At Hypnobirthing Australia we are all about avoiding unnecessary intervention.

A new product has just hit the market which we think provides a safe and non-invasive monitoring test to differentiate between your membranes releasing – or a wee bit of ‘wee’!

Sometimes we can experience a little incontinence when we are pregnant. Some mums find it difficult to determine whether their membranes have released or whether they have just had a little bit of bladder leakage, and this can leave many of us feeling a little unsure about what to do. “Should I go to hospital or is this a false alarm?”

The fact of the matter is, over 20% of pregnant women attend a hospital because of wetness and close to 50% of us are sent home when the wetness turns out to be urine.

Yet failure to act is a real concern as statistics reveal that approximately 10% of pregnant mothers will experience an amniotic fluid leakage as a result of a premature rupture of membranes (PROM).

The sac, or “membranes” contain amniotic fluid which surrounds and protects your baby in the womb and plays a key role in your babies development by –

• Helping to protect and cushion your baby inside the amniotic sac
• Maintains a constant temperature around your baby
• Protects your baby and your uterus against infection
• Helps baby’s lungs, kidneys, and digestive system develop, and
• Contributes to muscle and bone development of your little one  by allowing him/her to move around the womb

Most women will experience the natural release of the membranes (‘water breaking’) spontaneously just before or during labour, however concern arises if this occurs too early in the pregnancy.  This can lead to the risk of infection for mother and baby and place you at risk of premature delivery. Therefore, it is important to see your doctor or midwife immediately if you suspect amniotic fluid leakage.

NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS! 🙂

I was recently introduced to a product called Al-Sense which (put quite simply) is a panty-liner designed to detect small amounts of amniotic fluid and differentiate it from urine. Widely used in the USA, Canada, Israel and Europe, and now available in Australia, it is the only home screen test available in Australia that has been specifically designed to help you determine whether you are experiencing a little bit of bladder leakage or an amniotic fluid leak.  This product can really help set your mind at ease – especially if you are in your last trimester.

Having these panty-liners at home during your last trimester of pregnancy could potentially help save you from an unnecessary trip to the doctor or hospital – or most importantly ensure you seek the proper medical attention should the need arise.

It isn’t very often that we recommend a product – but in this case, I am recommending it, because I think that it can help you to avoid unnecessary interventions and also give you peace of mind.

If you’re interested in purchasing some Al-Sense liners, just click this link and you can purchase them online, directly from the manufacturer.

Melissa x