Can't Tell If My Water Broke

Updated on December 30, 2008
M.H. asks from Waterbury, CT
26 answers

Hi moms, I feel silly asking as I have a 5 yr old and have been through this before. When I had my 5 yr old my water had broken on either Friday night or Saturday morning and I didn't have any contractions till late Sunday night. That was more than 24 hrs after my water broke. Also, when it broke it was not a gush but just a very light continuous leak. I actually never knew my water had broke until the dr told me on Monday morning. So here I am due with my 2nd child on January 15th but I think my water had broken already. I have had absolutely no contractions yet but it seemed that happened last time too. I have a very slow continuous leak of clear thin (water-like) odorless fluid. Based on my previous experience I believe it broke and I therefore can expect contractions to start and should put a call in to notify my doctor. Has anyone else had their labor start off this way? Any opinions as to whether or not my water did break? Is it possible to just have normal increased discharge of this nature before labor? Again, there is no mucous or thickness. It is simply water-like. Any advice is appreciated!

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So What Happened?

Thank you all. I had an appointment already scheduled for yesterday (Monday) so I went in at that time. They did two tests and my water had not broken yet. I am still contraction free. My midwife said it was a condition some women experience called lukorrhea or something. I don't know how to spell it, sorry. It is basically clear water-like vaginal discharge that happens at the end of pregnancy but does not contain amniotic fluid. It was just so similar to when I had my son that I thought it was the same thing and like many of you I really didn't have many contractions with him the first time but ended up in the hospital already being 7 cm. Thank you for all the advice. I look forward to being able to write and say that my new baby has arrived.

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C.H.

answers from New York on

That happened to me, too. The Dr chose to see me and she said there was a tear in the amniotic sac. She chose to induce me(2 days before my due date) because she said a dry birth when the water has all leaked out means a higher chance of germs that can affect the baby. My mom had the same condition when she delivered me.

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L.L.

answers from New York on

First and most importantly, CALL YOUR DOCTOR! I felt I was having braxton hicks contractions (false labor) tightness and pulling in the belly region. Contractions very irregular, I was told to wait it out. I did. contractions (while still very irregular) became a nuisance. I decided to take the doctors advice and come in. I felt so much pressure in the 3 days prior and now in the hospital! I had to pee. I think I did, and then it was slowly leaking. I couldn't believe I couldn't control my urine!I was wiping thr floor ..struggling..when the nurse said, as she knocked; Honey, are you ok? I said yea, she insisted I open the door and she saw me cleanig and said...HONEY, your water broke!!!!So...I don't know if I ever did pee, only to find my water then leak. I do know, I sprung a slow leak!!!It doesn't always gush like you hear about!!!!They had to break it further and also induce a more powerful labor with medication.!!!!The baby needs that water, so go to the Dr.asap! the rest is history. My son is a big boy now.

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M.L.

answers from New York on

Mine was this way. Please go to your OB and have him test is using litmus paper (it is just a cotton swab) and they can tell if it broke or not. Please don't wait too long or put you and your baby in danger.

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J.H.

answers from New York on

All pregancy are the same. This also happen to me.I suggust you notify your doctor and Let your doctor make the call if you need to go in or wait. To be on the safe side. Good Luck .

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M.F.

answers from New York on

Hi M.,
They can do a simple test to determine if it broke, I would definitely call your doctor because most obs want you to deliver with in 24 hours of your water breaking to prevent infection. Both of my SIL had there water break early and in both cases their doctors induced labor.
Congrats and best of Luck with your labor!
M.

M.H.

answers from New York on

Hi M.

I would go see your doctor, because when I went to the hospital with my daughter I had the same situation they said they did not think my water broke. They had to do a rubban test. Your liquid will make it turn purple if it did and they kept telling no four an hour, guess what when they went to change my sheet because they daught I went myself and did the test again it was purple my water did break. Again for my second child very slow leak and when I finally went to the hospital I was already 8 cenimeters. SO I would go check it out. Good Luck! Keep us updated. :)

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P.K.

answers from New York on

My understanding is if your water breaks or leaks,
ideally you should deliver within 24 hours. After that
the risk of infection increases greatly. Call your dr.

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D.

answers from New York on

My water broke as I sat up in bed getting ready to go pee. I didn't have my first contraction until almost 1 hr later. If you are leaking fluid I would call your doc and get checked. You see, the womb is a sterile environment. If you "spring a leak" that can become compromised and you and the baby can get an infection. I know someone who's went into preterm labor and her water broke. They didn't know it did. They stopped her labor and sent her home. 2 weeks later she went in again with preterm labor and they ended up doing a c-section. When they opened her up, the amniotic fluid was green with infection. They don't know if the baby will have any brain damage until he gets older. He spent several weeks in NICU and it was very touch and go. Better safe then sorry...Go get checked.

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C.T.

answers from New York on

Hi M.,

Hopefully by the time you read this response you will have gone to the doctor's office. If you do not take care of this the water will leak out and your baby will be in danger. It happened to me and I had to have an emergency C-section, because the water leaked out and there was not water left. The water was leaking for a whole week. I did not feel any movement by the baby so I went to see my doctor and as I said I had to have an emergency C-section on the same day.
All the best to you and your new baby.

C.

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R.H.

answers from New York on

Hey M.,
Congratulations!!! It sounds like your water broke. I would call the doctor.

