How to Cope if Water Breaks in Public

Many women fear their water will break in public, says Robin Elise Weiss, author of "The Complete Illustrated Pregnancy Companion." Weiss tries to alleviate those fears by noting that only 13 percent of women actually have their water break to signal that labor has started. It's possible that you'll fall into that 13 percent, however, so being prepared will help you cope if your water breaks while you're out and about.

Things You'll Need

  • Sanitary napkins
  • Change of clothing
  • Towels

Instructions

    • 1

      Wear a sanitary pad when you go out in public. This way if your water does break, the pad will catch the fluid. Often, when your water breaks, it's a slow trickle rather than a large gush, which means that no one would even notice. Wearing a sanitary pad can help make you feel more comfortable about going out in public. In other instances, a large gush of fluid will signal that your water has broken, and wearing a sanitary pad will give you enough time to race to the bathroom to change clothes or make it to your car so you can head home.

    • 2

      Bring a change or two of clothes with you when you head out to dinner or to run errands. This can bring you peace of mind knowing that if your water breaks, you can race to the bathroom and put on dry clothes so everyone around you doesn't know what happened. When your water breaks, you might continue to experience a slow trickle of amniotic fluid, and having more than one set of spare clothes with you allows you to change again, if necessary, before you're able to go home.

    • 3

      Stash clean towels in your car. If you're worried about your water breaking while you're in the car, you can sit on the clean towels to help absorb the fluid.

    • 4

      Take a deep breath and relax. Don't spend your last few weeks of pregnancy worrying about what could happen. Run errands, go out with friends and shop for your new baby and have a good time doing those things. Even if your water breaks in public, remember that it's a natural thing and most people will rush to help you if they know what's happening. Remember, too, that you'll probably never see any of the strangers again, so you don't need to feel embarrassed.

    • 5

      Call your doctor. If your water breaks in public, take care of yourself, but call your doctor right away, too. Since this is an early sign of labor, your doctor will want to examine you to determine whether it's time to head to the hospital.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Use Herbs to Cure Morning Sickness
      Although no advice will beat the advice from your doctor or midwife, some herbal and homeopathic remedies are very effective at combating the morning sickness blues. Things Youll Need Health Food Experts Dried Herbs Graham Crackers Health F
    • How to Decide if You Should Have a Prenatal Test
      Prenatal tests are routinely offered to every pregnant woman. Some tests are noninvasive, such as a urine test and blood pressure check. Other tests are extremely invasive, such as amniocentesis or transvaginal ultrasounds. When any prenatal test is
    • How to Understand Fetal Presentation
      Fetal presentation refers to the part of the fetus that is felt at the cervix during a vaginal exam. Fetal presentation is important to note because it can determine if a vaginal delivery is an option. There are three types of presentation possibilit