Last night at 9pm I thought my water had broken.
I know that sounds silly for someone on her 3rd child. But I’ve never gone into labor naturally before. So I’m (sheepishly) not sure what to expect…..other than, watery mess on the floor = broken water + time to go to the hospital.
Yea?
So I shuffled the kids off to a friend’s house and another friend took me to the hospital because, well, Casey was in Chicago.
Yes. We have gambled too many times.
He’s on his way home right now and we’re both staying put from here on out.
So.
After a few hours at the hospital…..false alarm.
Baby is good but very ready, very low, and things are in motion.
Just need to wait a bit longer.
Which was great news since I’d like Casey to be there for our child’s birth. Plus yesterday I pulled everything out of the kid’s closets to sort, clean, donate, toss out, etc. So our house is a disaster. Need to get that cleaned up.
And really I’m glad I have an extra day because I need to tackle a couple projects from this stack of fabrics (purchased at the LA fabric district last month). Is this not the cutest ruffle fabric you’ve seen? I’m picturing a tiny summer dress….(of course that one can wait)
I do need to make a few receiving blankets though. My goal was to stockpile baby projects to share with you in the weeks after birth. We’ll see….
But how about this metallic silver linen? Gorgeous. From my favorite spot Carmel Fabrics in the Fabric District. Not sure what to do with it. I’ll let it roll around in my brain for a while since baby may be coming soon.
I was 2 weeks early with Lucy; 3 weeks with Owen. Guess this one’s following suit.
Off to sew!
{ 74 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh My! Don’t feel sheepish at all Dana, I think every pregnancy and every labor and delivery can be so different…and all from the same woman! My water broke with my first and my third and I didn’t even know it, I think I was in denial that I peed myself as it was definitely not the classic movie gush of water at my feet! So take it from someone who has had it happen twice, you just never know!! Good luck and I’m praying for everything to go smooth and as uncomplicated as possible…and soon!
Good luck Dana! Both my kids were 2 weeks early and my water didn’t break the first time. It’s always good to be careful!
Glad Casey will be back!
LOVE these fabrics! Good luck with the delivery, whenever she’s ready to come.
Don’t feel bad! It wasn’t until our fourth that I had a “typical” labor. We had so many false alarms that I started to feel like a complete dunce.
We’re on our fifth now. I’m hoping I’ll be able to tell the difference more easily this time since I know what it should feel like when it’s really happening.
Prayers for an easy delivery for both you and baby!
Baby girl will be here before you know it! I LOVE the ruffled fabric! So clean and nautical!
I did the same thing with my 3rd…thought my water broke, but it was just some “leakage” due to LOTS of pressure on my bladder. I have 4 now, and didn’t have a true natural labor with any of them. If I did have another (which I won’t!), I still wouldn’t know what to expect!
My water actually broke and resealed. It was so depressing. Hang in there!
My first baby was on time, but my second came 2 weeks early, my third came 3 weeks early and my fourth came 3 weeks early. With all four babies I was never “positive” about all that labor stuff until I was at the hospital and well into it. In fact, I had a false alarm with my fourth, too. You can never be too sure! Good luck to you! Here’s hoping for a safe and healthy labor and delivery. That sweet baby will be here before you know it! (Oh, and gorgeous fabrics, by the way…that metallic linen??? AWESOME!!)
I’ve heard so many moms who weren’t sure whether or not their labor had broken – you’re not alone! But, you’ve never gone into labor naturally and still had your kiddos that early? Were your previous doctors really willing to induce 2 and 3 weeks early or did you just mean you hadn’t had your water break before? I went into labor on my own with my daughter, but my water didn’t break until the doctor did it for me – after I was 7 cm dilated.
Anyway, good luck over these next few days. I hope you have a smooth and uneventful labor and delivery. I’ve got 10 weeks left and hubby is gone every week for work; we’re trying to figure out what to do to avoid what you almost went through!
Wow, that’s some excitement! I’ll have to tell you my stories sometime. Pretty funny, and one very awkard! I hope you get a few days to do the last minute nesting you are planning on! I was always hoping baby would be on time or past-due because of my lists. Most importantly, wishing you an uneventful, healthy delivery!
