When your water breaks, the fluid is typically clear or pale straw-colored, possibly with a slight yellow tinge or some cloudiness from vernix (baby's waxy coating). Immediately call your doctor or midwife if the fluid is green, brown, or dark, as this can signal fetal distress or meconium (baby's first stool), and if it has a foul smell or contains bright red blood, which needs urgent medical attention.
Your waters breaking can feel like a mild pop, followed by a trickle or gush of fluid that you cannot control, unlike when you wee. You may not notice the actual breaking. In that case, the only sign that your waters have broken will be the trickle of fluid. Or you might feel some dampness or wetness in your knickers.
You feel your waters have broken (the fluid will be clear) If you are unsure if your waters have broken, put on a maternity sanitary pad. If your pad is wet/ damp/ heavy, this may need to be confirmed for you at your maternity hospital or birth centre.
When your water breaks, you might feel wetness in your vagina or on the thin layor of skin between your genitals and your anus, called the perineum. Small amounts of watery fluid may come from your vagina a little at a time or in a steady flow. Or clear fluid or pale yellow fluid might pour out.
Amniotic fluid is mostly clear or light yellow (although it can be tinged brown or red) and odorless. You can't stop amniotic fluid. If your water breaks, you won't be able to “hold it” like you can with pee. Amniotic fluid continues to leak (sometimes with a contraction) where urine doesn't.
— As delivery approaches, the cervix softens, and you may lose your mucus plug. Sometimes, what appears to be water breaking is mucus. If the fluid is thicker, whiter, and odorless, it's likely mucus. No urine smell — Unlike urine, amniotic fluid doesn't smell like pee.
Smell: Try to identify the odour of the fluid. Amniotic fluid is odourless or may have a sweet or musky scent, while urine has a distinct urine odour. Colour: Note the colour of the fluid. Amniotic fluid is typically clear or straw-coloured, while urine is pale yellow.
A trickle of fluid can feel like your water is breaking, but other things can cause this feeling, too. Many women have an increase in vaginal discharge during pregnancy, especially as they get closer to their due date. That discharge can be clear like fluid, or have a pink tinge closer to delivery.
A slow break of the amniotic sac often means that only a small amount of amniotic fluid is coming out gradually over time. Instead of a strong, sudden burst that soaks through your clothes immediately, you might notice a gentle trickle or a few drops that slowly dampen your underwear or pad.
Amniotic fluid color is usually clear or pale yellow; occasionally, it might be tinged with brown or red. It's thin and watery, and may feel like a constant trickle or slow leak. Amniotic fluid doesn't have a smell. It's odorless, unlike urine, which usually has an ammonia smell.
In some cases, the rupture of the amniotic sac may be a slow leak, where the fluid leaks out gradually over a period of hours or days. This is known as a "high leak," and it may not be as obvious as a sudden gush of fluid. In this case, the leaking may continue until the baby is delivered.
What are the signs of prodromal labor?
It is also common for women to experience more intense pressure on their bladder once their baby drops, so you may also notice increased discomfort in this area along with more frequent urges to urinate.
Early signs of labor can include mild contractions, lower back pain, increased pelvic pressure, loss of the mucus plug, and changes in vaginal discharge. Some individuals also experience a nesting instinct or digestive changes such as diarrhea.
Around 7 in every 10 people give birth within 24 hours of their waters breaking, and almost all (9 in 10 people) within 48 hours. If your waters break after 37 weeks pregnant and labour doesn't start within 24 hours, your health team may discuss inducing labour due to the risk of infection.
If your water breaks, whether you're experiencing contractions or not, go to the hospital.
Use Your Water Meter
If the dial is moving, chances are, you have a leak. Or you can also take a meter reading and wait 1 or 2 hours and take another meter reading (make sure no water is used during this time). If the reading has changed, you have a leak.
While laying down, if you are leaking, the amniotic fluid will pool. When you stand up, if you notice a gush, your water is broken. It's always smart to discuss with your doctor or midwife ahead of time if your water breaks and you aren't having contractions.
Baby's movement in utero can also cause a sudden gush, as can a contraction. If your amniotic sac breaks forcefully (for example, during a strong contraction and/or when baby slips into a lower position), the resulting gush can also be forceful.
It's a natural part of your body going through hormonal fluctuations. “There's nothing wrong with clear, watery discharge,” Dr. Zanotti echoes. “As long as it's odorless, thin and clear or white, it's nothing to worry about.”
Towards the end of your pregnancy, the sac gradually weakens and breaks before or during childbirth. At that point, about 7.5 dl of water will come out. Just how much it is depends on which week you are in: during weeks 38 and 39, you have the most amniotic fluid, at 9–10 dl.
(Meaning your baby may be arriving in less than 5 hours). Sometimes it can feel daunting waiting for your waters to break. In the event you're not sure, lie down in bed on your side for about 15 minutes and then stand up. If you experience any kind of gush, small or big, it may be a sign that your waters have broken.
15 Signs of a Water Leak in Your Home
How will I know my water has broken?