What if Your Water Breaks in a Full-Term Pregnancy?

For women whose water breaks while pregnant, there is no one singular experience -- it doesn't follow a formula. It's different for everyone. For some, there is the ubiquitous gush, made popular by television and movies. For others, there is a trickle of fluid. For others, it falls somewhere in between.

My water broke when I had my first child. I was 40 weeks (almost exactly) pregnant. It was the middle of the night and although I had just used the bathroom, I had a sudden urge and need to go again. I got out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. When my feet hit the tile floor, water began pouring down my legs. For a minute, I wondered if it was incontinence. But when the water flow didn't stop, I knew that my water had broken.

What does it mean when your water breaks?

When your water breaks, the amniotic sac around your baby has ruptured. Sounds scary, right? It's not, if you are full term. It simply signifies that you are on the onset of labor. You may have already been having contractions, or you may not have had any yet. According to Dr. Spock's website, "Rupture of the membranes, the technical term for breaking the water, may happen before or during labor. When it occurs before labor, it often means that labor is imminent. Your practitioner will need to be notified, and you may be advised to go to your hospital or birth center, even if labor hasn't begun."

So, what do you do when your water breaks?

1. Don't panic. But, do make sure the fluid is clear. Blood tinged fluid could be sign of a problem.
2. Call your doctor and explain the situation. If you are having a normal pregnancy, you probably will be told to stay home for a bit until you start to have regular contractions. But if you've tested positive for Group B Strep, then you will probably have to go in earlier.
3. Prepare. Eat a snack because once you are at the hospital, you probably won't be allowed to. Then put the finishing touches on your hospital bag. Have everything loaded into the car so that when it's time to go, you can just go.

What about the, um, water?

If you have a steady flow of water, it can be very uncomfortable. But a nurse advised me to stick a towel between my legs to catch the flow. That made everything better. In fact, I even kept a few towels handy when I was pregnant with my second child, just in case.

Ultimately, having your water break during pregnancy is a normal, natural thing in the end of the third trimester. It's not something to be afraid of.

Now, go have a baby.