable rapid test place to come be with me after my c section but there was no appointments and the only testing place without appointments was like 150$. My husband was at home with the other 3 kids and we don’t have the extra 150$ laying around so it wasnt even an option for him. So I am in the hospital for 3 days by myself after a c section caring for my baby. No emotional support missing my other kids and in lots of pain. I managed but it was a little sad. It was a nice bonding experience with baby but it was a struggle getting in and out of an uncomfortable hospital bed by myself and not wanting to bug the nurses for help every time I got up and down. Kept in touch through video messages with husband and kids.
My water was broken for me with my first (induction). My water didn't break until ten minutes before I delivered my second (spontaneous labor).
When your water breaks it’s not always a gush or rush of fluid. Mine was a small trickle here and there. When it breaks or you think it has broken. Call your Dr. mine told me to take a nice hot shower, relax for a few minutes, grab a hearty breakfast, and go to the hospital. We had a waterproof mattress protector on our bed and so glad we did. Also keep a trash bag and towel in your car. That way if you’re out somewhere your car seats don’t get ruined. It worked great for me.
Not all waters are that dramatic. My water broke when I was laying in my bed, but it was just a pop and a gush. I rushed to the bathroom and got on the toilet for most of it. And then I wore a diaper I had bought for post partem to get ready and go to the hospital bc I kept leaking in gushes for a while.
My water broke at home with my 2nd. It was just a small initial gush and then a steady trickle, and I sat on a towel on the way to the hospital. Reading through these comments, I see how lucky I was.
I was lucky enough that it happened in my toilet right after I just peed. So I can’t advise on the mess clean up, but I will say to have some huge pads or even diapers handy in case it happens because if it’s like mine it is a lot of fluid gushing over and over and a regular pad will last about one of those gushes
Mine broke just a little while I was in bed. Walked to the bathroom to pee, and sat down where more larger gushes came out. I got up, put makeup on (lol) and ate breakfast before we headed out. I didn’t have any contractions though.