

Waters breaking - can I wear sanitary/tena towels?

(31 Posts)
Ls271082 Sat 22-Jun-13 17:27:09

This may sound totally ridiculous I don't know, I've never done it before!! Is it worth wearing tena or similar near my due day in case my waters break? Or is it stupid idea as they won't help/work to save embarrassment if I'm at work or in public?


CuppaSarah Sat 22-Jun-13 17:32:22

It depends. It could just be a trickle in which case that would be fine. Or it could be a gush which not even a maternity towel wuld probably contain.

But rest assured only something like 10% of labours start with the waters breaking, so odds are you'll be well aware it's coming before it does. But if it makes you feel a bit more secure go ahead and wear a towel.

SkivingAgain Sat 22-Jun-13 17:38:09

My waters broke when I was in the village shop blush -- I wish I'd been wearing a pad-- thankfully I had dark trousers on and no one else knew smile

Felt like I was peeing myself, but couldn't stop it sad

MrsBungle Sat 22-Jun-13 17:46:45

My waters broke in the middle of the street. I was wearing a pad - it really didn't contain it!

Iwish Sat 22-Jun-13 19:58:22

My waters broke at home all over the floor and I put a pad on so soak it up as it kept coming. It didn't help lol xx

welshfirsttimemummy Sat 22-Jun-13 22:16:25


welshfirsttimemummy Sat 22-Jun-13 22:17:21

My waters didn't break until I was actually pushing in labour, so you may not need one smile

happyfrogger Sat 22-Jun-13 22:35:46

I wouldn't bother, TBH. In my case my waters broke (middle of the night) with a gush. Even the heaviest of pads would have soaked through in 30 seconds! I went through many bath towels in the 30 mins faffing to get to hospital and in the cab. If anything have a small towel in your handbag or a bunch to hand at home / work etc so if you do end up one of those whose waters break without warning, you can get where you need to without too big a wet patch in the car!!

chickabilla Sat 22-Jun-13 22:42:05

My waters were leaking not gushing but still were not contained by a pad.

lj123 Sat 22-Jun-13 22:48:01

My mums waters broke with my sis n she got told to actually open a pack of nappies and put one in her underwear! She was planning a home birth and it was middle of the night.

therumoursaretrue Sat 22-Jun-13 22:54:00

A pad wouldnt have made one but of difference to me. My waters broke in hospital and completely soaked one of those big pads they put on the beds. Then continued to leak after that and soaked another 2. Not sure how much is 'normal' but I was shocked by the amount.

ShowOfHands Sat 22-Jun-13 22:57:32

My waters breaking was the first sign both times. I had a big initial gush and then constant leaking for 31 and 38hrs respectively. I wore two maternity pads side by side. No bloody point really. Trousers ruined. Knickers ruined. I sat on a towel for a 30 minute car ride and it was sodden.

I had a LOT of water. grin

ItCameFromOuterSpace Sat 22-Jun-13 23:06:43

My waters broke in bed in th middle of the night, and there was ALOT of water. It didn't stop gushing ou fo hours. No pad would hav helped me contain that.

cece Sat 22-Jun-13 23:10:15

Both times my waters broke I completely flooded the floor where I was standing. Mopping up was needed to clear up the water!

Nellysgirl Sat 22-Jun-13 23:46:19

Without meaning to sound rude but please can I ask the ladies who's waters broke in bed. Did it leak through to mattress and stuff? I was worried about this happening to me. What do you do? We have a brand new bed confused

My waters broke in bed grin it was like Niagra falls had relocated to my womb! A whole pack of tena pants wouldn't have cut it!

To answer the waters in the bed question... We had put a couple of bin bags under the sheet as I had excess waters and was told to do this by the MW. All we needed to do was change the bedding and have the carpet cleanedgrin

happyfrogger Sun 23-Jun-13 08:56:12

It would have if I'd state there, but I jumped up so quick thinking I'd wet myself and ruined the carpet instead! I spent the rest of the time waiting for a can standing on a towel in the bathroom shouting demands at DH. Who shouted back to me to stay put and not ruin another carpet lol!

Given that I might sleep on a towel next time just in case but wouldn't invest in a mattress protector. You'll likely be up fairly quickly not lay around wondering what's happening!

