What if my water breaks while I’m at work?
True story: When I was pregnant while teaching middle school ELA, a student wrote a DETAILED STORY about my water breaking while I was teaching. To be fair, my co-teacher was also pregnant, due 5 weeks after me. It must have been weird for the kids. And fascinating. This same student asked LOTS OF QUESTIONS about what would happen if my water broke.
It became a joke. Until it didn't. Then it became a worry. 😱
What would happen if my water did break in class? Would it be like a puddle? What if it's when the kids were silently reading? 😬
In reality, this can be a big fear for people..especially those with professions where you need to be on your feet and "on" in front of other people. A few things to know:
💡Only 10-15% of people have labor start with water breaking.
💡It may start as a trickle or small gush.
💡Amniotic fluid is usually clear or white.
💡The fluid is odorless or has a slightly sweet smell.
💡Pay attention to C.O.A.T— color, odor, amount and time it broke.
💡 No one knows for sure what causes the bag of waters to break. “Stripping the membranes” (at a prenatal visit around 39-41 weeks) can increase the risk of the bag of waters releasing. Uterine, vaginal or urinary infections can do the same.
Flash forward— no plot twist. Labor started (outside of school) without my water breaking. In fact, it was MANY hours later that my water finally broken at the hospital.
NOT SURE IF IT'S URINE OR YOUR WATER BREAKING?
✏️ Go to bathroom to urinate, lie down on side for 10-15 min then stand up.
✏️ If water has pooled in the vagina and comes out when you stand, your water has likely broken. Let your provider know.
Want to talk more about preparing for birth with a certified birth doula? Contact our team today.
About the Author: Kathleen Stern is a certified labor, postpartum and infant care doula and founder of Boston Area Doulas. Prior to becoming a doula, she worked in schools for 15 years. Her most memorable and joyful moments as a teacher come from teaching 7th grade literacy in Boston.
