Water possibly trickling?

[roses25]

I'm 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant. I've been having contractions at every 7 minutes for atleast the past 1-2 weeks. Yesterday they were coming every 6minutes. Night ones have been crampy for the past two days and some of the day ones started becoming crampy yesterday. I haven't timed my contractions today. I just went to the bathroom and noticed that my underwear were damp. Is this what you would see if your water has broken and is trickling? If it my water will I be going into labor soon? I refused the group b strep test, so if it is my water and I call my midwife I'm put on a time limit. I have to be in active labor 18 hours after my water breaks or I become a risk for them and they will seriously consider a hospital transfer for me.

Carolyn

[Kelly1101]

Can your partner or someone run out and get pH strips to check if it's amniotic fluid?

[misseks]

Might just be the cervical mucus plug thingy. I think that ruptured membranes aren't necessarily an infection risk unless there's a big ol' puddle on the floor. ...??

That's just my impression, though.

[twins+1]

Somewhere I heard that if you can lay down for 1/2 hour and if you still have leaking than it could be amniotic fluid. When you're up (as I'm sure you know) the head acts as a plug, but laying down can uncork a bit and let fluid out. You could try laying down for a 1/2 hour and seeing if more fluid escapes? Maybe smell it, etc?

[Miasmamma]

What should it smell like??? I've been fairly "damp" for a week or so, but it really has no odor so I haven't associated it with water leakage.

[j_p_i]

This has been happening to me and I was wondering the same thing. I have a mw appointment on Wednesday and will probably mention something then, I don't really think it's amniotic fluid but it's really increased the past 2 days. Plus sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not. I'm 39 and 4 also.

[roses25]

I laid down for a half hour and got up and there wasn't any more leakage. Well this morning at 3 my water broke (gushing). I also lost my mucus plug and had the bloody show shortly after my water broke. I'll never forget my trip to wal-mart to get pads because my cloth ones weren't enough. I should have sat on the toliet for a while, but I didn't know that it would eventually stop gushing. So I headed off to walmart sitting on two towels, a heavy coat, and light coat to soak through all of them and walk into wal-mart all soaked. I'm glad nobody at this walmart knows me because it was very embarassing. They were laughing at me and asking me if I wanted them to call the ambulance, and I told them no that I was just fine. Then here comes a lady with a wheelchair telling me she brought it just incase. I'm officially in labor now (early labor). The contractions are coming every 4 minutes and lasting 35-45 seconds and they hurt like crazy.

Carolyn

[Smithie]

Best of luck to you, Carolyn!!!

[triplembride]

How exciting!! Good luck mama!!!

[JD5351]

:YAY! Good luck!

[octanebeetle27]

Good luck!! Very exciting!

[j_p_i]

Wow, good luck Carolyn!!

[Kelly1101]

Wooo hooo! Good luck, can't wait to see your birth announcement!

[lotus.blossom]

ELV's to you!! Sorry about your water experience. What a bunch of jerks for laughing!

[trauerweidchen]

Wow, congratulations on starting labor and best of luck to you! Here's sending lots of : for a quick, easy labor. Hopefully you're holding your little one already, or will be soon. :