I’m with you. My first two were induced right around their due dates… the first due to low amniotic fluid and the second due to blood pressure concerns. I’m 34 weeks right now and have no idea what it would be like to experience natural labor.
you are wonder woman–tackling projects and cleaning closets right before having a baby. i love it! i read a book that said amish women scrub the floors during labor to ‘keep their minds off it’. amazing.
good luck! well wishes for an easy baby #3.
That is too funny. The SAME thing happened to me last night! I got into bed and had some intense pains. They weren’t anything like my contractions with my first girl but I was still confused. And then I started panicking because my husband is also out of town this week and I am totally not ready for this baby yet. There is still so much to do! Luckily they subsided and hopefully baby will stay in for a few more weeks. Good luck to you!
I think we’ve all been there! Good luck getting your nesting done, and fingers crossed for a quick, healthy delivery with a healthy baby at the end!
This happened with my fourth. Don’t sweat it. I’ve got 6 weeks left with the currant occupier, but I’m not sewing things. Or cleaning. Or anything really. I get lazy at the end…
My 1st was a c-section, my 2nd I went in too early (dilated to a 2, but since I changed to a 3 while there, and it was a VBAC, they kept me. Labor stalled, but since I was already there and they gave me an epidural, they ended up inducing with pitocin. Uuggh. 26 hour labor). My 3rd, I had 3 false alarms! I was paranoid, because he was pre-diagnosed with a serious heart condition, AND I was delivering naturally. By the time number 4 came, I finally knew what real labor felt like; I was a 5 when I got to the hospital, and he came 2 hours later. You’ll figure it out (eventually!).
Glad to hear that you and the baby are doing well and that you still have mental space to think about future sewing projects!
My babies don’t budge until it’s around their due date. My son was one week late and my daughter waited until one day before my due date. I’m 37 weeks and have an appointment today. I’m actually hoping this one will come out early because my OB was talking about inducing me since they are concerned the baby’s growth has been slowing down this last trimester. I’m hoping we can wait it out though so he can come out when he’s ready.
Good report from the dr today baby measured at 35 wks still small but no talk of an induction. I had my first two natural and inductions scare me. Good luck Dana! I love the matchy outfits for your girls in the earlier post. Matchy matchy is cute when they are young.
Poor girl!! I think I had what you might call “trickling” water, not “breaking” water with my first. Embarassingly, I thought I had just peed my pants… more than once b/c um… this happens, no? My first pregnancy, what do I know??? NOTHING. Yes, I probably had been leaking water for several days before I finally told someone (it was Labor Day weekend – I didn’t want a false alarm!). Maria was born the same day by c/section b/c her head was completely wedged down there…. oh my! Best to you, can’t wait to see her!
glad you have a little extra time (and that casey will be there when she comes).
So excited for you! I just had my baby a couple of weeks ago. That feeling of anticipation is all too familiar for me still! Good luck!!!
I just had my third as well – and had never gone into labor on my own either. When I got to the hospital I was a 10 and had baby girl 8 minutes later. I had no clue – you’re fine
On another note, what kind of fabrics are the pink and coral solids? They look lightweight, similar to a fe receiving blankets I love… I’ve been trying to find the fabric but the “lightweight muslin” is not the same from store to store. Thanks!
yesterday I pulled everything out of the kid’s closets to sort, clean, donate, toss out, etc………….
sounds like you are due any day now, its that nesting instinct, I was cleaning cupboard like a mad woman just before 1st baby due……..
good luck!
Are you going to have a January baby??! That wasn’t in the plans
Can’t wait to hear that it’s the real deal. Keep us in the loop! That ruffle fabric is screaming 4th of July. Love it!
Can’t wait to hear about baby #3, that is nice to have a little bit of time left to work on projects!
My water broke with number one and I didn’t know it for about an hour when the contractions actually started. He was born about three hours after we got to the hospital. The second one, I knew I was in labor but I didn’t realize how far along I actually was till I got to the hospital, wasn’t really in much pain. My water broke there, eventually, and I was 8 cm along when we got there. She was born an hour and ten minutes from the time I stepped into the ER, on her due date. (We were going to go to the hospital the next day for her birth anyway, but she didn’t want to wait). No iducing necessary. I kinda liked not really knowing when it was going to happen. The way women have done pregnancies for eons.
woo hoo! nearly there girl!
