water breaks+ no labor= pitocin?

[jenniet]

My cousin is really trying for a natural birth but her water broke 24 hours ago and she hasn't been able to naturally induce labor. Is the only option pitocin? She is 40 weeks along with her first. She is actually at the hospital right now so she might have already been given pitocin, I guess I am more curious about what to do if I find myself in this position. I had pitocin with my first birth and I never want it again.

[boscopup]

Having had PPROM and done my research about that, I would feel comfortable with waiting longer for labor to start (if PROM full term, not PPROM). But hospitals usually do put you on a clock, so I would be staying out of the hospital unless the water wasn't clear or I started to get a temp or something.

[fiveyearsapart]

Nipple stim worked for me in this situation. Just wanted to throw it out there in case she hasn't tried that.

[southernmommie]

Originally Posted by boscopup

Having had PPROM and done my research about that, I would feel comfortable with waiting longer for labor to start (if PROM full term, not PPROM). But hospitals usually do put you on a clock, so I would be staying out of the hospital unless the water wasn't clear or I started to get a temp or something.

I agree here. I've had my water break and then reseal since my water doesn't break but leak very little. Just make sure you know what color your water is. Very important. You can also sterilize your toilet paper if you were really nervous about it. I went through a lot of panty liners waiting for it to seal.

[TefferTWH]

I was just in this spot and nipple stim would start things, but thenit would peter out. Being as it was my second birth with the same scenario, my midwife augmented me with a low dose of pit, and a few hours later, a baby! I fought like mad to avoid the pit, but it just flat out worked for me, and the low dose was NOT all crazy painful like the higher dose my OB gave me with my first birth.

[dogmom327]

I do home births so there's generally (but not always) more flexibility. Personally, I'd be fine waiting for days and maybe even a week if there were no signs of distress for either me or the baby.

[JudiAU]

No answers but some hope.

My water broke and and after confirmation, my conservative midwives sent me home for an induction in "around" 24 hours.

I know the stats are that you never go into labor if it isn't within 2-3 hours but I did. My labor started with a BANG just 17H so some people do start and she might still..

[soso-lynn]

Originally Posted by JudiAU

No answers but some hope.

My water broke and and after confirmation, my conservative midwives sent me home for an induction in "around" 24 hours.

I know the stats are that you never go into labor if it isn't within 2-3 hours but I did. My labor started with a BANG just 17H so some people do start and she might still..

I would think that the stats of never going into labour are close to zero, when it comes to pregnant people...

The 24 hour rule is really quite random and based on the chances of getting an infection from the constant cervix checking and other objects in vaginas that happen in hospital.

[Sheryl1678]

Originally Posted by soso-lynn

The 24 hour rule is really quite random and based on the chances of getting an infection from the constant cervix checking and other objects in vaginas that happen in hospital.

Exactly! If you refuse all pelvic exams and do not put anything foreign into your vagina then the risk of infection is miniscule and the risk of infection is why they have such a mad rush to induce.

I would wait a week or even longer. The risks of induction are much worse imo than the remote risk of infection in the absence of pelvic exams.

[AutumnAir]

This happened to me to. My water broke at 42+3 weeks with very mild contractions that petered out in an hour or two. It resealed as I didn't continue to leak. I avoided putting anything in my vagina, and checked my temp a couple of times a day to avoid/monitor for infection. I eventually went into labour at 43 weeks, 5 days later, but as my membranes had resealed I would have been happy to go for longer (though at 43 weeks cooking I was done!!)
If I were planning a hospital birth I wouldn't say a word if my waters broke without labour, as they will put you at risk for infection by doing lots of internal exams and then to counteract it insist on inducing you. Of course, this is on the assumption that everything else was well, i.e. no mec, good heart tones, no signs of infection.

[laralee16]

My water broke, then they started the pitocin after about 20 hours. No real need, other then the "rule"

[Arwyn]

I would follow a protocol for preventing infection (absolutely NOTHING enters the vagina, for one), regularly taking my temp (just with a hand would be fine with me), regularly checking for fetal movement or heartbeat, and wait. Almost all women go in to labor on their own within 72 hours of waters breaking; many of those that don't have their waters re-seal.

Infection is a real concern, though, so it's important to be very strict with nothing in the vagina (absolutely no vaginal exams!), and to go to the hospital if there's any sign of infection, such as a fever or feeling unwell.

[clothdiapermama1]

We have mothers (in the NICU) whose water is broken for weeks before having the baby. Yes, we are usually talking possible premies, so the risk of infection is less dangerous than the dangers of having a premie. Health care providers are just trying to weigh the risks, but your opinion may be different. It is your body and your baby.
Catherine

[Devaskyla]

I went into labour about 88 hours after my water broke with ds2. But, I was at home. In the hospitla, they'd have put me on pit & cut me open after 24 hours (or less). I know because that's what happened with ds1.

[wombatclay]

I had sPROM about 12 hours before any hint of a contraction. My family practice dr wasn't worried and never suggested pit.

With my vbac OBs I discussed PROM and their opinion was that after the membranes broke they'd like mama to go to the hospital after 24 hours. NOT for induction but just to keep a closer eye on possible infection. As long as mama was good/baby was good they'd be happy to wait for nature. Actually, one vbac mama due at the same time I was had sPROM and spent the last week of her pregnancy at the hospital... they set up her room so her 3 year old could stay with her and just checked temp/bp/white blood cell levels (and babe's heart tones via hand held doppler) every hour or two. She said it was a sort of mini-vacation before her babe arrived.

And when her birth began, she used the tub (as did I since that OB and that hospital don't mind mamas with ROM in the birth pool).

[meganmarie]

My sis went I think almost 48 hours between water breaking and labor kicking in...she was luckily working with birth center midwives who were fine with it (precautions to avoid infection as noted above) and had no problems.

Before birth #2, was told by my otherwise-great midwives that they would want to induce within 12 hours if there was PROM - I immediately called her that this was b-s and she backed off, said yeah, okay maybe 24 hours... I really think this was hospital protocol not their preference - hospital-based midwives often work under a lot of restrictions just to be allowed to practice, it can be really hard for them. Anyway, I was glad to know this in advance because when my water leaked a day before EDD I did NOT call them! I did not want to start the clock ticking. It resealed, did not continue to leak. Contractions started about a day later and I had a wonderful natural birth. I was glad I hadn't gotten into a big argument about starting pitocin which in hindsight would have been totally un-needed.

[Birdie B.]

This also happened to me. My water broke - for real - tons of water that just kept gushing out for several hours. I had planned a homebirth, but my midwife had to abide by the 24-hour rule (something about the licensing here) so she had me take castor oil to get the contractions going. 12 hours after my water broke, I finally started having contractions, thanks to the castor oil. We still transferred to the hospital, because at the 19-hour mark I was only dilated 1 cm. However, I didn't have to have any pitocin, and delivered my baby 6 hours after arriving at the hospital.
I love my midwife, and I know she has to follow the arbitrary 24hour rule to keep her license, but I am really sad that I missed out on a homebirth.