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S.C.

answers from New York on

Hi M.,
My water didn't break - dr had to break it for me.
But I thought that once your water broke (even if it's a slow leak) you need to get to the hospital because the baby needs that fluid to survive... and once it's gone the dr needs to get that baby out! I could be wrong, but I thought the nurse in our lamaze class had told us that - good luck!

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S.T.

answers from Albany on

M., my water broke close to five weeks early for my first and it didn't break all at once. It was leaking and I thought I was urinating even though it was odorless. I agree with the others about going to the dr and letting them know ASAP to prevent infection.
Congrats on your new addition!! The new Gift from Jesus above!!! Let us know how it went.

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L.M.

answers from Syracuse on

I know how you feel, my first child, was 6 weeks early even, so I wasn't even expecting it. I thought I wet my pants, but didn't know I had to go the bathroom. That happened twice, with no other signs. Called the hospital, they said walk around with a pad on and if it was pretty wet after 10 minutes then it was my water. I did that, but it wasn't really wet. I was tired and went to bed. This all started at about 6:30pm. About midnight woke up because it felt like I had to have a BM, but then also started vomiting. Still no contractions. I called the hospital again, said something wasn't right and we were coming down. 2am, the Dr checked me my water had broke and I was 8cm dialated. No clue!! 1hr and 24mins later she was out.
Mine was pretty quick and painless (not bragging), but I would say at least worth checking out especially if you have done this before. I would rather be the idiot in there every day for something if it meant that my baby was going to be okay.
Hope all goes well for you and by this time, you are probably reading this after the fact anyway! Good luck!

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N.M.

answers from New York on

My water broke that way, a slow continuous leak. I went to the maternity ER they were able to test it with this litmus paper to see if it was amniotic fluid. I did not have contractions until hours later, and even then they were irregular. It's not good to go too long leaking fluid if this is the case. I'd call your MD and get it checked out.

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K.H.

answers from Utica on

Hi M.
Sounds like you need to talk to the OB. That is what they are there for and it is time, if you have not done so already. I did not have pain when my water broke.
God bless you
Let us hear
K. SAHM married 38 years, adult children 37,32, and twins 18 and in college. Grandma of a 4 mo grandson who is of course the light of our lives.

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J.P.

answers from Buffalo on

Go to the DR!!!! It is dangerous to wait more than 24 hrs after your water breaks. The baby could be in danger of major infections as well as you. This happened to a friend of mine and she lost her baby. Please call right away! Good luck and congratulations on your baby!

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A.G.

answers from New York on

CALL YOUR DOCTOR!!!! ONCE YOUR WATER BREAKS IT OPENS UP THE BABY TO INFECTION!!! BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!!!! A.

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E.E.

answers from New York on

Call your doctor now!! It sounds like your water broke and you need to get into the hospital, even if you are not having any pain. It's probably a small tear or your baby's head is down low enough that it's blocking the tear enough that it's dripping slowly. Either way, you should get into the hospital because the risk of infection after your water breaks is greater after 24 hours. If you don't get into the hospital before that time they will put you and the baby on antibiotics and the baby may have to be in the NICU as a precautionary measure even if your baby is fine.

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A.D.

answers from New York on

Hi M., I am reading this on Tuesday and hope you have called your Doctor. It is close enough to Jan. 15 to assume you are in labor or will be soon. Good wishes for a healthy baby and a Happy New Year! Grandma Mary

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J.D.

answers from New York on

Call your doctor and get checked out. I didn't know my water broke, I really suspected it might have but when I called, the front desk girls said "oh you'd know" Well I didn't, I was a week late and had my regular appt the next day so I just went to it. I felt a little crampy but wasn't really having contractions and being late just felt horrible anyway. It was confirmed in the office with a test then that it broke so I had to go right to the hospital and start pitosin. It was a very slow leak, so it was even hard to confirm it in the office. Theres risk of serious infection once your water breaks and a lot of time passes - I remember the dr's telling me that, so I'd go see your doc and get tested.

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I.G.

answers from New York on

Hi M.,

You should definitely call your OB. They can do a really quick test to see if it has indeed broken or not.

Best of luck!

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H.G.

answers from New York on

At the very least, you are leaking fluid. Call your doc right now!

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T.R.

answers from New York on

I had a similar situation with my first child. Friday I felt an increase in wetness, like urine, but it obviously wasn't. I called my doctor and he said it was probably a normal increase in discharge. It continued and then Saturday night I started having contractions. I went into the hospital Sunday morning and later in the day they broke my water - never said it had broken already, but it did have meconium in it, which my daughter then aspirated and ended up in the NICU. I think I had a high leak and the baby was stressed out, which caused the meconium to be let go, then the aspiration. She's fine and they never said anything, but from everything I've read and watched on Special Delivery (LOL) that's what I think. Go with your gut and since they do have a litmus test, go to the doctor and get test - better safe than sorry. Good luck!! (FYI, my daughter was born 10 days before her due date, so I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility your baby could be coming :) )

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G.S.

answers from New York on

Just to be on the safe side i would go & have them check to see if it is maybe trickling - u don't want to end up having a dry birth by waiting til the first contraction to head to the dr's. Good luck!

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R.E.

answers from New York on

if your water did break, you want to make sure you are not in risk of an infection...the baby as well. i would be checked by my obgyn immediately

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F.S.

answers from Rochester on

I went thru the same thing with both of my children
(2 1/2 year old girl and 5 month old boy). You need to call your doctor because you could get a bacteria infection (thats what I was told by my doctor). With my daughter I ended up having an emergency C-section (had no contractions what so ever with either of my children.

Tammy S. mother of 2 beautiful children

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