I’m at week 23… so plenty of time. Although I’m worried my husband is going to miss it! he’ll be abroad for 2 weeks and will be back 7 days before the expected due date…
Can’t wait to see your little one!
Good luck! What an exciting time! You better hurry up and get your sew on, lol! By the way, I LOVE that ruffle fabric! I just bought some in black to make myself a skirt.
I saw similar ruffle fabric downtown, but wasn’t sure what to do about the spacing between the ruffles. It seemed like you could see through it. On ruffle fabric I’ve seen in tutorials online, it didn’t seem spaced so far apart. What would you do to make it a summer dress for a little girl so that people can’t see through it? Thanks for any advice you could give on this.
Also, I pray everything goes smoothly with your delivery of your new precious babe!
Good luck! I only experienced good labor once and that was with my first (he was 2 weeks late). I always ended up with c-sections, babies #2 and #4 were on time and baby #3 was 3 weeks early, the placenta was tearing so Miss. Evy was a blessed early summer arrival. I’ll be thinking of you take it easy and REST! 3 is fun but super busy, and 4 can be a zoo but I would not have it any other way!
Lovey, your water is unlikely to break before labor starts. That only happens in the movies. And there’s also no reason to rush to the hospital when it breaks. I’m a birth doula. I promise, you WILL know when you’re in labor. Stay at home as long as you can before heading to the hospital. Otherwise you’ll just be strapped down like a crazy person, teathered to wires and cables and whatnot, not being allowed to eat and drink.
I can’t recommend anything to you, but what some of my clients did, and what *I* did, was have a glass of wine. This late into the pregnancy it was unlikely to hurt my babies, or my clients’ babies, and it relaxed us just enough for labor to start. The cervix is a muscle, and when you’re tense, it is tense, and that’s the opposite of what we want it to do.
Email me if you want, I am offering you my full support by email, text and phone, 24/7, from now until way post partum (I am also a post partum doula).
You are beautiful and you can do it. You can trust your babe to do what she is meant to do.
Hugs to you all. Waiting is soooo hard on everyone, the big siblings included.
Hmm…my labors didn’t work like that. See comment above at number 26. Granted, I knew I was in labor with my daughter- just never experienced long contractions or even enough pain to warrant a trip to the hospital. I decided to go “just to make sure” and so glad I did. It wasn’t a long wait for me to me baby girl. Guess I am just different.
My water broke with my first before I went into labor early morning while I was sleeping. My husband hadn’t even realized I’d had contractions til’ after we got to the hospital. Not every baby is the same. I was not in a movie. There is increased risk for infection etc once your water breaks and it is important to deliver with 24hrs of it breaking. Natural is nice (I don’t do epiderals) but we have modern medicine that saves hundreds of women’s and babies’ lives every year. My baby was full term but had premature lungs and needed the NICU. Alcohol is never good for your baby late in pregnancy or while nursing. You may not see effects right away but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. (but if you don’t mind killing a few of your child’s and your brain cells–that’s up to you.) I am not trying to be mean to you I am trying to let people who would blindly follow your advice know that that is all it is advice. Dr.s go to school for years-10-12 usually and study and know more about the body than about anyone. I aways find it funny when someone who’s read a few books maybe trained for 6mo and “practiced” for years think they know more than DR.s. I’m all for going as natural as possible with the help of a competent Dr and hospital. You never know when you will be the 1 in 1000 that needs fast immediate care that only a Dr and hospital can provide. Be safe not sorry. Please don’t ever drink when pregnant or nursing you really are hurting your baby. There is no way to tell when the alchol has hit your milk supply unless you do test strips on it prior to and mid nursing. Your body will metabolize at a different rate based on several factors there is never a safe time to consume alchol while pregnant or nursing.
