Any suggestions on how to protect mattress from waters breaking?

**~kellie~** · September 27th, 2007, 06:52 PM

I am very paranoid that my waters are going to break while I'm in bed, and I've heard that it can ruin your mattress.

Has anyone else had the same concern, and if so, what did you do to protect the mattress?

**MrsFabuloso** · September 27th, 2007, 06:55 PM

I put a cot protector on my side of the bed and one on the floor next to my bed. It turned out that I didn't need it but I felt better that it was there.

**Dragonbub** · September 27th, 2007, 06:55 PM

Hey,
I have not had my waters break before, so can't give any specific advice. However, apparently a small % of women actually have a spontaneous rupture, something like less than 10%. So, given that you spend maybe 8 hours sleeping (if you're lucky

) you have a less than 5% chance of waters breaking in bed.

Having said that, there is always a chance! Perhaps sleep on old towels, or even get a plastic sheet and put it under your fitted sheet. I guess you could even use a change mat (for bubs later on) under your butt so if it does go, it wont go into the mattress.

Interesting question anyway, perhaps something to think of in a few weeks time for me!

Good luck

**~kellie~** · September 27th, 2007, 06:58 PM

yeah, i was also thinking about using a cot mattress protector and old towels, but someone told me it could soak right through those!

**MantaRay** · September 27th, 2007, 07:01 PM

LOL Kellie, I was paranoid about this with my first pg and slept on towels for the last few weeks. As it turned out my waters didn't break either time - both times they were artificially ruptured, with Tom not until I was fully dilated! I think it's only in about 25% of labours that waters break prior to contractions. So I guess you have to weigh up the risk - if you are worried you can get a matress protector, or you can take the chance that either your waters won't break first, or if they do you won't be in bed.

**Liz** · September 27th, 2007, 07:13 PM

I'll be using something this time.. my waters broke early at home, and in a big way! I reckon it would soak through towels pretty quick. Who knows if it'll happen again.. but I'm not taking a chance! LOL. I'll be sitting on towels tho everywhere I go from about 37 weeks I think!

You can get waterproof matress protectors pretty cheap. They're a bit sweaty to sleep on .. but might be worth it if you're worried

**MamaPan** · September 27th, 2007, 07:14 PM

my waters DID break in bed... I had a towel under me when i was sleeping, only a tiny bit gushed out of the towel (ie missed it not soaked through) and that didnt ruin the mattress or sheets, i just washed the sheet. There was a lot but it was ok and didnt soak through the towel... i was paranoid about it too!

**~kellie~** · September 27th, 2007, 07:28 PM

thanks everyone for the advice!

**ella79** · September 27th, 2007, 07:47 PM

if you have a woolen underblanket use that as well. wool has lanolin in it which is a natural moisture repellent, so any fluid which makes it past the towels and waterproof protector will hopefully just sit on top of the underblanket rather than seep through to the mattress (as long as you remove all the bedclothes immediately after your waters break)...

paradise lost · September 27th, 2007, 07:57 PM

My waters broke in bed at 3am. I had an IKEA shower curtain under my bottom sheet. It wasn't rustly as it has rubbery texture, and it turned out to be a boon. I gave birth on it. It's hanging in my bathroom now and i paid about 2GBP for it. Bargain!

Bx

**satya** · September 27th, 2007, 08:14 PM

I wouldn't worry too much. Get a plastic mattress protector if you are concerned. Pretty much anything can be cleaned off a mattress. You can use orange power carpet & upholstery cleaner on mattresses and it works a treat even for pet stains and odours.

If I ever get to have an advanced pregnancy my biggest fear about waters breaking would be having the same thing happen as did to an old friend of mine many years ago.

Her waters broke while she was waiting for her fish and chips to cook at the fish and chip shop. She was mortified!!!! She just stood there, the guy behind the counter asked her if she was alright, she said yes, collected her takeaway and went home and ate it before heading off to hospital (it was not her first birth).

**LadyRaven** · September 27th, 2007, 08:31 PM

My mum has a matress she's pinned a shower curtain to under the fitted sheet for when I head down there and she's got an old blanket she doesn't care about both below and above me hehe so if I'm there and squelch up the sheets she won't be too upset

her waters broke when she got on the hosp bed hehe

**Karina** · September 27th, 2007, 10:51 PM

My waters broke in bed, but I didnt really leak until I got up and ran to the bathroom!
From memory, I was just lying on a towel as I had a feeling my waters would break. I was going to go out and get a mattress protector but I never got around to it.

**tears_of_joy** · September 27th, 2007, 11:49 PM

I never actually thought about protecting the matress or anything Lol but i didnt expect my waters to break 5.5hrs before my contractions started!! I was squatting down cleaning a spill off the floor and as i stood up my waters gushed everywhere (i was just glad it wasn't the supermarket or something!!) there was heaps and i put a towel on the car seat when we went to the hospital and it went through but it didnt ruin it at all.

**sconeonamission** · September 29th, 2007, 05:42 PM

Oh! My waters broke at 1am. I had had extremely swollen feet, and then a show. When I went back to bed, as a just-in-case put an old towel on the bed to catch it if it did happen. Well, it happened in a BIG way. I woke up and a split second later, it just burst. Felt like I was lying in a puddle. I panicked and woke my dh up. He kept telling me to get up and I kept saying no it was going to go everywhere. I got up and dribbled my way to the shower. It soaked thru the towel, the sheet, my quilt cover (thankfully not the quilt), and the mattress protector. They just needed a really good wash and lots of sunshine to get them clean and good again.

hth

ps - clever ideas those shower curtains... must remember that for next time!

**ninja_turtle** · September 30th, 2007, 02:57 PM

we just bought a $2 shower curtain from crazy clarks. it goes under the thin mattress protector on my half of the bed and dangles down my side.

our mattress is gorgeous and quite new so i'm paranoid about destroying it.

**Rouge** · September 30th, 2007, 03:00 PM

yep showercurtain under the sheets, then lay some towels on top so that you don't have to feel like you're lying on plastic LOL! And its a LOT cheaper than a mattress protector!

**misty** · October 1st, 2007, 01:57 PM

you can (or used to be able to at any rate) buy waterproof mattress protectors for queen sized beds. I got one last time i was pregnant as we had just bought a brand new mattress. i got it from target for around $40-50. And although i didn't need it for my waters breaking, it was a godsend in the months / first year following the birth, particularly with leaking breasts and baby vomit.