Did anyone's water break at work?

Don’t know if this helps but mine didn’t break(!).

Also: “in fact, only about 15 percent of women have their membranes rupture at all before labor begins. The other 85 percent may experience their water breaking during labor, delivery or even preterm.”

So most people don’t have a movie-like surprise experience!

I made a pact with another woman at work who was pregnant that we would clean/dispose of any evidence (ex. office chair in the dumpster) if our water broke at work.

Luckily we didn't need to make good on that pact, but my water did break at 3am at home so it does happen.

I worked at a mail order pharmacy and I told my boss I felt weird and he said gtfo. He said “I’ve already delivered two babies in my life time and I’m not even that kind of doctor. Get out of my pharmacy and call me when you feel better.” He was great.

Yes! Baby came at 35 weeks so I hadn’t gone on maternity leave yet. Stood up in the morning at my desk, and felt a huge gush. I work at a predominantly female, feminist workspace so it didn’t feel weird or embarrassing. Just unexpected. I was wearing thick leggings so luckily I didn’t make a mess.

Mine didn’t!

But I work in accounting so mostly female in our department but otherwise surrounded by men. Every time someone is pregnant and close to term they make an outline of their hospital, their doctor, an emergency contact, and where their car is usually parked to get their bag and sent it to a few people who were dubbed “baby watch” for them. It was honestly a great system that made me a lot less nervous!

I work in a hospital, so my water breaking here would be ideal 

My (mostly male) coworkers were terrified I would go into labor at work - I didn’t, but I had a puppy pad for the car in case I did need it!

No. I had my water broken with my first and my 2nd broke, in the hospital bed while they were moving me to an official room. I’ve never known anyone whose water broke in a public place, tbh.

For what it’s worth, you’re more likely to break your water during labour than at the beginning. I had three babies and only broke my waters with my first push, well, sort of, my second was technically born in his sac and the midwife broke my waters before I pushed his body out.

Broke right as I was standing up at 7:00 p.m. at the end of my shift. Luckily I wear baggy scrubs for work. And work in a medical setting. So all the floors were very washable. I waddled over to let the janitor know. Grabbed a bunch of medical grade pee pads. Waddle to my car, and drove home. The situation was pretty ideal. Cuz I was 39 and 1/2 weeks. It was Friday. My inbox was empty. And I was scheduled for an induction on Monday morning. I've never been the sort of person with any luck. Maybe it all culminated in that one moment 🤷‍♀️

Mine broke at a restaurant lol was going to go in for my scheduled csection the next day (breech baby) and water decided to break while I was eating up since I had to fast for surgery :(

Not me but I’m a college professor and one of my colleagues had her water break during a class. She (obviously) canceled the rest of class that day and said that students were really sweet and telling her good luck and offering to drive her to the hospital as they were leaving. 

I was going to change into comfy clothes and clock back into work after going to the hospital earlier that day for a false alarm. (I work from home.) It was New Year’s Eve as well.

Just got as I got to the top of my stairs just before my bathroom, my water full blown broke. Huge gush and soaked through my pad. I was like…welp, I guess I’m not going back to work. 😂

Daughter was born New Year’s Day at 38w6d

Not me. But a colleague of mine. They had to buy her a new chair 😂

Mine broke at home. But, I wouldn’t worry to be honest. It’s likely not going to be a huge water fall of water. Just a little gush. Didn’t even go thru my underwear and I knew immediately what happened. Keep pads with you just in case! Maybe even wear one as precaution if you’re really worried.

Mine broke while I was sleeping. It woke me up. I had a plan if I went into labor at work, though.

Mine did with my second, but it was weird. 😂

I was a retail manager and I had brought in a yoga ball to sit in the office to do orders. I twisted a certain way and felt a pop.

I stuck my hand in my crotch, but didn't feel any wetness. I sat there for about 20 more minutes and then got up to pee. When I went pee I was like. Oh, this isn't just pee. 😂

My water didn't break with my first, and it was not what I was expecting. I called my boss and was like. Teehee, water breaking. Thankfully, she was already on her way to the store. 😂

I was thankfully working from home that day. but i started rushing to finish everything and make sure everything was handled. i ended going to the office in labor to pass off something. I worked until 6… don’t be me, i was so exhausted in the middle of the night. I should have immediately stopped, told my boss i’m out and taken a nice long nap.

