How to Tell if Your Water Is Leaking Slowly
How do I know if my waters are leaking slowly?
(29 Posts)
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 16:31:20
Hi, I know I should call my midwife if worried and I will if I'm not sure later on, but how can I tell if my waters are leaking slowly? I felt very damp earlier and I had normal discharge and a larger damp patch. It definitely wasn't urine, but (tmi) I wasn't sure if it was waters or just moist from sweat 
I have put a pad on and have heard people say that if you soak a pad an hour then the midwives want to see you but if I have some more but not much then should I be concerned. Surely if it is waters leaking then any leaking is a problem?
TinkerMaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 16:36:07
ring them up and see what they say.
how far on are you? this happened to me late on in my last pregnancy and they said to come straight in to be checked. they had a look and made me cough to check if they could see the fluid coming out, and it was...a slow leak. they took me in the next morning to induce, but by then i was already contracting anyway, so they just sped it up a bit
im sure it will be fine! if it is a little leak then sometimes they close over on thier own anyway and the waters refill up
dont worry, but ring your midwife 
mummy2benji Wed 04-Apr-12 16:38:32
How many weeks are you? Not everyone gets a sudden gush when their waters break - if your hindwaters break then you just get a slow leak, but you still need to be seen and checked by the midwife. If your waters break early then sometimes you need antibiotics to prevent infection or possibly induction of labour. Amniotic fluid is fairly clear and odourless, but the only way to tell is by having a pH test done - your midwife can test the fluid with a pH strip (amniotic fluid tends to be a neutral pH, while normal vaginal secretions are acidic). Your best course of action is to phone your midwife and pop down to the antenatal ward to have it tested, it doesn't take long. x
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 16:39:00
Thanks, I'm 35 + 4 today, I am the worst at taking my own advice because I always tell people to just call but I'm worried they will say it's just sweat and I'll look stupid. I know it doesn't matter as long as baby is safe. How many weeks were you when it happened? x
HeidiHole Wed 04-Apr-12 16:59:06
I'm 34 weeks and can get pretty damp (tmi) it's a combination of the increased discharge and good old fashioned sweat.
I believe that you KNOW when it's waters IYKWIM?
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 17:33:51
Oh i'm not sure, it doesn't feel like the normal discharge i've been having, i'm going to ring the midwife in a minute but I don't seem to be getting much now, it was more like I was out and I suddenly felt very damp, then when I got home there was some normal discharge and a larger patch that didn't look damp but felt damp if that makes sense?
And then I put on a pad but I don't know if that had anything on really apart from a tiny bit of normal discharge because it would have absorbed it, it certainly wasn't soaked but it was only for half an hour or so. Now I have changed my pants and keeping my clothing loose to eliminate the chance of it being sweat, I have had a bit more, just clear I think as it has mostly dried and hasn't left a mark. When I have discharge it is usually creamy, this feels more liquidy. You probably don't want all this info! The midwife is going to think i'm a nutcase, will update when I have spoken to her.
mummy2benji Wed 04-Apr-12 17:36:37
They won't think you're being stupid! I used to work in Obstetrics and every day we saw a number of women who weren't sure if their waters had broken, couldn't remember if they'd felt baby move, and all sorts of uncertainties. Nobody minds pregnant women being neurotic, it is soo much better than the reverse scenario where they don't come in to be checked because they assume it'll be okay - and sometimes it isn't. As you're under 36 weeks, you should definitely call your midwife, as if they had any concerns that you might deliver early they would give you something called surfactant, to mature baby's lungs. Like you said, it may be nothing - but you don't know that unless you have it checked.
CruciFlisspaps Wed 04-Apr-12 17:39:00
Heidi There are lots of women won don't know it's their waters when it is, so whilst increased discharge and/or sweat is likely, if you suspect that it's amniotic fluid then getting it checked is the best course of action.
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 18:00:21
Thanks, mummy2benji can they test the fluid if there isn't really much fluid there? Can they do it as a swab? I'm getting a bit more but its only a tiny dribble at a time and it seems to dry before I get more.
The midwife is going to call me back in a minute.
