Waters or wet myself?!

[amiinlabour]

Hi all,

Panicking, name changed, such a state right now!
Nearly 37 weeks, went to the toilet about 20 minutes ago, just sneezed now and either I wet myself or some of my waters had gone. Not enough came out to leak through underwear, suggesting that it's probably pee, but I don't know?! The bump has seemed to 'drop' in the last two days, I've had a slight discomfort in lower abdomen, but baby is moving as per normal. I don't want to call the midwife because they'd have to drive here to check (rural area, they do home visits, she'd have to drive the better part of an hour to check if I've wet myself or not) so is it likely just to have wet myself? I didn't need the loo, as I've been, but it could be a bit that didn't get out? Gross, but I checked the underwear and there's no smell, so I don't know?? There's been more pressure on my abdomen today, but again, could just be baby moving? I've just sneezed again, a little more came out, so now I'm convinced it's just urine and my pelvic muscles are shot??? Any advice?

[Gunpowder]

Waters smell sweet and a bit like sperm (sorry tmi!). Wee always smells like wee! If it happens again, do a pelvic floor exercise as the water is leaking. Apparently if it's a wee it will stop, whereas waters keep coming regardless.

[picklemepopcorn]

Empty your bladder, stand up, sit and try and empty again. When you are sure your bladder is empty, see if you are still quietly leaking. If yes, then I'd say waters!

Call your midwife number to get advice.

Squee! Exciting!

[Semaphorically]

My midwife told me that if I was soaking through a pad per hour then it was probably waters. If not, then wee or discharge. I could never tell from smell.

[RuckingMarvellous]

Put a maternity pad on, not a sanitary pad. Keep an eye on colour of fluid and babies movement. You'll be invited in to confirm if waters have gone, so take any pass you've changed with you. Hopefully those niggles turn into something more and this is it :-)

[Ricecrispies16]

Squat, cough and see what happens

[Jamhandprints]

Sounds like discharge to me, I had this at about 39 weeks. It was quite a lot but not enough to be waters. When my waters went it was more whooshy and very wet.

[SabrinaTheTeenageBitch]

When mine went it was very 'gushy' No control, you know how you can hold a wee in? This was just coming out with no effort or control on my part! Exciting though

[GplanAddict]

Same as jamhands, with all 3 pregnancies I had occasions in last few weeks when quite involuntary fluid exited!! Not wee, apparently not waters but was not like normal discharge as it was not remotely viscous

[AnythingGoesWithMe]

I had this, decided it was probably wee so never got checked. When I went into labour and got examined, I had no waters left. They 'd been leaking for ages.
Can you drive to the midwife or a maternity day care unit to get checked if you don't want to get the midwife to drive to you? I would monitor and if you're still unsure then get checked out.

[SmurfPants]

I had similar. I was told to lie down for a while. If it's waters the liquid kind of gathers somewhere and you get a gush when you get upright again.

This was the case for me and my waters had indeed gone.

[dinobum]

I had this, it was definitely waters (I sniffed) but midwife told me I was being dramatic and told me it was nothing. Two days later it happened again and I had reduced movements so I went in to get checked. Turns out it was my hind waters and because it'd been 2 days they had to do a rushed induction. I am still raging two years on at that midwife who refused to even examine me to. check

[Applesandpears23]

If it is waters it will keep happening.

[throughgrittedteeth]

Similar to others but my midwife told me that to check they would ask me to lie down for 30 minutes or so and wait to see if anything had 'pooled'. But yes, smell and the control you have over it coming out will be other things to check.