TMI pic but I want to share- amniotic leak

Hoping this helps someone who is having the same issue as I’ve been having.

This picture is for every single person who constantly posts that you’ll know the difference between an amniotic leak and discharge. YALL- NOT EVERYONES AMNIOTIC FLUID IS A HUGE GUSH! Mine has been a slow, steady leak for WEEKS.

Back story- I’d been having suspicions since getting severe COVID that I had ruptured my membranes. I had shared with my OB that I was leaking a lot during daily activity. To the point that I was now wearing adult diapers. I NEVER had a gush of fluid and when I wiped, it was white/ barely yellow tinged and it was runny at times and sometimes like mucous. I was dismissed at 2 different appointments that were 2 weeks apart. That’s an entire month I was leaking fluid and I was under the strong impression (by a medical doctor) that it was urine and vaginal discharge. My leak was ultimately found by my ultrasound tech who compared fluid levels from two different ultrasounds that were 6 weeks apart.

For those of you who may not understand, an amniotic leak, especially one left undiagnosed and untreated can turn to a really bad infection, cause pre-term labor symptoms (which mine has), can cause fevers, issue with placenta, and really affect the baby and yourself. I thank the Lord that my body didn’t get an infection and that my baby is still in my tummy at 33 +3 when I ruptured my membranes at 28 weeks!!! He is a miracle to me. I went to the ER at 32 weeks by ambulance because I was faint, was having regular contractions for seven hours that were getting closer together, and severe nausea. I haven’t left the hospital since. That was last Sunday. So I’ve been here a while getting antibiotics and 2x daily NSTs to monitor baby.

Additionally, my main point of this post is to explain that although this app is a great resource for us, we are NOT DOCTORS. My DOCTOR missed this because she didn’t do her due diligence and just do a simple swab test. I constantly see posts where people are saying things like, “is this amniotic fluid” and they’re dismissed by comments like “it’s just urine, it looks yellow”, or “you’d know the difference”.

A) I didn’t know the difference because I’ve never had an amniotic leak before

B) IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO PUSH FOR CHECKS.

If you think you are having excess discharge, demand the test. It’s a simple swab test, I think three swabs. It takes 2 minutes. If it prevents an emergency, pre-term birth and infection for both you and baby, it’s better safe than sorry.

I am including a picture of my amniotic fluid on tissue from this morning so everyone can see how NORMAL it can appear. I had not urinated. This was a wipe to dry off from the leak. We are currently 33+ 3 and may be inducing sometime between now and Saturday at the latest.

As you can see, my fluid looks a lot like vaginal discharge, a little yellow tinged. Sometimes it’s clearer, sometimes it’s thicker. Not everyone’s is the same and not everyone’s is the same in appearance all the time.

WHEN IN DOUBT, DEMAND A CHECK! You know your body better than anyone. This app is great, but we aren’t doctors. Listen to your instinct. I wish I had.