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Mothering › Groups › September 2012 Due Date Club › Discussions › TMI question about leaking amniotic fluid.

TMI question about leaking amniotic fluid.

post #1 of 4
Thread Starter 
TMI. for serious. if you don't like hearing about other people's bodily fluids click away quickly!

So over the weekend I was having some.. um.. fun with DH and things got very very... wet. kind of watery wet, not thick or gooey (I told you, TMI) So I got a little worried that somehow that was amniotic fluid leaking out. Since then it has been really hot out and I am finding that my underpants are damp during the day, but I am sweating and I know things get dischargy anyways during pregnancy.

During my last pregnancy I had to be induced at 37 weeks due to mysteriously low levels of amniotic fluid (as measured by ultrasound- not super reliable from what I know have read) but it makes me pretty paranoid that I am slowly leaking this time (no confirmed leak last time, just mysteriously low..) as I do NOT want to go that route again. Pitocin is NO friend of mine and is not invited to this birth.

Is anyone else experiencing this, or know what I am talking about??? please? redface.gif
post #2 of 4
Amniotic fluid has a *smell* that, once you've learned it, is unmistakable. Do you remember smelling that during your first birth? If your underwear smells like sweat and/or urine, or has no scent, it is NOT amniotic fluid. Regardless, your body is always producing more fluid- make sure you're drinking enough, and extra until you know for certain. Any midwife/doula/L&D nurse/OBGYN should be able to confirm whether or not it is AF. It probably is NOT amniotic fluid, but if you are stressing about it, see someone!

If there is a real leak, make sure NOTHING enters the vagina, and check yourself for signs of infection (fever). Once your water has broken, every cervix check or anything else that enters the vagina increases yours and your babies risk of infection.

My mom helped us clean my bedroom and mattress after my first son's birth (water broke at 2a, and I had excess AF), and after nearly 30 years of not being around amniotic fluid, she knew *exactly* what the smell was.
post #3 of 4
The Ph of amniotic is different fom other....uh, bodily secretions...so if you have access to test strips of some kind you could check that. DH had some for his saltwater tank, but I think they sell them for gardening, etc., as well
post #4 of 4
Thread Starter 
thanks for that suggestion. I have done a little googling and it looks like if it WERE a true leak, it would be constant and very very wet- like having to change clothes, liquid dribbling down the legs sort of wet. Its nothing near that. just damp, and it was pretty hot today and I'm a sweaty person anyway. I've been sitting in my dry pjs for the last several hours and they feel dry so.... I think I'm ok.

I will watch for fever etc. Interesting about the smell thing- I have read such contradictory things about that! Some sources say AF has NO smell, some say it has a sickly sweet smell, some say it smells like bleach or chlorine, some say it smells like men's ejaculate fluid.. so I don't know at all about that.. I don't have any pH test strips around but if my worries persist I will contact my midwife. Unfortunately she is out of the country and using a backup that I'm not familiar with, but I will call her if I think I need to.. thanks!
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