Mine broke when I was supposed to be at work, but the day before a co worker offered to switch shifts with me because it was going to be a really busy day and I was 37 weeks pregnant. Thankfully she did that because otherwise I would have been working in a sterile procedure room as a nurse if it broke at the same time!

Mine broke in the waiting area of a massage place while my husband and I were waiting for foot massages. Legitimately, I had realized I was in labor on the way there but thought I had time for a 30 minute massage. Still kinda mad I didn’t get it!

One time at work a nurse was giving me report and her water broke. Actually pretty convenient, we just wheeled her down to L&D.

Not me but to a coworker of mine! We were all sitting in the break room just chatting when hers broke at 37 weeks. All my dad colleagues didn’t hesitate to clean up the amniotic fluid while two non-dads just quietly/awkwardly slipped out of the room 😂

Me and another coworker drove her to the hospital! Wild!

Pregnant now and planning on working until the end...so I definitely have the same fear. What the hell are we doing out here??

I was on console in Mission Control (yes, really) within a week of my due date all 3 kids. Damn I wish I would have gone into labor, just for the story. Too bad I got 3 inductions instead.

Technically yes but luckily it was in the parking lot after I stepped out of my car at lunch. I’m relieved I wasn’t inside the office. I was 38 weeks so a little early.

Mine did, I was trying to work until I gave birth to maximise my mat leave. I had already prepped to be off since 36 weeks and work just allowed me to stay til I wanted to go.

Annoyingly my water broke as I got to work but I had no contractions so I just left pain free and by myself. Picked up some food on the way

I worked up till my due date with my first and still had to be induced (water was broken as part of the procedure). My manager who I had known for several years was my designated driver in the event labor started and I couldn't make it on my own.

My water broke 3 days before my due date with my 2nd. It popped as I rolled over in bed at around 2am. I didn't need a work labor plan as I was working from home so my husband was pretty much it anyways.

Mine broke in the elevator at work. Heard a big pop while I was seated at lunch, once I got to the elevator I felt liquid trickle down.

I had planned on working up until I went into labor so I was terrified of that happening too. It actually broke at 10:30pm and I really thought I had just peed my pants. It's not always a big gush of fluid.

My biggest fear 😂😂

You have more time (most likely) than you think. Also, usually it’s not as dramatic as on tv. Mine broke while sleeping 1 week early from due date and I wasn’t sure. Honestly just thought I peed on myself. Got checked out and then was kept at the hospital. Like others have said, it’s much less common for it to break prior to labor / contractions.

I work from home but my water broke during meetings with both of my kids 😂

No, but I was in labor for about 7 hours of a 10 hour work day and didn't realize it. I felt weird little spasms that felt like they were in my hip muscles. My water broke late that night, while walking my dog. Went to the hospital, they hooked up monitors and told me those spasms were powerful contractions.

The nurse kept telling me that I could admit that they were painful, they could give me some relief.

No but I lived in fear thinking I would so I had a garbage bag and towel on my front seat with a game plan if needed.

I was also so nervous about my water breaking, but my baby was born en caul. My water broke right into the medical waste bag!

Yes I did. Similar to a pp, my oldest was born at 34 weeks so I was at work. I sneezed and my water broke. My coworker drove me to the hospital and then took public transportation back to our office. The hardest part was getting my husband on the phone. For some reason he just wasn’t answering his cell phone

We didn’t have any ready though. That part was kind of stressful

Nope, quit working when I was ~7 days past my due and was induced. It is super annoying to work every day for weeks leaving my desk super clean, and my notes totally up to date every day. Also, it is hard to make progress on a project when you don’t want to start anything big because you will give birth any day now.

Yes at 37 weeks. I had a long shirt on so it didn't really show, but I ran so hard when it happened, I nearly bowled over some centenarian on the way to the bathroom.

I called my husband and told him I wasn't sure if I peed my pants or my water broke. He was like, how can you not know???? And I'm just rage shouting from the stall, "WELL I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE!!"

I incognito grabbed all my stuff and drove home, said goodbye to NO ONE, gushing the whole way, so I knew it was go time. They told us to take our time, so I like vacuumed a little, we stopped at Jimmy John's on the way, but even though it was maybe an hour or 2, the contractions started coming v painful and regular.

