Qn about waters breaking

[Carrie]

My first pregnancy I never experienced my waters breaking as I had placenta previa and an emergency c-section. I was, however, in labour for over 24 hrs and 8 cm dilated without my waters breaking.
My second pregnancy my waters broke right at the end on my labour before I started pushing - which I was really happy with as I hear that the waters cushion the bubs head. Plus, by then I was at hospital so didn't have to worry about cleaning up any mess!

1)My question is, from your experience: ARe you likely to follow the same pattern with subsequent labours, that is, is it more likely that my waters wont break til the very end with this one too? Or is it just luck of the draw??

2) If your waters did break at home, does it really totally wreck what it is on? i heard that if your waters break on your matress, you'll basically have to get a new one, and what about on carpet?

So what are your experiences??

[juleswa]

Hi Carrie,

Not sure about the pattern of waters breaking , but with DS my waters broke at home whilst i was in bed. It felt only like i had slightly wet myself - like a little had leaked out with all the pressure from the baby. from then I went to the toilet and realised i wasn't peeing myself! As I was walking it just kind of trickled out. so it did end up on carpet and tiles until i was able to pretty much wrap myself in a towel!! ha. But i never had any problem with stains or anything. It was literally like water so no real problem.

Good luck

[Traveller]

Waters breaking or not is really dependant on the position of the baby. Mine broke with the twins (well twin I's waters broke) when I was at home. I actually got out of bed seconds beforehand because I could feel something happening - instinctive maybe to save the mattress? There was a lot of fluid though, so a waterproof mattress protector may be a good investment. I got a single one for $5 from kmart so something like that will protect your bed if your waters do break.

[SammyRo]

With both of mine, the waters broke spontaneously before labour started - and funnily enough, at pretty much the same time - around 1.15 in the morning! Both times, I remember waking up to go to the toilet and feeling a bit damp down there, and then as I stood up, I had a gush of fluid. Because this happened first time around, and we've pretty much just got a new mattress, I did my a plastic drop sheet from Bunnings (the kind you use when painting) to put under the mattress protector! But no stains on the carpet here either.

[PinkPalace]

hi
both of mine broke about 1/2 hr before birth.

#1 was in the ambulance and they told me that they would have to throw all linen out and have the frameworks assessed as it can corrode metal??

#2 was in the shower recess (with a quick jump out of the way from DH). so on tiles.
however i gave birth on towels on the bedroom floor - we just washed them. all was good .
Did throw out one pillow though as couldnt wash it

x

[sarah_dobbo2]

all of my children 3 water's broke rough an hr - hr and half before giving birth...

an same already at hospital so I didnt have to clean it up

[~Minny~]

With DD my waters broke 10 mintues before labour started....at home. Felt a pop and went to the toilet and it didnt stop lol. So no mess to clean up except for a towel and a bit of carpet.

DS waters were broken at the hossy at 4cm dilated. So no clean up for me except for a skirt i was wearing which didnt get moved out of the way in time

[~clover~]

Mine were all different.

DD1 waters broke about 2 hours contractions started. Was just a slow leak. I was in bed, but it was only a small patch on the bed, so I just washed everything.
DD2 waters were broken 10 minutes before birth. At hossy.
DS waters broke about half way through a 5 hour labour. I was awake this time & just went to lay down when I felt the pop. I jumped up, but a little bit got on the sheets. Again just washed everything (well MIL did...was at her house in BIL's bed!)

I used a maternity pad to hold it in. There was more with DS so I put a towel on the car seat as well, but that was enough thankfully

[Carrie]

Hmm, so it looks like maybe it's just luck of the draw as to when they break...might have to invest in a waterproof matress cover. If the carpet gets it, maybe that's a good thing, I want new carpet anyway hehehe.

[kungfubecca]

Great question, I'm sleeping absolutley paranoid every night at the moment because we have a new house & I don't want to wreck anything!!

DS - I woke at 5am, looked at the clock, felt a pop feeling, checked between my legs, felt damp, grabed the towel I had on the floor (for just such a prupose) and went to the loo, used a mat pad, and every now & then had another gush. until around 8am, when bubs must have jamed his head in blocking the escape until his head came out, 'cause there was a lot of liquid beihnd him.

Glad to hear no one has exerienced stains.

I refuse to sleep on plastic, so instead have a folded up old doona that can be tossed into the machine, and the springs in my matress should be saved.

[Nelle]

With #1 my waters broke around transition I think.

With #2 my waters broke about 15min before my contractions began (and they began regularly), I was in bed and I felt quite a pop and felt water trickling, I told Dh to quick go get a towel, and I lifted myself up and onto the towel...must have sat up at some stage to put the towel between my legs and call the hospital and go to the loo....but none got on the bed. So a couple of towels might be all you need, although a mattress protector could be handy for if you have leaky breasts afterwards too.

[ShootingStar]

My waters had to be broken by the midwives when i was getting the urge to push with DS (#1). With DD (#2) they broke in the middle of the night at home. Not sure about anyone else, but i woke up after feeling a small trickle. Wondering if it was my waters or just discharge i decided to get up and go to the loo to make sure. When i got up then it came out alot faster and i ran to the toilet (lucky we had an ensuite). All of the waters were caught in my undies so i didnt have a problem with my matress or anything. I was sleeping on towels just incase though.

Best of luck.

[Fleur]

#1 was in the ambulance and they told me that they would have to throw all linen out and have the frameworks assessed as it can corrode metal??

Wow, that's tough stuff!

All mine were different.
DD1 - I had a hind-water leak but nothing else, they then broke at 5am in the morning & contrax started right after.
DS1 - I had been labouring for a few hours but nothing heavy, ie I was able to doze through my contrax, then I woke up when they intensified, waters broke & he arrived 2.5 hours later.
DS2 I had AROM.
DD2 they broke minutes before she was born, she was very high & didn't engage until very late in the game!

So all totally different.

The other thing to consider might be the car? I had plastic on the seats in case they broke on the way to hossy

[Carrie]

Thanks for your replies!
Right, so definatley seems like a random thing that I should be ready for!
When I had DS they broke with a huge gush, like a water balloon had dropped out. Hope that doesn't happen at home. So I should have a protector in the bed and car and some towels nearby towards the end it seems

[MummyTummy]

Mine broke when I rolled over in bed - POP! with a huge gush.... no trickling here! So some got on the matress and some on the carpet on the way to the loo, but we mopped it up with towels straight away and have had no problems with the matress or carpet or washing the towels!

As for corroding the framework in the ambo.... they must have been having you on surely? If it was that strong how can our bodies contain it..... Especially if it gets cleaned up and wiped down straight away.....

I think the main concerns are if there is meconium which I think is something that does ruin whatever it touches and that it does have a particular pungent smell which might linger in things that can't be washed easily.

[Cassius2]

Mine popped on the leather couch about 5 hours before established labour. i had a small but poweful gush, but managed to have it hold in the knickers (just like you shooting star lol!). i quickly grabbed the towel that had been my best friend for this kind of thing and ran to the bathroom...that's when it really started gushing...when i stood up.

i recommend sleeping with some towels beside you and maybe bringing them into the rooms where you spend the most amount of time (i also had some in the car from about 37 weeks onwards JIC); that way, if you do pop, you can quickly stop the flow until you get a pad on or sit on the toilet (like i did!).

also, when we drove to the hossy, i had to use 2-3 towels under me, as the gushing continued sporadically for hours.

HTH and goodluck with the impending arrival!!