I wore pads right through labour for both of mine. First baby I didn't take my undies off till I was pushing (apart from the times I was in the shower) and second baby I took them off when I hopped in the birth pool. But a thick surfboard pad would have annoyed the heck out me. I just wore regular thin pads and changed them as needed. My waters broke right before birth with both babies but I had a lot of show/mucous coming out before then and walking around without a pad would have felt awful.