Waters or discharge *TMI PIC WARNING

[AOMum14]

Hello,

I have severe health anxiety that I am currently in treatment for. But I need some reassurence on this to keep me going. I have the same fear constantly!

I am 31 weeks pregnant. Yesterday, I wore pads all day and this is what I found on them. (Pictures are of two separate pads). I have worn a pad today and have nothing on it except a tiny bit of discharge. The colour of what is on the pads is the colour of my normal discharge but my OCD won't let me believe it. I think it's the line of it that's made me worry slightly.

I have spoken to a midwife who had reassured me over the phone. She is aware that this is my obsessive fear so knows that I have this fear often - they are amazing at reassuring me! I don't want to go in because otherwise I'd have a swab everyday and would spend my pregnancy at hospital.

Many thanks

Definitely looks like discharge.

If it helps, it's incredibly rare for waters to go before contractions start. Mine didn't go until I was 10cm & pushing. Most of the time they go in a noticeable rush, but if they are going in a trickle you'll notice more fluid on the pad if you cough / sneeze, or change positions.

It is very difficult to tell us first timers if something is normal discharge or waters. The quantity is not alarming, the colour either, the consistency either.

I am in week 36 and my discharge is similar in color, but it is gradually increasing and become more watery.

I had the same anxiety as you, and went to triage, where they reassured me that it looks normal, but they got some swabs to confirm there was no water (not water) and to check for infection(currently waiting for result). This might be unrelated, but they also sent my urine to the lab, to check for UTI (slightly higher leukocyte levels in the sample, still waiting for result.)

I don't know anything about pregnancy discharge but I do have OCD and health anxiety.

As horrific as it feels not to do so, you need to stop seeking reassurance when you know in your bones, it's irrational. Obviously if there is something that you need to have checked, because it's a genuine concern then do. But you'll know yourself that the thoughts surrounding health anxiety are very, very amplified, so it's easier to recognise that it's part of the disorder.

If a thought starts with "what if..." that's an intrusive thought and is not real. It's the disease talking and begging for your attention. The more you feed it, the stronger it gets.

There are loads of account on instagram that give great tips. Doc Martin _ gp is brilliant.

Good luck with your treatment and pregnancy x

Those lines in that doctor's user name should be underscores, not sure why it's underlined!

Discharge id say (pregnancy with DC3)