Amniotic liquid or vaginal discharge?

Discharge is normal is pregnancy babe obviously if it has a smell or off colour go get checked out! X

@Demi no smell, no colour, watery

I personally think it’s just discharge. But only you knows your own body girl, it won’t harm to go get checked over or ring the advice line babe let me know x

Amniotic fluid is described as having a sweet smell. Actually when my waters went early in my first pregnancy 36+1, I would say it smelt a bit semeny 😅 Put a pad on and let it collect. You can take the pad to triage to be tested. If you are PPROM then they will want to keep baby in there as long as possible but will ask you to monitor for infection. Don't worry, it's most likely discharge as it does go crazy in those final weeks but it is good to get checked. Amniotic fluid replenishes so your baby won't be missing out on anything!

Hey, So I'm actually so glad someone asked because I had exactly the same yesterday. 🫣 I've had normal discharge when I laugh, sneeze or cough (not pee as it doesn't smell) but it feels like it. Yesterday after the shower I coughed and some milky watery discharge trickled down my legs 😱🙈. I went on with my day as normal. I asked the midwife at our antenatal class and she thinks it could be urine but then I asked my friend who's also pregnant and she's had it quite a bit too and we think it's just discharge as it didn't smell. The midwife recommended to put a pad on and if it soaks in liquid then to call triage. But she didn't seem concerned. I think the mucus plug would likely come out before waters, wouldn't it? Or am I guessing this wrong? I'm seeing my midwife tomorrow at my 31 weeks visit and I'll mention it to her. I can let you know what she says. Xx

@Aurélie my plug didn't come out when my waters leaked early. But you can also lose bits of your plug throughout the third trimester but it does regenerate as well so not necessarily a sure sign of labour either! Honestly when my waters started leaking I was praying I'd wet myself hahaha. There was definitely a difference. I remember standing in a towel and it just...dripping on the bathroom floor 🥴

@Elly oh really?! Wow that's interesting. Thanks for sharing! I did lose a tiny bit of my plug (a finger nail) at 19 weeks after sex which freaked me out a bit but I did read it would regenerate. Ah bless you! Hahaha! That must have been soooo weird. May I ask how long in advance was it before your labour started? Was it really early? 😬

@Aurélie no, labour didn't start! I was 36+1 and eventually induced at 36+5 giving birth the next day. They wanted me to get to 37 weeks but that didn't happen (won't go into it, unrelated stuff). In hindsight I wish I'd fought to wait a few more days to see if labour came naturally as I was monitoring myself for infection (as instructed) and was absolutely fine in myself. But the dribbling waters wasn't comfortable. But hindsight is always clarity! At the time I was just freaking out thinking I had weeks left 😂

@Aurélie thank you,

@Elly how was induction? 🫣

@Elly oohh I see ok. It's mad how water's can leak so early. I'm glad everything was OK and no sign of infection. Thanks for sharing. 😊 And yes hindsight always help haha. At least you know now 💪🏼 must be tough at the time when it's your first and you're being told certain things by specialists etc..

@Aurélie i really emphasise for first time mums to research every type of birth because it can end up that way. I'd planned a home birth and got the full labour ward experience instead 🙄 it's so important to feel you can advocate for yourself and stand your ground on what you want

Induction for me was a different experience to many others. I reacted really quickly to the pessary so while I'd planned to be in hospital for days, I actually progressed super quickly, ended up going from 3cm to giving birth in 40 minutes. My lessons learnt are to believe what people say when only you know your body. I'd never done labour before yet I could tell at 3cm I was progressing faster than they thought I would and I do wish I'd advocated for myself more to say that. I wouldn't recommend opting for induction unless there is medical need as my experience was that it does make for more intense contractions. Not to say natural labour is a walk in the park but I've heard others say similar!

@Elly thank you for sharing your experience, really appreciate it! There seems to be a shift maybe more recently, my. Pregnancy yoga teacher and the midwife at the antenatal classes have said the same. Advocate for yourself, make sure your birth partner also knows your wishes and preferences etc and I've read 2 books already that have said the same. So thank you!