When I had my fifth baby, I leaked fluid for half a day before I knew that that's what it was. Embarrassing as it is to admit, the bladder is not as strong with #5 as it was with #1. Also, the little guy's head acted as a plug effectively covering the leak and stopping fluid from coming out until I stood up or sat down, or sneezed, or anything else that caused the baby to shift positions. Guess what...the same thing happens to very pregnant women with pee. They sneeze or move just right and a little can leak out. It says she had a leak, not a frank rupture of membranes, so it is possible that it was not confirmed what the leak was until some point later in the day.

If contractions hadn't started yet, she could have had 24 hours or more until delivery. I can't speak for Mrs. Palin, but I would have wanted my own doctor and to have the baby close to home, especially a special needs child. He could easily have spent weeks in the NICU. Wouldn't you have wanted to be closer to home if your baby might need that level of care?