It was a long horrific labor. I won't bore you with that shit. But no one even knew my water broke at work until I told folks later, way after.

ETA - it def gushed like movies, my clothes seemed to capture everything, so nothing hit the carpet and I had a towel on my seat in the car that I had prepared for the unlikely event of water breakage.

I worked a half day until my induction date. My water broke that evening (at 5:30pm) naturally and I was scheduled to be inducted at 7:30pm. I finished work at 12 noon that day and it came gushing out, full movie experience stuff so I was pretty glad it didn’t happen at work. Every movement my baby or I made, more came out. I put on a pad before we left and that was completely soaked to the ride to the hospital. I was on the hospital bed and they put a pad on the bed and that was soaked up and dripping on the floor. Idk if I just had more amniotic fluid than usual. My husband thought I’d have run dry sooner or later. He said when I had my C-section and they cut me open, it poured out of me too.

Almost if my boss didn’t tell me to go home. I was 36 weeks and was having such bad hip pain and cramps all day. Around 4pm my boss told me to just go home because I couldn’t get comfortable (desk job and I usually work till 6) even the drive home which is an hour in traffic I was on the phone with my sister joking about how I should just go to the hospital now.

I got home, changed and laid down. Started feeling better. My husband got home with dinner at about 6. I felt the sudden urge to pee so I got up to use the bathroom and that’s when my water broke. I texted my boss saying “uh I don’t think I’ll be coming into work tomorrow.” 😅

I was WFH because of nausea up until 39 weeks but it if I hadn’t been mine 100% would have been at the office. Also I was on the toilet because I was thrown straight into active labor essentially and could not stop going number two for … a while… and then once that stopped my husband had come home, drove to the hospital and had my baby about one hour later!!

I can’t imagine what that would have been like if I had been at the office. At least we worked at the same company but my husband would have had to drag/carry me out of the bathroom to the car or an ambulance frankly. I count myself lucky.

Mine didn’t break until 29 hours into labor at 9.5cm.

LOL yes, I work in a chemical plant and mine broke in the bathroom! I had to walk through a permit room full of contractors to get to my office to get my stuff and call my husband. Fortunately I was wearing my black pants that day!!! 😂

Mine broke at work. In the elevator actually. Had to waddle myself back up to the office into the staff/client shared mutistall bathroom to fix myself since my pants were soaked. Good thing it was winter and I had a coat.

I started to hemmorrage at work due to a partial placental abruption.

So I mean, you could splash amniotic fluid everywhere or you could leave a trail of blood down the hallway, down the elevator and all over your manager's passenger seat, even with a towel/pad. (We called an ambulance but upon consulting with them, learned it was faster for manager to drive me as we were 6 blocks from the hospital)

Amniotic fluid is easier to clean. 

Me and baby were OK. But it was terrifying. I'd take my water breaking over that any day.

However, when I was in high school, my English teacher had her water break in the middle of class while teaching the class right before us. We were given a free period because technically they had to do biohazard protocols to clean it.

Mine didn’t break until I was in labor. I definitely thought that it had while I was mowing one day… turns out my girl was just sweaty 🤢😅

Mine happened almost exactly 24 hours after I was admitted to be induced. In that moment, I realized that the beach towel I'd put on the driver's seat of my car "just in case" would have done NOTHING.

Mine did! But I think it's really rare, and there is some importance context.

Last year I was pregnant with #3, but had (and still have) absolutely horrible uterine prolapse from the first two. I was wearing this frisbee-size pessary to hold everything in, since earlier in my pregnancy I had some major bleeding issues with due to my uterus trying to fall out. Also, I had some prolapse issues for baby #2, but by the third trimester my uterus was basically able to sit on my hips and I didn't need the pessary.

Anyway, for my 32 week appointment (which was actually at 31w2d) my doctor suggested I take the pessary out in the morning and give it a few hours to see if I really needed it any more, and if I did she could help me get it back in at the appointment.

... well I took it out and immediately felt a drop and major pressure in my vagina. I figured I could make it to the appointment that afternoon if I moved as little as possible. I went to the office after dropping off my kids, and even met with my boss where I talked about how I was sure I'd make it to my due date because I had to be induced with my first two kids. After that I went back to my desk and felt something similar to slowly peeing myself. It wasn't a huge gush... just more moisture than I could explain otherwise.

