Fear of Water Breaking/Going into labor early - Irrational?

[Philly Mom]

So with DD1, my water broke 2.5 weeks before my due date sending me into labor. I was literally about to step into bed after having two very intense work weeks. My body was just exhausted. I am now really afraid of the same thing happening. I am 6 weeks away from my due date. Anytime I am walking and feel any pressure, I am afraid my water is about to break. If I go into labor at the same time as I did with DD1, it will be a VERY bad time. DH is traveling that week (for some reason he thinks he can just hop on a plane home and be home in no time). My mom is planning to stay with me for the week, but I have an important family event during the week (2 hours away) that will make both of my parents unavailable to be near my house for 48 hours and could have me going into labor 2 hours away from home. I am sure the odds of my water breaking twice to send me into labor is low and the odds of actually going into labor during this one 48 hour period is also low, but I am stressed. Anyway, just needed to put that out there. If anyone has any ideas on how to keep the baby put until I am 38 weeks, I would appreciate it.

[zukeypur]

Every pregnancy is different, so it likely you won't have a repeat performance. With my first pregnancy my water broke in the the middle of the night in great Hollywood fashion, and DD was born 1.5 hrs later. I was 37 weeks. The next pregnancy I made it until 38.5 weeks, and labor was a few hours longer.

[BabyBearsMom]

Every pregnancy is different. With DD1, I sprang a leak and didn't realize it for at least a day because it was so little water. I had her when I was 39wks 5days. DD2 on the other hand was a stubborn little bugger and I didn't go into labor with her until she was 41 weeks. My water didn't break until I was 10cm, at the hospital and laying on the table. Try not to worry.

[bostonsmama]

I have no reassuring second baby story (yet), but I just read Expecting Better (the Freakanomics version of pregnancy statistics), and less than 11% of women have their water break before contractions onset (with some studies showing less than 8%). I do not, however, remember what the author cited as your risk of having your membranes rupture in subsequent pregnancies if you experienced that the first time. There can be so many causes of pPROM, but when I asked my OB recently how I could get my own DS to go to term so I can safely get to the children's hospital before he's born (I have super fast labor), she said there really wasn't anything other than avoiding jogging, car accidents and infections.

Praying for you during the time your DH is away. That has to be a stressor!

[mom2khj]

I was worried about early labor and my OB said each pregnancy was different and past history wasn't always an indicator.

Here is my experience, in order:

DD1 - water broke at 37.5 weeks.
DD2 - was in active labor, but had to have water broken at 36 weeks.
DS - water broke 1 day shy of 39 weeks, the day before my scheduled c-section.

[kaharris83]

My water broke with DS1 at 39w5d at 5am. He was born a few hours later. With DS2 my water did not break but my contractions began at 5am 37w5d and he was born a few hours later. They broke my water while delivering him. So my guess is it's probably not likely your water will break this time too. Hoping your week goes smoothly and baby is nice and cozy on the inside.

[mommylamb]

I think the best thing you can do to calm your nerves is to plan it out. What will you do if you go into labor (water breaking or otherwise) during those 2 days when neither your DH nor your parents will be available? Is it worth it to you to go to the event? Is there someone there who can drive you home and be with you at the hospital? What are the hospital facilities near the event just in case you aren't going to be able to make that 2 hour drive? Once you have a plan in place, I bet you'll feel better. Good luck. I hope it happens at a better time. I found the waiting for labor thing to be super stressful too.

[Philly Mom]

Thanks everyone for sharing. I am pretty rational 99% of the time so I know that it is unlikely I will go into labor the same exact time but hard to really convince myself. Knowing the variety of delivery times for people is calming.

Mommylamb, I think you are right that I need a plan. I think so long as I don't go into labor the morning/afternoon of the event, I will be fine. The event is by my parents' house. Great hospitals nearby. I would be fine delivering there, although not ideal obviously. I will have lots of family around and already have a sitter for the night of the event. I just need to have an action plan for the day of before the event since my family will be occupied during the event. I guess one of my sils could always help me if needed once I am up there. Will be harder if I am still at home.

I will talk with DH about what he thinks. Thanks everyone. Just getting it out there, I am feeling calmer.

[klwa]

First off :hug:

Now then, my water broke with DS. With DDs, they had to break my water during labor. So, it probably won't happen again.

Same thing happened with my mom. Her water broke with her oldest & her youngest, but not the middle child. (Oldest brother was probably on time. Middle brother was about a month late. I was two weeks early.)

So, no matter what happened with your first, your second will probably be nothing like it.

As for keeping the baby in there longer, try to rest more & drink more. The only one of mine to be early was DD2 and I had been sick with a cough for over a month when she was born. I think my body just said "Nope, can't do this any more." Within a day of her birth, the cough cleared up.