If you’re at home, your provider may have you lay down without underwear on for 20-30 minutes. Typically there would not be enough vaginal discharge to cause pooling, so if a nurse, doctor, or midwife notices this, it’s more likely your water has broken. Pooling: A speculum may be inserted into the vagina to see if fluid pools within it.A fern-like pattern may indicate that amniotic fluid is present. Ferning: A sample of the vaginal fluid can be placed on a slide and examined under the microscope.It’s possible to have false positives though–sometimes blood or a vaginal infection can render the test inaccurate. If the strip or swab turns blue, it’s likely your water has broken. Nitrazine: A strip or a swab can be used to collect fluid from the vagina.Your provider and the hospital staff have a couple of tests that can help to confirm your water has broken.
IS THERE A TEST TO KNOW IF MY WATER BROKE? Will you stay at home a bit longer or is it time to go to the hospital? Some of these decisions might be dependent on whether your baby is term (more than 37 weeks gestation) or preterm (less than 37 weeks gestation). This is also a great time to notify your doula if you haven’t already. (if you’re not already in the hospital) to report COAT to them.
Time: Your provider will keep track of how long your water has been broken, so note the time if you’re at home when it happens.Amount: Was it just a small trickle when you stood up? Or were your pants totally soaked?.Odor: Amniotic fluid should be odorless or mildly sweet smelling.Blood-tinged fluid results from the amniotic fluid mixing with your mucus plug or bloody show occurring as the cervix opens from contractions. Color: Is the fluid clear, blood-tinged, or yellowish or greenish? Clear fluid is what we expect, but if the baby passes meconium, their first poop, in the womb, the fluid can be green or yellow.WHAT DO I DO IF I THINK MY WATER BROKE? First, note COAT: It can be hard to tell if this fluid is amniotic fluid or just increased discharge that is common at the end of pregnancy. It’s possible to have a small leak in the amniotic bag that results in just a little bit of fluid leaking out intermittently. It’s also normal to be unsure if your water is broken, especially if you haven’t noticed any contractions. If you’re already in labor, it makes sense that this gush of fluid is amniotic fluid. You might feel a pop followed by a large gush of fluid. It might be obvious that your water has broken. In rare circumstances, babies can actually be born “en caul” or still within the amniotic sac, or bag of water. Your water can break at any time during the labor: early labor, active labor, or even during pushing. Only 10% of labors beginning with the breaking of the bag of water. That’s right, 90% of labors begin with contractions. Despite Hollywood’s claims, water breaking, or “rupture of membranes,” is rarely the first sign of labor, and, especially for first time mothers, the birth of your baby does not typically imminently follow the breaking of your water.
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