So I called my doctor and they told me to go to the hospital) and I had to tell my male boss I thought I was leaking (fun, fun).

(This next part isn't really related to your question but I just think it's a funny story) By the time I got to the hospital my prolapse was so severe that the medical resident thought the baby's head was coming out and a 50-something MFM said it was something she'd never seen before and was a "once-in-a-career" situation. I was admitted since my water had broken, and since I was before 34 weeks they decided to try to keep me pregnant. They deliberated for a while on if they should try to push my uterus back in since it could risk an infection, but ultimately decided to do so. It was actually really funny because since this was so unusual they called every medical resident and a few other doctors in so like 25 people were in the room watching while one doctor pushed my uterus back in an placed the iodine soaked pessary. Then I got what is (in retrospect) a really chill 2.5 weeks in the antepartum unit while I was constantly monitored for infection or other issues.

It's sort of easy to laugh about now since everything turned out well... I made it to 34 weeks before delivering via c-section. My daughter had to spend a couple of weeks in the NICU learning to eat, but was otherwise totally fine and didn't even need breathing support.

Mine did at the end of a client meeting. I’d scheduled the meeting for a month earlier, because that was the last time I was supposed to travel. But it got postponed. Not to worry, says the client: we’ll come to you.

I wake up at 2 am (morning before my 40 week due date) and ask DH if he thinks these count as contractions. (First baby so neither of us had any idea.). DH says go to your meeting, I will stay home and pack everything up.

Meet with clients for 2 hours; everything is good. Call DH to say we are going out to lunch. Then whoosh! All over the floor. Clients (both of whom are dads several times over) are very sweet and wait with me til DH can pick me up. Baby didn’t actually arrive until evening the following day.

Yes but I was wearing a pad so no big deal.

My water never broke until I was already in the hospital. 3 kids.

No I was induced at 37 weeks for pre-eclampsia. I did have to have my paramedic BIL come take my blood pressure at work on the DL cause I was feeling weird.

Mine didn't.

For my first, it broke at home. I was laying in bed, felt the membrane burst, and jumped out of bed in time for it to gush all over the bathroom floor.

With my second, they had to break it for me, but his head was pressing down so hard that no fluid came out.

I was terrified mine would. Thank god it did not. The mess was awful.

Nope, but it did break at a restaurant. I was wearing a long dress and it still didn’t make a mess because we high tailed it out of there (we had just paid the bill and were getting ready to leave).

If you plan for this to happen, you will be pregnant for 44 weeks.

My understanding is it’s uncommon for your water to break before you actually go into labor.

That being said … with both my kids mine broke at home in the middle of the night but it was a very slow leak - not a gushing of fluid. So it was contained by a pad until I made it to the hospital.

Mine always stayed intact until just before delivery. With my last child they were about to break it, but then it did on its own as they were preparing to do so.

Mine did! Barely, but every time I stood up there was a trickle and I had been uncomfortable all day. Funnily enough had been scheduled for an induction the following day so it was my last day of work anyway!

I am planning on working from home the last few weeks because of this!!

Pretty rare to have it break. But that said, mine did with both deliveries.

My water broke during work. Luckily I work from home lol

Mine did!! LOL. I had felt off all day. Stood up to go use the bathroom... unmistakable whhoooooooshhhhhhhhhh. Casually tied my sweater around my waist (work with all younger men, didn't want to alarm anyone ) and said I'd be heading out early lol. Told everyone later on.

No but this was a big fear of mine! I had to make a coworker swear she would take my chair to the dumpster if that happened!

Yeah, first thing in the morning, 38+6. I wasn’t totally sure it had broken and wasn’t just my mucus plug so I stayed all day with the plan to leave if I felt contractions. I never had a gush like you see on tv, it was a slow drip easily contained with maxi pads.

Left work at normal time, came home, ate dinner, consulted Dr Google, went to the hospital ~12hrs later. It had broken but they had to give me Pitocin to start contractions - everything went down hill from there.

I blame curb walking a day or two before.

