Conference moira::parenting_v3

    
    I had this problem towards the end of my pregnancy.  I mentioned it
    in passing at one of my routine checkups thinking, as you, that
    it was just incontinence due to the pressure.  Turns out that I 
    had a mild bladder (urinary tract, whatever) infection that was
    causing the leakage and need a round of antibiotics to clear it up.
    I think pregnant women are rahter susceptible to these infections,
    so you might want to get it checked out.
    
    Carol

    Do have your doctor check it out, but in all likelihood it's
    normal.  I had quite a bit of problem with it the last pregnancy
    because I had some bladder damage after the second pregnancy, and
    it hasn't gone away yet.  Sigh.  
    
    Amniotic fluid might leak like that if you're far along (sorry I
    don't remember how long you have to go) and the bag is slightly
    torn near the top.  You can check by smelling.  Amniotic fluid
    smells mildly . . . earthy? fertile?  clean?  Urine smells like,
    well, urine.
    
    --bonnie

    	Ah, I am currently 22 weeks pregnant and noticed that I would also
    have some leaking when I was coughing, sneezing, or throwing up
    (sometimes it seemed like an entire bucket full).

    	You are right it is gross, at times it meant changing my underwear
    or running to the bathroom, but I am told that it is also a perfectly
    normal "side effect" of pregnancy.

    	It seems to have let up, as I am no longer throwing up or coughing
    (at least for now anyway) but at it's worst, I wore a panty-liner and
    just acknowledged it as one more thing that I had to accept with all of
    these other changes.

    	They tell me that once the baby is born, this *should* go away
    (along with the various assortment of other aches and pains).

    			Wendy

    Unfortunately I overlooked my amniotic fluid leaks, passed them off as
    incontenance, or so it seemed.  But on the other side of it, after I
    had AJ I had a full blown UTI, and was sent home on the medication
    "macrodantin" (sp?).  Since I have an allergy to rubber and latex it
    was never clear whether the UTI was there before the Csection, or as a
    result of the foley catheter they used just during the period of the 
    actual delivery, it was pulled out before I even left the delivery
    room.
    
    I guess, unfortunate for me, the two fluids are very close in color.  I
    used to wear the "panti liners" and change them a couple times a day
    routinely, just to keep feeling "fresh".
    
    Lyn

    I had leaking also when I was pregnant.  I thought it was embarrassing
    because a few times I had to go home and change my clothes.  I ended up
    using a regular pad in my underwear as the pantyliners just didn't cut
    it.  As soon as I had my son it stopped.  I think it is a normal side
    effect of being pregnant.  (I also carried real low)
    
    Kathy

    I'd ascertain it was urine and not amniotic fluid if I were you.

    
    	I forgot to add that I was also told to do "millions of Keigel(sp)
    exercises" everytime I get the chance. Those are the exercises where
    you tighten the pelvic floor muscles and pull up. (you know you are
    doing them correctly when you can stop a flow of urine by tightening
    the muscles) These are supposed to be very good exercises for preparing
    for delivery anyway, so I have no objection to doing them. It's the
    remembering part that can get a little tricky.
    
    			Wendy

    It was exactly the same for me as for Wendy; around the latter half
    of the pregnancy sneezing or coughing would make me loose bladder
    control momentarily (I got really annoyed about it too -- my husband
    just laughed when I explained why I had that weird embarrassed look).
    Panty liners were good friends to me then. 
    And of course, this problem disappeared after the delivery...
    
    Monica

    I have a general problem with urgency and frequency.  Surprisingly,
    pregnancy has not compounded it that much.  I go more often now at 29
    weeks pregnant but the problem is livable and I don't leak when
    coughing or sneezing yet.  I've never been successful stopping a urine
    flow using Keigel exercises, my muscles are that weak.    
    
    I agree with previous responses on wearing pads,
    I have worn them for years, just to stay fresh.  CVS profits.    
    
    Basenoter, as other responses, check to make sure it's not amniotic
    fluid.  
    
    Kath

    
    And don't forget to carry on with those pelvic floor exercises
    regularly after the baby is born!  A friend of mine works in a lab that
    studies incontinence and she says if only all women would continue
    these exercises throughout their entire lives, incontinence would be much 
    less common.
    
    Spread the word!!!
    
    
    Ali

    I also heard that pelvic floor exercises can also do wonders
    for one's romance life???

    For the past week or more, I've noticed that I'm leaking vaginally.  I
    don't know if it's amniotic fluid, or if it's urine.  I'm wearing a
    panty shield at all times, and this seems to be enough to prevent any
    kind of "accident".  (It's never a gush, but a few drops at a
    time several times during the day and night.)
    
