I Think My Water Broke!
I Think My Water Broke! Authored by Sara Skiles
Wondering when your water will break usually comes to mind at some point when you are pregnant. Will I be in the middle of the grocery store? Will I be at work? Should I be wearing a pad if I have to go out at 42 weeks pregnant?
Only about 15% of labors start out with your waters breaking. So what will it look like, what will it feel like, and what should you do?
What Does it Mean for Your "Waters" to Break?
Let's start with an overview of what's going on here. Your baby is inside a membrane called the amniotic sac, cushioned in warm amniotic fluid. The amniotic sac is attached to the placenta and contains the baby and the fluid, all inside the uterus. The amniotic sac is made up of two layers: the amnion (the side closest to the baby) and the chorion (the side closest to the uterus). When I am performing a placenta encapsulation, I enjoy showing the parents this layered sac where their baby grew. When labor is near, or has already begun and the uterus is vigorously contracting, this thin sac may tear through one or both layers. When this happens, some of the fluid will flow out through your vagina.
And that, folks, is “your water breaking”.
How Can You Tell When Your Water Breaks?
There are a few possible scenarios, and they depend on if one or both layers of the amniotic sac were torn, and the size of the tear.
Your underwear or pad keep getting damp, or you feel a small trickle here and there. You aren't sure if this is just extra pregnancy discharge or if you're really leaking amniotic fluid.
You feel wetness and some trickles but hmmmm...maybe you've just peed yourself.
You feel a gush of fluid from your vagina. It wets your clothing and you'll have to put on a pad. It might even keep coming and coming (your body will make more fluid).
(It won't happen like in the photo, swear. Except maybe to me if I'm holding your legs while you push.)
What Does it Feel Like When Your Water Breaks?
Your amniotic sac does not have any nerve endings, so don't worry about feeling any pain when it tears. You might feel a “popping” sensation from relief of pressure when it happens, especially if there is a large gush! It's also possible to feel like you are urinating, but the muscles you normally use to stop urinating don't slow the flow. A large gush can feel funny and a bit disorienting since you can't control it – just breathe, talk to your support person, and have them give you a pad or towel to sit on.
What Should I Do When My Water Breaks?
As a general rule of thumb, you should contact your doctor or midwife when your water breaks. They can advise you on whether or not you should go to the hospital, or how long you should wait before receiving any intervention if labor has not yet started. If you aren't sure whether your water has broken or if it's just urine or discharge, your care provider might have you come in and use a test strip on you to see if it's amniotic fluid.
When your water breaks, there is a simple reminder of what to look for. C-O-A-T. You can have your support person write this down and relay it to your care provider. Check out your pad, bathtub, floor, or wherever else that fluid ended up.
C - COLOR
The color of amniotic fluid should be mostly clear. You might see some little white chunks of vernix in it here and there. It's okay if it's a bit blood-tinged, you just don't want to see a huge amount of bright red blood. You also don't want to see green or dark brown in there – that could mean that the baby has had a bowel movement in the womb and you should call your care provider immediately.
O – ODOR
The smell of amniotic fluid is mild. It may have a slightly musty, earthy smell, or similar to sweat and water. It should not smell foul or rotten, as this could indicate an infection.
A – AMOUNT
Note the amount of fluid – a small stream, or a large gush? Does it keep coming or was there only a little bit?
T – TIME
Write down the time that your water broke.
What if My Water Broke But I'm Not in Labor?
For some people, the waters breaking don't signal the start of labor, and there may not be any contractions for hours or days. This can be extremely frustrating! In this case, it's a good idea to keep in contact with your doctor or midwife. At some point, they may want to help you get labor started medically, or at least check on you and the baby to make sure you don't get a uterine infection.
By the way, be sure not to have intercourse or put anything inside your vagina while you're hanging out and waiting for contractions – you wouldn't want to increase your risk of uterine infection.
What if I'm in Labor But My Water Hasn't Broken?
This can happen too! Your water may break later on in labor, or when you start pushing. In some cases, your care provider may break your water artificially in order to help your labor progress faster. They use a small tool shaped like a knitting needle, called an amnihook, and tear the amniotic sac.
Sometimes the water never breaks at all, either naturally or artificially. Only one in 80,000 babies are born still inside the amniotic sac, so it's super rare and very cool! After the baby has been born, then the parent or care provider will remove the membrane.
My water broke as I stood up from the couch with a platter of biscuits and gravy at 42 weeks pregnant. It felt like gallons. I didn't know what to expect or what to look for at that time, but now you do!