Nope but I was on my way to work. I was getting ready and my water broke. I'm so glad my maternity leave was supposed to start the next day. It was a Monday and I was due on Thursday. I worked until my due date because I wanted to stretch my maternity out as long as possible. This was my second child I was pregnant with. My job is physically demajnf which was probably why she came early.

Mine did with my first, but it wasn’t anything dramatic.

I showed up to work at 40+1. Around 4 I hit send on my last email for the day, then stood up to go pee for the 73626284th time and then head to gym. As I stood, I felt a distinct squirt/squish and figured I’d peed myself. But then it squished again and again as I walked to the bathroom. I sat in the toilet for quite awhile texting my husband and trying to figure out if it was “leaking” on its own without any pushing from me. I finally just popped on a pad and got ready to leave.

I thought I was being silly and headed out to my car, trying to decide whether to drive to the gym or the hospital. My husband reminded me that my OB was still open, so I called - and they told me to go to L&D. Sure enough, I was in labor!

So yeah, it doesn’t have to be a big scary dramatic thing. I think early water breaking is pretty rare, and even if it does happen it won’t necessarily be a crazy event. Don’t worry about it.

No but my kid was 12 days late so after her due date? I started carrying around a beach towel to sit on

No. But when my water broke it was the smallest trickle I honestly thought I was just peeing myself a little bit. Wasn’t in a rush to even get to the hospital and thought they’d turn me away. Turns out I had my baby that day haha

Mine broke at a scrapbook store. All over the floor.

I was terrified of this, partially because I work with all men, but luckily it broke in the shower at home

I’ve had three kids and none of their water broke until they were actually exiting.

Nope! Mine broke the day after my due date at the end of a VERY active day, but thankfully I was lying in bed at home. It was a massive gush caught by my pregnancy pillow which clearly I didn’t need anymore!

No, but...I'm kind of surprised it didn't break in a public place! I worked within 24 hours of the birth, did a yoga class, and my water broke 5 hours later. Everyone tells you it won't be like the movies, but yes, sometimes it can!

If I didn’t insist on my job letting me use my hard earned PTO 1 week prior to my due date I sure would have with no notice. My day starts at 8am and my water broke at home at 39+4 at 9:15am. I would have been in the middle of patient care. And I had zero other signs - no back pain no contractions. I was barely 2cm when I even got to the hospital 2 hours later.

My water broke 5 mins before I was going to drive to work.

Mine broke in target.

I worked until a week before my due date with my 1st and was also worried about this happening. She ended up being 9 days late. I stopped working 3 weeks before my due date with my second, and it’s a good thing too because my water broke one week after my last day at work.

My water broke with both of them in the evening though. I don’t know if that is more common, but everyone I know whose water broke before labor started, had it break at night

Not at work but mine broke (like a massive waterfall) in the middle of a restaurant when I was only 26 weeks pregnant…ugh lol

Not me but a first aider for a big company. I’ve had three instances of someone starting labour at work in my 15 years.

First was someone in my team and it was just a little trickle, all I had to do was help her pack her stuff and walk her down to a taxi to take her home.

Second was a movie type one but luckily it happened in the loos as she felt a bit weird ahead of time. I got her spare clothes that she was keeping at work, called her husband and he worked around the corner so he arranged for a taxi back to home. I stole a load of towels from our gym to put on the taxi seats. So maybe keep some puppy pads at the office! A lovely cleaner came and mopped up the loos (I know the person bought a load of chocolates for the cleaner as a thank you).

Trigger warning but happy ending.

Third was an emergency as it was early and was not just fluid. Lady was on a solo conference call in a meeting room opposite me. Suddenly she gasps, tells the call she has to go and then shouts for help. I call an ambulance, someone else calls her husband and packs her bag. She’s too scared to stand so she sits on the chair whilst I talk to her/999. Ambulance arrived quickly and she was wheeled away. Baby arrived 10 weeks early but ultimately all was okay. He’s now a strapping 13yo and she had two more babies who decided to be late arrivals.

So I’d make sure people know an emergency contact, keep puppy pads and spare clothes at work. If you’re working after 35 weeks maybe keep a hospital bag in your car/desk. I work in London so most people live up to 2 hours outside the city so a plan of how to get home is a must.

My own broke very gently at home at 11pm. A pad kept it all in check and it didn’t even get on bedsheets.