    Has anyone experienced this?  (I'm almost 36 weeks.)  I'm seeing my
    doctor on Monday, and he's away all of this week with only a
    replacement for real emergencies.
    
    How can a doctor tell where the leaking is actually from?
    
    Hope someone out there has a clue!
    
    Dale

    Dale,
    
    I do not want to alarm you, but you may want to see the replacement OB - 
    if it is amniotic fluid, you will be at risk for infection - my son was 
    born 25 hours after my fluid broke, and he had to have SPINAL TAPS within 
    an hour of birth to check for infection.
    
    They can tell what the leakage is by testing it. 
    
    Good luck, and let us know how you are doing....
    
    Leeann
    
    

It's a real simple test but very reassuring.  I wasin a car accident when 
I was seven months along, and was very unsure if my water had broken or if
my bladder let go as a result of the severe impact.  

All they do is test the fluid with a small strip of litmus type paper to check 
if it is indeed amniotic fluid.  In my case it wasn't.  (I felt like the before
shot for Depends undergarments!!)

I delivered my daughter 8 hours after my water really did break.  I would call
the other OB.  That's what they get paid for, and they would want to know.

W-

    Re Dale
    
    I too would call the OB and let him know.  My water broke one night two
    weeks early.  I did not go into labor, my only sign was my water
    breaking.  My doctor ordered me to the hospital, no rush, but get
    there.  He had me stay in the hospital that night and into the morning
    to see what would happen.  After 12 hours there were a few minor
    contractions, but nothing major.  
    
    Decided to go with induction, because he was worried about infection. 
    My son was born about six hours later, with a lung infection. 
    Unfortunately it developer into neonatal pneumonia, his left lung
    collapsed and he had to go to Mass General's NICU.  
    
    This is nothing to fool with, if your water has indeed broken.  Check
    it out.
    

    It's me, .12 again!  I called my OB's office and while they said that I
    should be checked, they felt comfortable that seeing me first thing
    Monday morning would be ok (that's my scheduled appointment, anyway).
    
    Keep in mind that this leaking has been occurring for over a week
    already -- how could the bag tear and be leaking for days & days????
    
    It is reassuring, however, to know that my OB will be back in town
    tonight.  If anything else happens, I'll call him.
    
    I'll keep you posted & thanks for caring...
    
    Dale

    
    Just in case it is amniotic fluid, you might want periodically monitor
    your body temperature.   This is what I did (once an hour!) for the
    4 days (!!) between when my water first broke and the delivery of
    my son.   I was instructed to watch for even a slight change in
    temperature (1 degree) which might indicate that infection had started
    in either myself or the baby at which point they would induce labor.
    
    My bet is that you either have temporary incontinence due to weakening
    of the muscles and/or the pressure of the growing baby or a urinary
    tract infection.
    
    Carol

    
    Oops, forgot one thing.   As for how could the bag tear and be leaking
    for days, if you have a small tear, as I did, you could leak for 
    days because your body constantly replenishes the amniotic fluid.
    
    Carol

    re: .18
    
    Yes, especially if the tear is at the top.
    
    This is kind of gross, but try smelling some of it.  Amniotic
    fluid has a kind of earthy smell, not at all unpleasant, while
    even very dilute urine smells sour.  
    
    --bonnie

    It could also be simply vaginal discharge. I remember feeling as if I
    were leaking late in my first pregnancy, and mentioned it to my doctor.
    She asked when it occured, and I noticed it was when I got up from a
    sitting or prone position. Her explanation was that the
    discharge/vaginal fluids often pool at the base of the vagina and then
    exit with gravity when you change position.  Perhaps this is the case
    for you.
    
    best of luck.
    

    Dale,
    
    I too have worn a pad daily during my whole pregnancy (now at 33 weeks
    - and counting!).  I would run around briefly between changings without
    a pad and noticed large wet spots on my undies throughout.  I
    attributed it to vaginal leaking, as nothing seems wrong with the
    pregnancy thru this point to cause me concern.
    
    As mentioned by others though, I would check with your OB.
    
    Good luck.
    
    Kath

    I saw the OB yesterday, and the membranes are intact, so everything is
    ok.  He ordered a "clean-catch" urine test (in addition to the normal
    one), and I should have the results in a couple of days.
    
    My guess?????  ANOTHER bladder infection (that will make 4 in this
    pregnancy alone!!!).
    
    Thanks for the concern.  Sure glad it's nothing (well, almost):>) !!
    
    Dale