Love to hear from ya Dana and can’t wait to see pictures of that sweet baby! I agree, though, that you should go in without shame — for any reason at all! That’s what they’re there for! Better safe than sorry! I always thought it would be nice to have a home birth and my mom (and hubby) said absolutely not and always rasied such a hilarious ruckus that I could never entertain the thought seriously (but in the later pregnancies, always did like to pretend to tease them a bit, wicked girl that I am)
! Boy am I glad they had strong convictions for hospital births, though! Also, my water broke all 4 times, and I wasn’t sure with my 1st . . . or my 4th! Went in anyways. Ended up needing NICU 3 out of the 4 preganancies and intervention for my own safety the other time. We have 4 beautiful, healthy, happy children, but I cringe to think how the outcones might have looked so differently had I not gone in. My sis-in-law is an awesoem labor and delivery nurse and she ALWAYS encourages woman to call or go in. People come and go all the time. In the exciting stories of birth, that may be the one ‘normal’ — that every story is unique and one can never be too careful. Those super nurses love to see ya and help ya anyways! 
**Speaking of nurses, our recent 4th (and last — whaaa!) baby, I finally was together enough to plan a big bowl of pretty hershey kisses to leave out by our room’s door for nurses and doctors while we were there and it was SO MUCH FUN! Everyone loved it and we had people popping in to say ‘hi’. I have to admit, it’s always fun to feel like a ‘favorite’ (even if it’s bribed with tasty treats).
With my second, I had no idea I was in labor. No pain and not what I would call a contraction. I ended up having 3 major contractions and a baby in the car…the whole thing lasted less than 10 minutes. Makes for a wonderful…and funny…story:)
All the BEST to you, Dana! I’m crossing my fingers for you
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Sigh, the Garment District, really? You’re so mean. You tempt us, make us want what we can’t have…..sigh. Seriously, I love that place, they are amazing. But my favorite stores are the ones you can haggle in, its so fun to do! I haven’t been there in almost 10 years, and there is nothing like it in VA or even DC.
That silvery linnen would make a great dress for you, one that could be casual or dressy depending on your accessories. The fabric is beatuiful!
Oh I’m sure your sweet baby will be here before you know it. The fabric is lovely. Have fun preparing for your little one to come : )
All the best for the birth of your bubba! x
My waters did break before labour started and it felt like an elastic band hand snapped (down yonder).
My water broke (it was a high break) on Christmas Eve at 2am. I went to the hospital and by that time the baby had moved lower and stopped the water from coming out! They sent me home. I felt blah the whole day. On Christmas morning after opening a few presents with my other two kiddos, I went to go pee and the water kept flowing and we had a Christmas baby girl who was 4 weeks early and perfect in everyway!
Beautiful fabrics!! I need to find a place near me to get fabrics like that!
Good luck Dana! I went into labor with my 3rd on the same day I decided to spring clean and organize. Oh the mess!
horray for your family!
I always like your fabric choices.
The possibilities are endless with that silver linen: an A cut simple dress with huge rick-rack details for Lucy; or a super hero cape for both; but really I think you should make yourself an easy fun flow-e skirt for you! You’ll deserve it after delivering your third babe!!!
Wishing you the best!
Thank you SO MUCH for posting your whole blog posts! Some of my favorite blogs have gone to the ‘teaser’ format and I just don’t read them anymore. I have slow internet connection and, with all the pictures, I am not going to click on anything else to wait for it all to load again. I SINCERELY appreciate that you let us see your whole post without having to click anything. Your blog is one of my VERY favorites and I would hate to stop reading it!! Do bloggers get more advertising money or something if you click into another screen? Anyway, I wish you the very best with your pregnancy! Can’t wait to see all your fun pictures and projects with your new little one. And by the way, your kids are just ADORABLE!
Those fabrics are to die for! Love the colors.
You know, I’ve had two children with natural labor and my water doesn’t break until I’m pushing. LIke another commenter said, in the movies your water breaks and then all of a sudden you are sent screaming and writhing to the labor unit. Most of the time it comes on gradually, and you know when it’s time. So excited for you! Hearing about women anticipating their babies makes me want another one ^_^
My baby was born a month early – my husband had to take an early morning flight from Chicago, layover in Dallas, flight to So. Cal where he showed up 30 minutes before I had my daughter! It was quite eventful. I had no idea I was in labor and had driven myself to the hospital while I was in labor and already dilated! Sigh. My little early bird is now 3 and a half!
