Telling amniotic fluid from urine is harder than you think. This post will give you three steps how to tell if your water broke or if you peed.
**Be sure to talk to your doctor or midwife if you think your water has broken. This post is just for reference and does not take the place of medical advice.
Did your water break or did you pee?
The main question to ask is if it keeps coming out. Your amniotic sac continues to replenish it’s fluids and water should continue to come out when you cough, sneeze or change positions. BUT there’s more to it than that, so keep reading!
But, first, how do I know all of this?
First off, hello! I’m Hilary — many people know me as The Pregnancy Nurse 👩⚕️. I have been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of OB nursing experience, I am also the curly head behind this website Pulling Curls and The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. 🩺 I have seen hundreds of patients who think their water has broken. We’ve talked about their experience and then run a test to see if it is truly broken, so I know how truly confusing all of this can be!
While we’re going to talk a LOT about the amniotic sac, be sure to join me in here to understand ALL of labor. Let’s get started!
Table of contents
Oh, and don’t miss my whole Is my water broken quiz that will give you more info on amniotic fluid, and how to tell if your water is broken.
How to tell if your water broke:
Did you feel a “pop” — while this isn’t a tell-tale sign (a lot of people’s water breaks when they are asleep, so you may not feel it then) but most people say they feel a “pop”. If you didn’t feel a pop it may be your water broken, or it may be something else. I have whole post on what most people feel when their water breaks.
How do you tell if it’s your water breaking or pee?
Did it just gush once? A one-time gush often means pee. If you get a gush of fluid, and then you go about your business and nothing comes out — it is likely you peed.
I often tell people to put on a pad and see if more comes out — if zero does, it’s likely pee. These bamboo ones look awesome for your last month!
Remember that only about 15% of women have their water break at home before the hospital. So, more than likely it’s NOT broken, but it definitely happens and you don’t want to have your water broken for days without having medical attention as it can be a risk of infection. So, ANY questions call your provider!
Why might you accidentally pee while you’re pregnant
I get a lot of women who can’t believe they would have accidentally peed as they have never done that before. Being pregnant gives a lot of reasons why it’s easy to have an accident:
- Baby kicks. If the baby kicks your bladder, you may leak some urine. Bladders weren’t really prepared for inside kicks. Baby’s bad — not yours.
- Squished. Your bladder just has less room than it had before. Most people just don’t have the time to empty their bladder every half an hour because their uterus is squishing it.
- Relaxed. Your body sends out hormones to RELAX your body. That allows the baby to sink into your pelvis (squishing your bladder even further) and that muscle that controls your bladder relaxes a bit too. Add a cough or sneeze on top of that and your bladder just gives up….
**This is not something to be embarrassed about. A lot of women just wear a pad the last few weeks of pregnancy to prevent needing to change your undies or embarrassing moments because of a tinkle.
How do you know it’s that your water broke?
It is really hard to tell amniotic fluid vs pee or just sweat or other discharge.
There is an at-home test you can take if you have enough time to wait for it….
The one way for you to tell it apart is that it keeps coming out. Like I mentioned above, if you gush once, it’s likely not amniotic fluid.
Amniotic fluid normally keeps coming out.
Things you can do to see if more is going to come out
- Cough
- Change positions — go from sitting to standing (after you empty your bladder)
- While lying down, raise your hips — a lot of times baby will shift and more will come out from what has pooled in your vagina.
But, just regular household work will usually allow more to come out if your water is truly broken. It may not be much fluid, but enough to detect on a pad or your panties….
Again, if you have a question — call your doctor.
Or, get some more info on my water breaking quiz.
Do you have other signs of labor?
Most often you are in labor or headed into labor once your water breaks. Are you having contractions, or other signs of labor? Those can definitely point to something happening.
Wondering what the heck to look for in labor, I have a quick labor mini class that makes it super easy to know what to watch for!
Can they test to see if your water really did break?
Your doctor’s office or the hospital has a test called “Amnisure” that can test if your water is TRULY broken, and if you’re still not sure — that’s the best place to have it checked, so you’ll know for sure.
Keep in mind the amount of amniotic fluid that comes out is based on where the amniotic sac ruptured. If it’s towards the top — only a trickle of fluid will come out, a bit at a time. If your membranes rupture at the bottom, a lot will come out all at once, and then you’ll leak small amounts after that.
You can learn a whole lot more about water breaking, and other magical signs of labor in this course (that’s actually where that image is from).
The Amnisure test can tell pretty definitively if your water really broke (although, if you’ve recently had sex or a lot of bleeding it can give false readings).
Pro Tip: If your doctor’s office has it, GO THERE! The hospital takes almost an hour to get you admitted and do the test (if not longer), it’s just much faster in the office! It’s a really simple test and doesn’t require a lab.