Now i'm thinking my bump is smaller and squishier, but its probably my mind playing tricks! The poor baby will be so fed up of having a neurotic mother by the time he arrives 
Emsgale Wed 04-Apr-12 19:02:03
lalabaloo im having exsacally the same but im 39+4 I am not 100% sure if ots waters or not I had been sat on a friends sofa got up and I was very wet and there was a wet patch on her sofa do iv put dry clotges on a big pad and im feeling little drips now so I keep thinking am I imagning it!!!
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 19:10:28
Emsgale it sounds like it is waters for you, you are full term so call your midwife
I'm on my way to be checked now, I'm quite nervous! If my waters were leaking would they want me to have the baby now or wait a while?
confuzed90 Wed 04-Apr-12 19:48:58
Hope your ok isalabaloo and emsgale it does sound like could be your waters..think maybe you should get checked to then can watch for labour/infection/induction.
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 20:40:36
They dont think it was my waters, just lots of disharge, the monitor shows baby is happy but picked up some tightenings so they are just waiting to make sure they are just BH and not doing anything!
Emsgale Wed 04-Apr-12 20:49:13
I rang labour ward they think its my hind waters they trickle not gush so can be very confusing!
midwife said that labour will hopfully kick of naturally if not they will book me for induction on friday am!?
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 20:56:52
Exciting emsgale here's hoping everything kicks off soon for you! Good luck!
confuzed90 Wed 04-Apr-12 21:48:17
Oh wow emsgale have they not even checked you ?
Emsgale Wed 04-Apr-12 22:32:20
no she said there was no need to check me the mudwife will tomorrow if nothings progressed!?
surfmama Wed 04-Apr-12 22:53:19
go emsgale! best of luck to you.
lala - i wonder if you could tell me if they did a ph test or had to doan internal? i had a wet patch yesterday similar to yours it seems (nice) nothing all day today but some tonight, although baby is on bladder it is difficult to tell if i am weeing myself tbh! am 29 weeks. called antenatal ward who told me likely discharge but if worried go in 3 to 4 hour wait and wld involve internal.. i hate all that business, what did yours do?
lalabaloo Wed 04-Apr-12 23:28:55
Hi surfmama they put me on the monitor for about 15 to 20 minutes and then they had a look with the speculum to check for fluid and then did an examination because of the tightenings. I have never had an internal before so was a bit nervous but I found it was okay. I was expecting a long wait due to them saying they were very busy but I was seen almost straight away, only there 2 hours in total and the midwives were lovely despite it being a false alarm!
surfmama Wed 04-Apr-12 23:35:11
i hated the internal i had before due to pink and brown stuff so am nervous.. Pleased to hear it was ok for you, going to seee how mine is tonight as i think t was wee ... But wll go if any funny business!
lalabaloo Thu 05-Apr-12 00:08:29
Aww I think they are one of those things that are different for everyone and also different depending on who does them and circumstances. Fingers crossed for you that you won't need to have one
Emsgale Thu 05-Apr-12 07:48:31
examinations do vary depending on who.does them etc I find nurses tend to be better than.docs as they do them more often?! its like a nurse midwife can.always get blood from me but doc can never get my veins im sure this is because nurses etc do them more frequently if that males sense?
FrustratedMod Thu 05-Apr-12 10:46:52
Hi all, sorry to jump on the thread but just wondered if you could give me some advice. I'm 25+4 and been noticing increased discharge that seems a bit more watery the last couple of days. Its as described above - creamy but with watery patches around in my pants, not enough for a pad though. I've had loads of discharge all the way through but this seems more than before. I just don't know whether to panic or I am just being paranoid. It smells a bit vinegary as well, does that mean anything?
lalabaloo Thu 05-Apr-12 11:21:53
Basically everyone I spoke to at the hospital yesterday said the same thing, that they can't tell without checking, so I think you should call. I was reluctant to call but the midwife was glad I went to be checked. She said they would rather see loads of false alarms than miss the one person who did have something wrong. I wouldn't hesitate about calling again if I was worried
FrustratedMod Thu 05-Apr-12 11:39:42
Thanks lala, I called the midwife and she said go in so am on way now. Freaking out a bit
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How to Tell if Your Water Is Leaking Slowly
Source: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1443126-How-do-I-know-if-my-waters-are-leaking-slowly