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How can I tell if my water has broken?
Q: How can I tell if my water has broken?
A: The amniotic membranes contain approximately two to four cups of fluid at full term. Sometimes you may feel a little popping sensation and feel most of that gush out of you all at once. Sometimes the water doesn't come out all at once but rather comes out in little spurts or trickles, especially when you move around, bear down, cough, or sneeze, or have a contraction. And sometimes the amount of leakage is so subtle it's even difficult for your doctor to be sure that you are leaking fluid when he or she examines you.
It smells nothing like urine and some women describe it as smelling slightly sweet. It is usually clear but can be somewhat blood-tinged or, if the baby has already had a meconium bowel movement while in your uterus, it may be greenish or yellowish.
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