Chunderella Sun 23-Jun-13 09:36:05

If it makes you feel more comfortable, do it. But if they break with a gush, it's going to take more than a pad to contain it! Nelly, mine broke in bed but didn't leak through to the mattress. I got DH to grab me a towel quite quickly though.

MrsMargoLeadbetter Sun 23-Jun-13 09:42:31

One thing wearing a pad is useful for is being able to check that the waters are clear.

If they have marconium (eg baby poo) you will need to go to the hospital for monitoring. I had this first time.

I had gushes both times and tried to catch the worse of it with towels for the above but also my 'dignity' - not that there is much in childbirth!!!

Good luck! Wishing you good birthing vibes.....

BoffinMum Sun 23-Jun-13 09:44:37

If your waters go in bed with a pop you will ruin your mattress. You need a waterproof cover on there, believe me.

In terms of dealing with them if they go in the daytime, disposable incontinence pants are the best thing ever for this. They hold loads.

ShowOfHands Sun 23-Jun-13 10:09:40

My waters went in bed the second time round and my mattress was fine. As soon as I felt the pop, I leapt up and as I had pyjamas on, it was quick enough to save the mattress. Floor needed mopping though. grin

It's a good point about the pads showing up anything you might need to see. Meconium as MrsM says, I also noticed as I changed my 895th pad that day that I'd started to bleed too.

marzipananimal Sun 23-Jun-13 15:42:44

I think a waterproof mattress protector is probably sensible. You're quite likely to have other bodily fluid leaks in bed after the baby's born (blood, milk, baby poo, sick or wee) so it'll get some use even if your waters don't break in bed.

sugarandspite Sun 23-Jun-13 15:48:12

Also you'll probably get awful night sweats for the first week or so after you've had the baby - lovely I know - and the waterproof mattress protector will also be helpful then.

By the best quality one you can justify (our hippychick one is good as is cotton not sweaty plastic) as it will probably more than earn its keep over the next few years!

happyfrogger Sun 23-Jun-13 20:20:08

oh yes, night sweats! Good point. That for me lasted best part of a month and sheets were soaked through EVERY night, didn't know what was going on, it was horrible. Mattress protector would be have been useful for that!

Ls271082 Sun 23-Jun-13 20:34:47

I've got night sweats now and I'm only 27+2!!

Woofers Sun 23-Jun-13 21:09:33

Using experience from the other end of the life cycle - incontinence in adults is a problem, especially over night. You can use kylie sheets or tena do a pad which holds up to 800ml of urine. Disability shops might be able to supply / advise.

kylie sheets

tena pull up pants

BoffinMum Sun 23-Jun-13 22:37:01

Value shower curtain is a cheap substitute for a waterproof sheet, but sweaty.

IRCL Sun 23-Jun-13 22:40:38

My waters poured out and soaked the pad I was wearing. Couldn't contain it.


K8Middleton Sun 23-Jun-13 22:51:11

Waters went first with both of my labours in exactly the same way. In bed, woke up, had a funny feeling something was going to happen, felt a pop and lolluped in an ungainly fashioned dashed all the way downstairs and across the house to the bathroom and didn't spill a drop. Then big gushes in the loo and a Boot's whopping incontinence pad in knickers. Planning a homebirth they were on the list so luckily had lots. They worked well because the waters just keep coming!

I carried a spare pair of knickers and massive inco pad in my handbag for last few months of second pg. Just in case grin

Angelina7 Mon 24-Jun-13 00:16:14

Night sweats? What causes those? ...first I've heard of them :-/

sugarandspite Mon 24-Jun-13 10:00:23

Night sweats in the weeks after birth are v common. It's something to do with your body trying to get rid of all of the masses of extra fluid that you retain during pregnancy (to help keep your blood pressure up and protect from dehydration I think).

So after you've had the baby you pee loads (but might not notice as it will still be less than you were having to pee when heavily pregnant!) and you'll sweat a lot, especially at night.

I also found that for a couple of weeks afterwards my temperature was always higher than everyone else - they would be in jumpers and id be in a vest top, normally I'm always the coldest one. So it really helped having room thermometers handy so I could make sure it wasn't too cold for baby, as I honestly couldn't tell.

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