Nope, in bed at 2am. Woke me up, obviously. 😆

Mine broke in the car on the way to work. I was leaving the hospital after an early morning NST (gestational diabetes) and the flood gates unleashed as I pulled out of the parking garage. I didn’t expect it to happen at all since statistically most women don’t have their water spontaneously break, but I wasn’t one of the lucky ones.

Nope. I went into labor both times without my water breaking.

Yes. I was in the middle of teaching when I felt the first gush. I asked the teacher across from me to watch my class and to inform admin I was headed to the staff bathroom. It really started gushing in there and I couldn’t leave the room due to the amount of flow. I called my husband from there and told him to head home from work. A few lovely coworkers stood outside and asked me how I was doing. A couple helped me to cover up and retrieve my stuff from my classroom when I eventually left the bathroom. I told all my students they could explain to their parents why their teacher left early that day. 😅 I declined an ambulance, so 2 angelic coworkers drove me home. I met my husband there and we both drove to the hospital together.

A few years ago, there was an anchorwoman on a local news cast whose water broke while she was on air.

Mine didn’t break with either of mine

My water broke at 23 weeks, I was at work. Stayed in the hospital for 25 days until I went into labor. Had my baby at 26 weeks! He is now 6 years old.

Mine broke with both pregnancies, both in the middle of the night. My first child was 17 hours of labor after arriving at the hospital at some point in the middle of the night. My second was much quicker and I delivered in time to have breakfast 😂

Mine broke in the middle of the night, while I was sleeping. I felt the pop and it woke me up. Luckily it was just a trickle at that point. It "broke" movie-like when I was in triage at the hospital. Woosh.

Yes! And I'm a teacher so that was fun. Honestly though mine didn't whooosh out, it was more of "did I just wet my pants a little bit". I was also wearing a dress with leggings so I was able to conceal. I left in a hurry so my students knew but at least they weren't traumatized with a giant puddle lol

Mine did. It was the first day back after Xmas break. I was in a staff meeting and started feeling drops.

I ended up staying the whole day -- sitting down -- because I was training my replacement.

My son was born that evening.

Mine didn't but it was one of my worst fears.

I work in a restricted access lab and have to wear specialized PPE. If my water broke it would have been a nightmare for someone else to clean up, and I would have been behind 3 locked doors.

Luckily it broke at the hospital as I got admitted to be induced. And I'm glad it didn't break elsewhere because it was messy. No trickle about it.

Mine broke at 8:15am while I was at work. Had just gotten in at 8am. I'm the only female in my office. It broke at my desk on my chair. I work 5 mins from home so I wrapped a sweater around my waist and drove home . I texted my boss later and told him to make sure someone cleaned up by my desk lmao

Fortunately mine did not, but the day before it broke (at home, in bed), I had started wearing those disposable panties. Not the Depends ones, but the "discreet" ones from Always I think. I was so paranoid about making a big mess that I got those just in case, and I'm glad I did! I had a big gush come out when I was in bed and the disposable panties kept everything contained! I had also started sleeping with towels on the bed too, lol.

I wore pads towards the end of all my pregnancies, and when my water broke, I was able to get to the bathroom both times before making a huge mess. I was also in bed both times, so not sure if that will work while standing. And one of the times my water broke in labor.

Just a random thing I learnt when I was pregnant…you’re more likely to go into natural labour on the evening, as were mammals it’s something to do with there being less predators about. If you work a 9-5 more than likely you’ll be fine! Ha! My waters broke around 9:30pm

Mine broke at home but I doubted myself because it was one of those small trickles and then not much. Convinced I just owed myself so drove to work and was there for over a half day before contractions started and I realized I felt like I was leaking again. One of my bosses drove me to the hospital. I was the start of a string of pregnancies in the office so she kept a few towels in her car for a while.

I worked a 12 hour shift the night before, so very close! That morning we had an appointment to go look at the house we were closing on later that week, but baby had other plans! Water broke while climbing the stairs to my apartment.  Ngl I just thought I was peeing a little. Went to the toilet and pushed out a lot more and realized it must be my water breaking. I didn’t have a hospital bag packed, we hadn’t installed the car seat yet and my stuff was all boxed up to move. I kinda went into panic shock lol 

Baby was out within three hours after that, wild stuff