Have you broken waters?
Find out if your water has broken and what you should keep in mind if it is.
Not all women break their waters before they start having contractions, but it is important to know when they break and what you should do in that case. When you are pregnant you may be worried about when your water will break and you may imagine how everything is filled with liquid … You may have already imagined shopping at the supermarket and that suddenly you fill the entire aisle with water … It does not have to be exactly like that.
Only 13% of women break their water before labor begins. More than 75% of the time, no water breaks until the delivery is more than 9 cm dilated. That doesn’t mean the fear is real that you don’t know the difference between amniotic fluid and urine. These simple steps can help you determine if your amniotic fluid sac has ruptured or if you have bladder problems.
Index
TAKE A DEEP BREATH
If you panic it won’t do you any good. Take a minute to breathe deeply and another two minutes to think clearly. Go to a nearby bathroom. You don’t normally experience a jet as big as it appears in the movies, you’re not going to wet anyone’s shoes! You will simply notice your wet underwear.
WHAT TO REMEMBER IF YOU THINK YOUR WATERS HAVE BROKEN
If you think your waters have broken, you will have to remember a few key things:
- What color has?
- How does it smell?
- Is it a jet or a drip?
- What time has it passed?
These four things you should remember to inform your doctor. It will be of great use to you. The color, the smell, the amount and the time will help you determine the best course of action for you. Just write down this information so you don’t forget it before you go to the hospital.
IS IT AMNIOTIC FLUID OR URINE?
The easiest way to determine if it is amniotic fluid or urine is to put on clean, dry underwear and a compress. Then you will have to lie down for about half an hour. If the fluid is amniotic fluid, it will collect or collect in the vagina while you are lying down.
During this half hour think about how you will do afterwards. Tell who to take you to the hospital, try to count the fetal kicks, and take note of your baby’s movements . Even if you need to, take a 30-minute nap to calm your mind if you’ve gotten nervous.
When the half hour is up, get up and go to the bathroom again. You will have to check if the compress is wet or dry. If it is dry, it is likely that you have not broken your water, it may have been cervical mucus or urine leakage. In anything if you have doubts, go to your doctor.
If you discover that you have broken waters look at the color, the amniotic fluid is usually clear to pale straw color (lighter than urine). If it smells like urine , it will be urine. If it smells like bleach or has a sweetish odor, it is more likely amniotic fluid. But always, when in doubt, see your doctor quickly.
HOSPITAL TESTS
Your doctor can use two tests to see if the fluid is amniotic fluid or not. He will do a vaginal exam first. During the vaginal exam, the doctor, midwife, or nurse will present a small piece of paper, called litmus paper. This paper reacts by changing color when it is exposed to amniotic fluid. If the paper does not react, it is that you have not broken water.
Another test is to take a small sample of fluid and look at it under a microscope. When the amniotic fluid is dry, the pattern made on the microscope slide looks like a fern plant and is therefore called a fern. Therefore, if they see ferns, you have broken waters. If you have not broken water, they will send you home and if it has been broken, they must follow the appropriate protocols.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.