How does a midwife check if your waters have broken?

[sunshinecitrus1]

What tests do they do to check whether or not your waters have broken? (Before actual labour has started)

I went to the maternity assessment unit and they took a swab of the cervix (can check if it's open or closed too) and stick the swab in a tube, it's kind of like a pregnancy test and if two lines appear then the test has picked up amniotic fluid and if not then it's usually okay.

*this is just from my experience

I've had this 3 times (though 2nd it started within 10mins), no tests for any of them.

Why would you need them? The only time it isn't totally obvious is if you have a slow leak (I did with DS3 for 24hrs) and even then I knew what it was

They were pleased when I said I had the pad from my pants and took it away, but not sure what they did with it!

My waters broke 24 hours before my contractions started. The cervix appeared closed so they used a speculum and made me push while they observed. My waters very slowly trickled out when I pushed which is how they knew.

@User0ne

I've had this 3 times (though 2nd it started within 10mins), no tests for any of them.

Why would you need them? The only time it isn't totally obvious is if you have a slow leak (I did with DS3 for 24hrs) and even then I knew what it was

Because waters can leak/break far before you are in a position to go into labour and have baby survive. Leaking waters at say 17 weeks can be an issue and needs to be known

I refused any invasive tests. I did put a pad on and let them swab it when labour hadn't started three hours later though as that test posed no risk to baby or me. They said they only needed to know as baby was going to be prem. They only wanted to test because they didn't believe me it was my waters and said perhaps I'd wet myself

Thanks for your replies ladies!
I noticed an ever so slight damp patch yesterday thinking it may have been a small leak of waters. Been monitoring with a pad since and haven’t had anymore so I don’t think it is likely but was just curious in case I had to go in to be checked . I like to mentally prepare for these things!

Went to MAC and they asked me to change pads and give them the old one for them to swab. Initially I had been wearing a regular pad so it wasn't conclusive enough for them, so after another 15 minutes in a maternity pad I changed again and they then conclusively verified it was my waters.

I had a fetal fibronectin test as I was high risk of early labour. Think they did a swab to check for leaking waters.

What's the best pad to wear in those circumstances

They tried to swab the pad I was wearing but didn't get much from it, i knew my waters had definitely gone but they wasn't sure. So they used a speculum and swab but as soon as they used the speculum the rest of my waters came gushing out lol

I went in after my waters broke. I had been lay on the bed waiting for them. They came back and asked me to take off my underwear so they could check if my waters had actually gone. I climbed down from the bed leaving quite a puddle. The midwife said she didn't need to check after seeing that!!

I was put on ctg monitoring and that got permission from the Dr to give me a sweep to bring on labour before the 24h mark but the monitoring showed regular contractions so they didn't do the sweep. They wanted to do as few examinations as possible to reduce infection risks.