So you've nested, you prepared the nursery, you scrolled through Tay Online to buy the best stroller and baby products for your little one. Now all there is left to do is wait for your little one's arrival.
Did you know that the signs your water is going to break or is already breaking aren't very easy to spot? It's true! As you endure pregnancy, it is amazing how well women get to know their body and the tells that let them know something is changing or something big is coming.
But how do you know if you're deciphering the information correctly? We're here to help with that. So if you ever felt these phenomenons right before giving birth or if your preparing yourself for some of the signs, we hope this article is a helpful guide for you.
While the movies say otherwise, as Joyce Gottesfeld, M.D., OB-GYN for Kaiser Permanente in Denver explained to Parents, "Water breaking is usually a lot less dramatic than people think."
One of the signs your water is breaking is an uncontrollable leak:
For some women, their water breaks all at once, for other women, their water could slowly start to leak as their body prepares for labor.
According to Parents, the leaking, once started, cannot be stopped and "you can expect about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of fluid to empty out of the amniotic sac." Parents suggest using a pad or sitting on a towel to prevent any mess. But never use a tampon.
Another sign is the smell and look of the discharge:
This is an easy way to determine whether it is pee or not. According to Very Well Health, "urine has a pungent smell, but amniotic fluid is odorless or mildly sweet-smelling. You can also determine the difference by the look of it. "Amniotic fluid is rather pale and straw-colored, but vaginal discharge is usually thin and white."
As Mayo Clinic iterates, it can sometimes be very difficult to determine if your water breaks. In fact, it is not exactly known what cause the amniotic sac to break in the first place.
So if you are having the feeling of leaking or if you see discharge of any kind near the end of your pregnancy, it's important to seek the opinion of a medical professional.
"Your doctor or a member of your health care team will give you a physical exam to determine if you're leaking amniotic fluid," Mayo Clinic reports. And if it is determined your water as broken, then you're already in the right place.
The act of your amniotic sac rupture means you're about to meet your little bundle of joy. So, take a deep breath mama, because you're about to witness a miracle!