This article was originally published on February 26, 2020. It was updated on October 31, 2020 by Ariane Signer. 

We are all very familiar with the dramatic possibilities that surround going into labor. We have seen women on television, and in films, at the mercy of their waters breaking in the most inconvenient of places. In the grocery store, at the gym, or while driving, the entertainment industry has played up the event in the most creative ways possible. While it's impossible to know exactly where you'll be when your water breaks (if it breaks!), it shouldn't be an event that we fear. Believe it or not, only about 8-10% of pregnant women experience their water breaking before they go into labor, and only 1 in 10 of those women experience a big surge of water. We are often led to believe that having your waters break is the first telltale sign of labor, but that's not accurate. In the majority of cases, women are already in the hospital when their waters break, often moments before their baby is born. In many cases, a woman's water is broken manually by the physician who is delivering the baby.

Though it's impossible to predict exactly how or when your waters will break, it's always good to know what signs to look for. Pregnant women already experience plenty of anxiety about their water breaking, and it can feel overwhelming in late pregnancy. There are so many other things on a pregnant woman's mind as her due date approaches, and the constant worry about when labor will start is at the forefront of those thoughts. Rest assured, there are things you can do to make the wait less stressful. If you are really nervous about the idea of going into labor in public and having your waters break in the grocery store, for instance, you can protect yourself by wearing incontinence products. These are designed to hold a large amount of fluid, and will definitely have you covered until you make your way out of the grocery store. So are there any signs your water is about to break? Here are some things to look out for that might indicate that labor is imminent!

RELATED: Signs That Labor Is Approaching (& Last-Minute Things To Do To Prepare)

12 Extreme Nesting Syndrome

Woman Nesting Signs Of Water About To Break
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We’ve all heard about this natural phenomenon, right? When you hit the final weeks of pregnancy, it's common to want to get your home in order, in preparation for a new family member's arrival! The desire to nest increases exponentially in the lead up to the birth of your baby, and many women have noticed an increase in the desire to tidy before their waters broke. If you are feeling the urge to nest and organize in extreme and overwhelming proportions, you might soon go into labor.

A feeling of restlessness, and the inability to relax are common signs that your water might break soon. If you suddenly have the urge to clean things you've never cleaned before (or at least not in a long time) like the top of your cupboards or your oven, you might soon be welcoming your newest addition! Take these signs to heart, and try not to overdo the physical work. Keep yourself busy with small tidying projects, but you can leave the heavy duty stuff for later.

11 An Unidentifiable Leak

Signs That Your Water Is About To Break
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Let’s face it, by your third trimester, you’re carrying a lot of extra weight, and all that added pressure on your bladder can create some undesirable side effects. Unexpected bouts of laughing, sneezing or coughing can cause you to release a bit of urine, which might be taken as a sign that your water is breaking. Many also mention that just before the leak of amniotic fluid, they experience an urge to urinate. Most make it to the toilet in time, only to find out that the leak just doesn’t stop. You can tell it's amniotic fluid and not urine, though, because the water has no smell and is usually yellow or pale straw-colored. If it’s green or red in color, however, it could be a sign of trouble for your baby so if this is the case, have a check-up as soon as possible to put your mind at rest.

10 An Audible Pop

Signs Your Water Might Be About To Break
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This sign won’t give you time to do anything proactive, but it is a pretty standard hint of imminent water breakage. Often, when the sac of fluid around your baby ruptures, there is a simultaneous popping sound. Though water breaking doesn't always make a noise, many women do report hearing a a sound that can be compared to the sound of a joint cracking or a water balloon popping in a towel. So, what does it feel like before your water breaks? Imagine a gentle flick, followed by a gush of warm fluid from between your legs. It’s not the most pleasant way to arrive on the doorstep of motherhood, but let’s face it, it could be worse.

9 Cramping Your Style

Pregnancy Cramps Signs Your Water Is About To Break
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Cramping in your uterus that feels similar to premenstrual cramps might be an indication that baby is soon going to make an appearance. The feeling of pressure before water breaks is a very common occurrence. Paul du Treil, M.D., Director of Maternal and Child Health at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, says, "It may not be painful, but your whole stomach will tense and feel hard." This crampy sensation usually gets gradually worse and worse, and can graduate into regularly spaced contractions. Your water breaking can happen at any point during labor so any regular and sustained contractions late in pregnancy serve as a warning sign.

8 Hind-Water Before Fore-Water

Hind-Water Breaking
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A hind-water leak is a slow form of water breaking, where you might not experience a large gush of water. Generally, this type of leak occurs when the amniotic sac experiences a small hole, usually behind the baby's head. A hind-water leak can stop as soon as it starts, because the hole can be resealed by the layers of the membrane. It’s only when the sac breaks in front of the baby’s head that you get the rush of fluid called the fore-water. Once your water has fully gone, labor can become more painful, contractions stronger and back pain harsher. However, even after a hind-water leak you become more vulnerable to infection, so it's best to seek medical advice after this happens. Any leakage, no matter how slight, should be investigated in the final weeks of your pregnancy.