Wow! I am always late…so that is nice but only if you are ready, right! Glad Casey gets to be there now for the birth
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Such pretty fabric. I’ve always loved your good taste and style.
Best wishes with the birth!
I’m glad it was a false alarm! We’ve been cleaning stuff out to get ready for the baby too. I am only 32 1/2 weeks but with all the moving and lifting, I’ve felt a bit compromised. I can’t imagine the feeling of going into labor with your husband so far away and your house not prepped and ready! It would give me hives.
That fabric is lovely. I’m on the hunt for some fabric to make some crib sheets…using your tutorial of course.
Oooo exciting. I went almost crazy with all the pre/false labor with my second baby, even though I DID go into labor naturally with my first! It’s just so different every time. Best wishes for a wonderful labor and delivery, Dana. Take care!
So exciting! It’s almost time! My first was induced a week early for complications and my second came (naturally) 10 days late! Ack! Going into labor naturally was the strangest sensation. Just know that there are SO many of us (thousands?!?) wishing you and your family well right now!
Hi Dana, this is my first time leaving a comment. I love your website! Sewed a lot of stuff thanks to you and your patterns. It’s a little weird for me (I am from the Netherlands) to read the comments about labor. Over here a lot of women give birth at home, like I did. No judgement! Just a big difference…. I wish you all the best, greetings from Holland
Wow, exciting! Loving the fabrics also, but don’t work too hard! Best wishes for the delivery of your baby, looking forward to seeing pics!
Good luck! I’m 10 weeks, so I can’t wait to see your stockpile!
The same thing happened to me. With my first I ‘thought’ my water broke and it did, but so little that i could barely tell, then they had to induce me. The second time I ‘thought’ it broke and it didnt. Back and forth to the hospital twice in one day. No need to feel silly, theres all kinds a weird stuff that happens when you’re pregnant there’s no telling what it is sometimes. I still dont know what it feels like to go into labor naturally.
Good luck to you!
I hope everything goes smoothly with your delivery. I had the opposite experience with my fifth – when my water broke, there was no denying it – it was eveywhere! I had to sit on a twoel and a trashbag in the car on the way to the hospital, lol. My water didn’t break with any of the others. Weird how different each time is.
My first go-round I thought my water had broken. Big old gush of water, of course your water is broken, yes? No, they figure that something shifted and some ‘water’ of some sort that had been blocked was liberated. I was a few days past my due date so I was devastated to be sent back home! Especially after popping in to visit my girlfriend who’d been due a few weeks after me and her little baby boy who’d been born the day my daughter was due.
Actually, that happens more often, Olivia’s due date a friend had a baby, too! I have a few friends due around the same time as me, wonder who will be the lucky lady? lol!
I had the exact same situation occur with me the third pregnancy… I was calling a couple of experienced friends saying, “Do you think my water just broke?” (As if they could tell over the phone!) A good thing though is when the time came, my body knew what to do, with ease, to get baby #3 safely out!
When I had my son, I had the great big water gush, Niagara falls at my feet. It was very embarrassing, at the grocery store! Needless to say, my son wanted OUT, and less than an hour after my water broke, he was born. So fast I didn’t remember really.
Then I had my daughter. She was TWO WEEKS late (42 wks, 3 days) and had to be coaxed, and pretty much forced out. She did NOT want to come. That labor was about 4 hours from the time they induced me with the strong stuff until she was finally born. I remember it vividly! haha. And come to think of it she’s pretty stubborn still!
Good luck.
Hi!
very beautiful fabrics, super baby to wait.
My question is: how do you sew when you’re this pregnant? I had no interest in sewing when I was that far along- you’re amazing! I guess when it’s part of your DNA….
Happy labor vibes coming your way!
LOL I never had contractions for either of my kids. My water broke in the middle of the night with my son while I was in bed. My husband woke me up asking me what that “popping” noise was. I told him to go to sleep cause he was hearing things and then I felt it gush. For my daughter I had completely given up on having her (we had passed my due date and was scheduled to be induced). A friend and I went to Red Lobster for lunch and I thought my water had broke but wasn’t sure until I tried to stand to go to the bathroom. Silly me didn’t eat my food first and then wasn’t allowed to eat once I got to the hospital. I then got a surprise later when my daughter was born at whopping 10 lb 5 oz! LOL
Oh my goodness, I did the same thing and felt so silly. When my water finally did break, in the middle of the night, there was NO question! And I was amazed to discover that once it breaks it doesn’t just stop. Ok, enough details… But I did discover through my original mistake that I didn’t have to rush to the hospital when my water broke, just to wait for contractions. So exciting, however it happens!