What to do if your water broke
If your water is broken, you should call your doctor and likely head into the hospital (some doctors are cool with you to stay home and see if anything happens for a bit, but some want you to come into the hospital right away based on your medical needs like being GBS positive).
Which means, you need to pack your labor bag. I have a top three that I think everyone needs:
Looking to get prepare for your birth? I have some easy options for you!
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– Worried you’re missing something? Grab my pregnancy planner so you don’t miss a thing!
– Thinking about an induction? Grab Inductions Made Easy to feel prepared in just 20 minutes!
– Wondering how to get that baby OUT? Grab Going Into Labor Made Easy so you know how to (and not to) do it!
– Postpartum got you anxious? Check out Postpartum Care Made Easy so you can stay SAFE even when all your attention is on that little on.
🚨 AND if ALL OF IT has got you on edge The Online Prenatal Class for Couples is perfect for you — You’ll feel so ready before you even know it!
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No matter WHERE you are at in your pregnancy journey, we have resources that can help!
- You don’t want to look like simba….
- The #1 thing people not regretting is this thing
- Moist. The keyword is moist — this is the MOST asked for product from labor bags!
What if your water isn’t broken?
Not time yet — which means, you have time for a prenatal class!
If you’re just worried about your water breaking, having some of these at work or in the car isn’t a bad idea.
How to tell if your water broke FAQ’s
Well, it can if you JUST peed as well, but no. Amniotic fluid does not smell much like pee as the baby isn’t eating like we do. Most people describe it as odorless (although as a nurse I do think it has a distinct odor which I can’t really describe).
Most people say they feel a “pop”.
Some people just have a gush. It isn’t usually painful (unless you’re already contracting when your water breaks.
Yes, some people report, especially as they go to stand up, their water breaks. This can be disconcerting though, since you won’t know if it’s your water or just more pee.
Put on a pad and walk around a bit. If it’s your water, you will likely leak more.
Umm… no? I mean, it’s either broken or not, but as I mentioned above (with the balloon picture), it can break towards the top, and only a little will come out. Water can slowly come out, but your water is either broken or it’s not.
I’d call your doctor or the hospital to see what they say. Most often you have time for a shower though, unless you’re already contracting a lot. Some care providers only want you to be seen within 24 hours, but check with them.
Yes. Water is made up of baby pee, and we all know babies keep peeing — so more water will be made.
Yes — in fact, I recommend women have a waterproof cover on their mattress as they get into the third trimester (actually, I always recommend one, but especially then, so you don’t ruin your mattress). I also love THIS one — I’d keep one of those in my car for sure!
Most often, no — because it just happens. BUT, if you’re contracting, the odds are higher your water will break soon. I have a whole post on signs of your water breaking.
Well, in some ways yes — I answer more in my signs of labor post.
Amniotic fluid is straight-up fluid. Yes, there may be some mucus or some bits of blood in it, but it isn’t viscous at all. It really looks just like pee (because it’s baby pee).
It comes from your uterus out your cervix into your vagina.
Hopefully, that helped decide whether your water broke — I would totally recommend heading over to my “did my water break” quiz — as it has not only the quiz but tons of information including what amniotic fluid looks like and more!
I also have a whole post that answers the question “am I in labor”
And, if you want to get prepared for your upcoming delivery, I totally recommend The Online Prenatal Class for Couples.
- It simplifies labor — no more confusion. Just understanding.
- It’s available 24/7 — no more traffic or hard hospital chairs
- Self-paced — it can be done in a few hours or over weeks. It’s all up to you guys
- It’s for both of you — got a partner that needs to get his head in the game, this class is for you!
I think you’ll really like it — and you can get 10% off with code PC10.
Or, if you’re not quite ready for the full class, check out my free prenatal class — It’s your first step towards being your own birth boss.
Hopefully this post answered your question as to if you peed or not. Good luck, and remember if you have ANY questions please do ask your provider!
Be sure to check out my post on EVERYTHING you need to know about your water breaking for more on this important topic!
Maryjo says
Hello Curly Sistah! I found you through Pinterest when looking for Desert Landscaping help. I downloaded the pdf, but was hoping for a guide for planting flowers. Any ideas?
On topic: My water broke when my 18 month old placed her hand on my belly, and said, “Baby!” I kept it quiet, as I was afraid that there would a line of pregnant gals at my front door, for a laying on of the hands! Ha!
On leaking Amniotic Fluid: In 1981, my poor sister was leaking when 7 months pregnant, and her country bumpkin doctor told her it was nothing to worry about. RIP my beautiful nephew, Timothy Robert. Thank God for progress!!
Hilary Erickson says
Hmm… flowers? I have had good luck with snap dragons after the frost has passed…. but I’m not much help. They die so quickly once it gets hot I gave up. Oh goodness, what a horrible story about your sister…..
Holly says
Super helpful thank you!
Pulling Curls says
I’m so glad you found it helpful. Thanks for taking the time to leave a reply.