Beware of TACO

My wife and I are having our first child this summer, well she is the one actually giving birth.  For all of you question askers out there: It's a girl, the due date is July 31st, no we have not decided on a name yet, and yes we're excited.  With the birth of a child comes additional responsibility like caring for another life, being more financially accountable, and of course, child birth classes.

We attended our first class at the hospital on Monday.  It was a little awkward at first.  You know, several couples, strangers, smashed into a tiny room, talking openly about each other's private parts and bodily fluids.  Which brings me to the point of this post, the rupturing of the amniotic sac or the breaking of the water.

We learned a nifty acronym to decipher whether or not we should notify the doctor of anything abnormal when the water breaks.  COAT: C = color of fluid (it should be clear), O = odor (it should lack it), A = amount (may vary), and T = time (usually all at once but may vary).  Now upon seeing these letters on the screen I put together an acronym in my head that is more up my alley and way easier to remember.  Time, Amount, Color, Odor or TACO.  Sounds delicious doesn't it!  So whichever works better for you, a cold weather clothing item or delectable Mexican entree.

Then I really started thinking about it.  If all of a sudden superfluous quantities of greenish yellow fluid that has a putrid smell comes spewing out of my wife, I won't need to remember any acronym to realize I need to call the doctor immediately... after I regain consciousness.