You may not notice the actual breaking. In that case, the only sign that your waters have broken will be the trickle of fluid. Or you might feel some dampness or wetness in your knickers.
Main symptoms and signs of amniotic fluid leakage include: Wet underwear, but the fluid is odourless, colourless; Wet underwear more than once a day; Decreased movement of the baby in the uterus, when there has already been a major loss of fluid.
When your water breaks you might experience a sensation of wetness in your vagina or on your perineum, an intermittent or constant leaking of small amounts of watery fluid from your vagina, or a more obvious gush of clear or pale yellow fluid.
Yes, your water may break without you knowing. You might be unsure whether the drips or trickles are amniotic fluid, pee or vaginal discharge. Inspecting your underwear or pad for smells or color can help you determine what it is. Despite what you see in movies, your water breaking might not be dramatic.
While some leaks are obvious and easy to spot, others can go unnoticed for months or years, silently wreaking havoc behind walls, under floors, or above ceilings. These hidden leaks are particularly insidious because they can cause extensive damage before you even realize there's a problem.
Some people describe it as a sudden gush of fluid, while others may feel a slow leak. Factors like the amount of amniotic fluid, the baby's position, and individual sensitivity contribute to these differences. Here's what it might feel like for you: Gradual trickle — For some, water breaking isn't a gush of fluid.
If you still can't tell whether it's amniotic fluid or urine, try this trick from Brichter: Sit down for several minutes, then stand back up. If there's still fluid trickling out, it probably indicates that your water broke.
A person should contact a doctor if they believe the amniotic fluid is leaking. The doctor may order tests to confirm the presence of amntiotic fluid, and advise on the next steps a person may need to take.
If your water breaks, whether you're experiencing contractions or not, go to the hospital. This will help reduce the risk of infection. Note the color, odor and amount of fluid when your water broke.
If you think there's any chance your water has broken, wear a pad (not a tampon) and call your doctor or midwife right away. They'll usually tell you to come to their office or head straight to your hospital or birthing center.
A dripping sound. Water spots on the walls or ceiling. Bubbling paint or warped wallpaper. Muddy patches on your lawn.
You may notice a 'gush' of fluid or you may feel damp. The fluid (known as amniotic fluid) is a clear or pinkish colour. Sometimes the fluid may be a green-brown colour or slightly blood-stained. The amount of fluid you lose may vary from a trickle to a gush.
During the late third trimester, this plug might move into the vagina. As a result, you may notice an increase in vaginal discharge that's clear, pink or slightly bloody. This may happen several days before labor begins or at the start of labor.
The baby will keep moving until the labor begins, and this movement will continue during the early labor. However, the movement pattern may change. Instead of kicking the womb, the baby may squirm or shuffle. The feeling of the baby's movement provides assurance that the baby is doing well.
The main symptom of PROM or PPROM to watch out for is the leaking or gushing of fluid from the vagina. You can tell whether you're leaking amniotic fluid and not urine by taking the sniff test: If it doesn't smell like ammonia, it's more likely to be amniotic fluid. If it has an ammonia scent, it's probably urine.
: childbirth characterized by premature escape of the amniotic fluid.
Know the signs
contractions or tightenings. a "show", when the plug of mucus from your cervix (entrance to your womb, or uterus) comes away. backache. an urge to go to the toilet, which is caused by your baby's head pressing on your bowel.
Labour can start very quickly, but is often slow at the start (particularly if it's your first baby). Sometimes it can start without you realising it.
Baby dropping may feel like a sudden, noticeable movement for some people, while others may not feel it happening. Baby dropping, or lightening, may make it easier to breathe and increase appetite. This is because there is more space in the abdomen and less pressure on organs.
“I've seen patients become dilated about 3 or 4 centimeters without active labor,” says Nicole Williams, MD, an ob-gyn in Chicago, Illinois. “They're usually in their late third trimesters.” On the flip side, it's also normal for the cervix not to be dilated at all before labor.