It’s definitely better to be safe than sorry!! I headed to the hospital when my water broke, only to be told that it hadn’t and that I had probably lost bladder control. Turns out, the doctor was wrong!! 16 hours later, as my little girl was crowning, the doctor announced, “Oh! I guess your water did break yesterday!! Ready to push?”
So excited for you and your family!
better to be safe then sorry! my water broke suddenly-wasn’t leaking… it felt like a balloon popped in my belly on the side. it was more painful then i thought and it broke higher then i thought it would. best of luck!
Dana, I don’t even know you but I am so excited for you! I am a new mom and I am just amazed and mesmerized by the miracle of birth ..God is freaking creative ..and rarely does things the same….I love it! And now I get so excited for women who are expecting! Hope you can enjoy and revel in YOUR(and baby girls) birth story! Can’t wait to hear about it!
And…my water broke first and my son wasn’t born for another 39 hours! And he was “early “..which can also be rare for first time mom’s ….you just never know!
Don’t worry about feeling sheepish! I had my first almost a year and a half ago and I spent the entire pregnancy fearing that I’d flood the bed, or the car, or the store when my water broke. Instead, I got up to pee early in the morning and after I wiped, I “peed” more..and more…and more. I didn’t get that “pop” that some people say they can hear and feel, either. So who knows when you’ll pop!
Apologies in advance for such a long reply, but it’s my story!
I had a false alarm at the e.r., too. A few days later at 2am I thought I was wetting the bed. I tried to “hold it” as I ran to the bathroom, haha! When your water is breaking – there’s no “holding it!” I put a pad on, and was suddenly compelled to scrub the bathroom floor down in the basement, of all things! I scrubbed and cleaned from 2am-6am. You’re probably wondering, what were you thinking?! I kept scolding myself to stop then entire time, but my body just wouldn’t listen to my brain. It was a very surreal experience. Finally, I climbed back into bed with my husband, woke him up and asked, “What do you think, is today a good day to have a baby?” He replied, “No! I’m leading a meeting, I have to travel to – wait. WHY?”
I was doing a natural childbirth and heard stories of women who weren’t allowed out of their hospital bed, or to eat. I decided I was going to have breakfast before leaving. My husband called my doc (since I didn’t think it was necessary yet) and said we should head right to the hospital. I replied, “Sure! First I want some french toast.” He said if I wanted it, I was going to cook it. So, I threw the first batch on the frying pan when a contraction hit. I walked it off up and down the hall, and when I returned, the french toast was totally burnt! (I cooked my way through a whole loaf of bread like this!) When I finally sat down to eat, I took one look and said, “there’s no way I can take a single bite.” My poor, patient husband. Our daughter was born 6 hours later at the hospital.
My second pregnancy ended with my water breaking in bed at 2am as well! (What are the odds of that?) I thought I’d have several hours again to poke around before heading to the hospital, but this baby had other plans, and was born at 5:18am. Luckily, we live close to the hospital.
Whatever happens with your birth, I’m sure you will have a wonderful story.
One more thing: I used to ride on the first aid squad, and people in the medical service have pretty much seen and heard everything! Usually a story like, ‘there was a lady here who thought she was having a baby’ doesn’t even make the Stories to Share at Dinner list. No worries!
Hi,
It was a really wonderfull experience.
I didn’t go over all the comments, so if I say something anyone alse already said, sorry !
Every pregnancy is different, so is every labor. I have 4 kids. And my water never broke naturally, although I did go intoo labor naturally 2 times. For my last one, my water didn’t break until after my boys head was out
Just wanted to share this with you
Hi Dana,
I’m sure it won’t be long now! We just had our second baby a week ago and I know how you feel about not knowing what it’s like to be going into labour naturally! I had not had the experience until this time round either. Thinking of you and bub over the next few weeks. Best wishes for the easiest delivery possible!