When her water broke during dinner, my friend waddled from the booth to her car with three bar towels wedged between her legs. After all, she didn't want to soak their floor. You've heard the stories like this, and as you near the end of your pregnancy, you may anticipate your water breaking. When thinking of this, you may wonder how to tell if your water broke or you peed, because it's possible for the sensation to feel similar.
It can be confusing — especially if this is your first pregnancy — to truly know where the wet feeling in undies came from. You don't want to be the person who panics and rushes to the hospital, only to discover that your bladder has betrayed you. But on the other hand, you don't want to be so ambivalent that you clean yourself up and move on with your day without even looking into the matter. The good news is, there are ways to tell the difference between your water breaking and peeing your pants.
To make sure you know whether you need to head to the hospital or the laundry, check out these five ways to know if your water broke or you peed, so you'll be prepared.
1Look For Color
What you eat and drink can alter the color or your urine, but amniotic fluid will always be the same. According to Parents magazine, when your water breaks, it will be clear fluid, possibly streaked with a small amount of blood. Look for this distinct difference to determine what happened.
2Try Standing Up
Known as the "stand up test," this is one trick that will help you quickly discover if your water broke. As Everyday Parenting recommended, try standing up for a few minutes if you think you're water has broken, if fluid continues to leak, your water broke.
3Check For Contractions
If you're not sure which wet substance just soaked your pants, turn to your body for clues. As Mayo Clinic pointed out, once your water breaks, labor typically follows. Look for other signs of labor, such as contractions, to figure out if that was your water that just broke.
4Don't Rely On Amount
In the movies, when a pregnant character's water breaks, an ocean falls out of her vagina. But this is not always the case. According to Fit Pregnancy magazine, when your water breaks, fluid amount can vary — anything from a slow and low trickle, all the way to a full on waterfall.
5Listen For A Pop
To know if you peed or your water broke, you may need to enlist the help of your ears. When the amniotic sac bursts, there is a popping sound, according to Baby Center. Many women have reported hearing this pop right before the water started flowing. It may not be loud, but it is audible; so if you hear a pop, then feel the wetness, it means your water broke.