7 Toilet Troubles

Toilet Troubles Water Breaking
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Some women swear that bingeing on hot curry can bring on labor. What they seem to have forgotten, though, is that the unfortunate side effects of too much spicy food can include heartburn and digestion problems. Both of these are increased in late pregnancy, due to the size of the baby and the reduced room your digestive organs have. During the early stages of labor, your body releases a hormone-like substance called prostaglandins, which can overstimulate the bowels. So if you feel a sudden urge to go to the toilet, it might not be too long before your water breaks. Can you break your own water by pushing? Unlikely, but the two events can still happen simultaneously!

6 When A Doctor Steps In

Doctor Pediatrician When Your Water Is About To Break
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Although doctors agree it’s best to let nature take its course, in some circumstances labor must be induced. There are many different ways that induction can take place, including a membrane sweep, a dose of prostaglandin, or an Artificial Rupture of Membranes (ARM), otherwise known as an amniotomy. With an ARM procedure, at least you’ll know that the gush is fast-approaching and you will be in the right place to be monitored as labor progresses. Don't worry though, while it feels strange, it's not painful to have your waters broken.

5 Infection

When Your Water Might Break Infection
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Premature rupture of your membranes can sometimes be caused by an infection in your bladder, kidney, cervix or vagina. Therefore, it’s important to let your doctor know immediately if you experience symptoms of infection during pregnancy, such as a high temperature, a flu-like illness, pain in your back, side or tummy, or any vaginal bleeding. Your water acts as protection for baby, and when it's gone and you have an infection, the baby has a higher risk of contracting it, too. If you do have an infection, you may need a course of antibiotics, or depending on how far along you are, steroids, contraction suppressants, or synthetic induction hormones. If you’re past 37 weeks, your doctor might decide that it's safer to induce labor than to wait until you go into natural labor. The most common infection during pregnancy, which can trigger your water breaking, is a urinary tract infection. Reduce your chances of developing one by drinking lots of water, sipping cranberry juice with no-added-sugar, and emptying your bladder when you pee.

4 A Show

Bloody Show Sings That Labor is Coming
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A sure sign that labor is imminent is if you experience a bloody show, which is essentially your mucus plug starting to dislodge. Some women lose their entire mucus plug at once (usually when using the toilet), and others start to see a bit of pink-tinged mucus on their underwear hours or days before labor begins. Although there’s no set-in-stone order for the many different symptoms of early labor, losing your mucus plug (with or without a little blood) can certainly suggest that your water breaking is not too far away. Your water might break at the same time as the show, it might break a few minutes, or even days, later, or it might not break at all. But if you do experience a show then it’s probably time to prepare for labor.

3 Feeling Drained

Feeling Drained Signs Of Labor Starting Soon
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When pregnancy hits, so do the waves of exhaustion. In the first trimester, your body is getting used to hormonal and lifestyle changes, and this requires a lot of energy, especially if you’re still at work. By the third trimester, though, you’re tired for different reasons. This is predominantly due to the extra weight you’re carrying around with you, but also because you can’t get any sleep because due to the baby kicking and moving around, and the discomfort your body is experiencing. Can the baby break your water by kicking? Probably not, but more movement in the final stretches of pregnancy can cause extra exhaustion. Many women report feeling extra tired on the day their water breaks. So if you’re close to your due date and you really can’t get out of bed, maybe its best to just listen to your body. Find a waterproof mattress protector, get a good book to read, and snooze all day. After all, this might be your last chance for a while.

2 Intuitive Knowing

Before Your Water Breaks Signs
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You don’t have to be psychic to get that funny feeling inside when you know something’s about to happen. According to many, this is especially the case with mothers and mothers-to-be. When it comes to the arrival of their baby, woman just have an intuitive sense that is rarely wrong. Yes, some cynics might say that the bursting round stomach, the dropped position of the baby, or your hideous swollen feet might well suggest you're about to pop. But we know there’s a lot more to it than that. Mother’s intuition implies a connection between mother and child whereby the mother experiences a 'gut feeling' in relation to the way she should parent. The science behind this special bond has actually been well documented, and it may now be explained by the fact a mother carries the DNA of her child inside her brain. If this is the case, then it’s not unreasonable to think that you might know when you're about to go into labor. So listen carefully to your gut and you might just predict when that water will come rushing.

1 No Signs What So Ever

Signs That Your Water Is About To Break
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For some women, sometimes there aren't any warning signs before water breaks. If you only experience slight wetness or a measly trickle of fluid, you might confuse it with urine or discharge. Sometimes your health care provider will need to physically examine you in order to determine if your waters have actually broken. If you suspect they have, it’s very important to go and get checked out. A baby living within your ruptured membranes has a much greater risk of developing an infection, and so do you. So get in to see someone as soon as possible, and don’t be afraid to ask for an examination.In the worst case scenario, the doctor checks you out and confirms that your water hasn't broken, and you go home and wait for labor to really begin!

NEXT: Am I Going Into Early Labor? Signs Your Water Is Going To Break

SOURCES: Mamapedia, Parents.com, KidSpot.com, BellyBelly.com, Psychology Today