Change of clothes for work in case your water breaks

[Deleted]

I personally wouldn't worry about it.

My water broke in bed at 38 weeks with my first. There was a lot of water, there was trail from the bed to the bathroom, but somehow I felt it break and jumped out of bed and nothing got on our sheets.

If it happened at work it would have been a bit awkward but really, at that point you're so damn excited that you're having baby you probably wouldn't care.

Also, it's super exciting for everyone else. I actually went into work the morning my water broke (with three massive pads on) to clean up a few items and turn on my out of office. People were so excited that I was there and that I was kind of in labor.

Isn't it something like less than 5% of labors start with water breaking? It's like the "I won't make it to the hospital and I'll have to deliver my baby at the side of the road" fear women have as FTMs when in reality most of us go to the hospital too early with the first time.

[linz]

I'm assuming you'll be leaving anyway so I wouldnt worry. Some women have a tinkle and are able to make to to the bathroom before the flood happens.

[IndiaInk]

Apr 23, 2014 10:56:26 GMT -5 @bandwife said:

Isn't it something like less than 5% of labors start with water breaking? It's like the "I won't make it to the hospital and I'll have to deliver my baby at the side of the road" fear women have as FTMs when in reality most of us go to the hospital too early with the first time.

I think I heard 10% of women's water breaks before they have any other labor symptoms like contractions. So it's pretty unlikely it would catch you completely unawares but I would probably take pads to work just in case.

[pixiedust]

I've just been carrying a maxi pad in my purse while out and about, and always have beach towels in the car. I've heard the 10% stat as well, so not too concerned.

[IndiaInk]

Apr 23, 2014 11:23:27 GMT -5 pixiedust said:

I've just been carrying a maxi pad in my purse while out and about, and always have beach towels in the car. I've heard the 10% stat as well, so not too concerned.

I have a stack of towels in my car too. Mostly because we have to drive an hour to our birth center when I go into labor, and I want to be prepared for anything! It seems like a good idea to be sitting on a towel in case my water breaks while we are traveling down the freeway on our way to the birth center while I'm in labor!

[gretchenindisguise]

I just keep faith in it not happening.

I'll probably throw some maxi pads in my desk and some towels in the back of my car when I get closer.

[blushing]

Mine broke before Labour started. I was just about to sit on my sofa when they gushed. Yoga trousers are surprisingly absorbent. They gushed a second time when I straightened myself up. I never messed any anywhere, lol. I changed before going to the hospital, but that is because my trousers were rather wet and I was home. Most people's waters don't gush when they break at home.

[smock]

Apr 23, 2014 11:29:30 GMT -5 IndiaInk said:

Apr 23, 2014 11:23:27 GMT -5 pixiedust said:

I've just been carrying a maxi pad in my purse while out and about, and always have beach towels in the car. I've heard the 10% stat as well, so not too concerned.

I have a stack of towels in my car too. Mostly because we have to drive an hour to our birth center when I go into labor, and I want to be prepared for anything! It seems like a good idea to be sitting on a towel in case my water breaks while we are traveling down the freeway on our way to the birth center while I'm in labor!

I've also heard you should throw a trash bag in your car so you can put the trash bag over the seat and then towels, for double seat protection. 

[anna7602]

Won't you have extra clothes in your hospital bag anyway? If you're worried enough that labor will start at work, then you probably want to have your hospital bag in the trunk of your car at all times, no? (I am speaking as someone who had zero game plan for what to do if labor started at the work place last time, so didn't think about either of these things.)

[pinotgrig]

Apr 23, 2014 12:03:21 GMT -5 anna7602 said:

Won't you have extra clothes in your hospital bag anyway? If you're worried enough that labor will start at work, then you probably want to have your hospital bag in the trunk of your car at all times, no? (I am speaking as someone who had zero game plan for what to do if labor started at the work place last time, so didn't think about either of these things.)

Great point. Though like @bandwife pointed out, if it did happen at work I think I'd be too excited to really care.

I do have a seat protector for my car that a friend gave me that she ended up bit using. It's like a big, heavy duty trash bag.

I've also heard that wherever you're water breaks, that if you end up in the car to put down lots and lots of towels and trash bags. Apparently can keep coming out after it's "broken".

[JayhawkGirl]

Mine broke at work but it wasn't a gusher and I was able to get home (had a coworker drive me in case labor starred amping up suddenly).

A towel in your car should be fine just in case.

[bowies]

I think I'm at the point now where I need to start carrying pads/extra clothes with me in case of a pee incident. I don't even want to think about my water breaking at work without any warning.

A coworker told me she had some puppy wee-wee pads in her desk. I've seen those at TJ Maxx, so maybe I'll grab a pack too.

[ringstrue]

yeah just a towel for your seat in the car and a maxi pad or two. In a pinch you can use an infant diaper as a pad. I guess you could stash some extra shorts in a bag but maybe if you have a cardigan at your work you could just tie it around your waist if you needed to hide something as you walked to your car?

[formerlyak]

With my first, my water never broke.

With this one, when my water broke there was so much fluid that a change of clothes and a pad didn't do jack. In the time it took me to drive from my house to the hospital 5 miles away I had completely soaked through the pad I put on and I'd say more than 50% of my pants were drenched with the fluid that continued to gush out of me. When I got to L&D I asked when the gushing would stop and the nurse told me not until the baby was out. And she was right - I was still feeling gushes when they were prepping me for a c-sec 5 hours later.

I'd keep something in the car to protect your seat, but other than that I wouldn't worry about it.

[hbear]

Well when my water broke, it wasn't just once. Once it broke, it continued to leak out with every contraction. Even though I changed my pants, I was wet again by the time I got to the hospital and was sitting in triage with a towel between my legs.

So basically, it's not worth changing, lol.

[saltypearl]

I work in a fire hall so I figure that they've dealt with worse. I don't really have spare pants in the wardrobe to keep at work anyway.