What if my waters break???

[Ekatherina]

I was reading a lot about birth and a lot of birth stories...planning myself a homebirth around october 22...this is my first baby....but im a little confused about this waterbreak issue...i know waters shouldnt break before my contractions start...but what if it does.???? is it dangerous???if my MW tells me to go to the hospital should i just obbey? or just lay down??? high risk of infection to the baby??? hard delivery?? if waterbreaks before time....please help me with your experience...im living in Japan my MW speaks only japanese and im afraid im not understanding everything very well.....thanx alot...have a great day everyone....

[Jane]

The main concern is infection after the waters break.
However, it's rare for the water to go first and it's even more rare for the waters breaking not to trigger labor.
It's important to keep anything out of the vagina before labor begins, including gloved hands during vaginal exams. Taking your temperature is also a good way to detect an infection.
If it does break, get some rest, take your temp regularly, call your midwife, and wait for contractions. It should go just fine.
In the US, women with broken waters and no contractions will sometimes go to the hospital for augemtation with pitocin, but some choose to wait it out at home too.

[Evergreen]

Amniotic fluid does replenish itself. As far as I know most DEMs will tell you not to worry if that happens, just keep everything out of the yoni. I have heard not to get in the water bu some, but I don't know if they are just being cautious.

[pamamidwife]

Here is my pre-labor rupture of membranes informed choice sheet:

Pre-Labor (or Prolonged) Rupture of Membranes

Any rupture of the membranes (water bag) constitutes the general distinction of “labor”. While you may or may not be contracting, the simple fact that your membranes are ruptured dictates a change in daily hygiene routine and supplementation. The bag of water provides more than a cushion for baby – it also serves as a barrier from bacteria and infection. Prelabor (meaning no uterine contractions present) rupture of membranes occurs in about 6-19% of all term pregnancies. Epidemiological data shows that about 86% of all women with prelabor rupture of membranes go into spontaneous (not induced) labor within 24 hours of their water breaking. Only 6% of the remaining go longer than 96 hours without any sign of labor starting.

Some membranes rupture high up in the uterus. This is called a “hind leak”. Typically, water will come out slowly, perhaps gush once and trickle here and there. Hind leaks may be caused from baby’s foot breaking the bag, or a positional change. As there are two layers of the membranes (the amnion and the chorion), sometimes leaking may be caused from the outer layer of the bag (the chorion) breaking. In both cases with a hind leak and a leak from the chorion breaking, there is a good chance of the bag “resealing” itself with cessation of any sort of leak.

A “full leak” is a break in the lower part of the uterus, particularly over the cervix. This sort of leak rarely re-seals. While it may be difficult to know what type of rupture has occurred, the following guidelines should be followed any time there is suspicion or confirmation of a rupture.

Currently, the medical literature shows that expectant management (waiting until labor starts with the following guidelines) is an effective and safe course of action, provided NO VAGINAL EXAMS ARE DONE. Of course, you do have the right to choose to be induced in the hospital at any point during this prelabor period. However, by being in your own home, you already are much more protected from bacterial infection than if you were in a hospital (the overall infection rate is four times higher in a hospital, hence the need for more rigorous antibiotic regimes). The bacteria present in your home are bacteria that your body is familiar with and acclimated to.

•Absolutely, positively, NOTHING in the vagina. No fingers, tampons, penis, oral-genital contact, etc.

•Drink plenty of water to help replenish amniotic fluid – at least 64oz of water a day

•Wear something loose-fitting with no panties when you can

•If you are leaking and need something for sitting, use clean towels fresh out of a hot dryer

•Take your temperature every 4 hours while you are awake (record on a sheet of paper).

•Take 250mg Vitamin C every 3-4 hours while you are awake

•Eat foods that are unconstipating and easy to digest

•Be meticulous about toileting (wipe front to back, clean toilet tissue, etc.)

•After showers, use a clean towel fresh out of a hot dryer or oven to dry your vulva

•Do fetal movement counts twice a day after eating (looking for 10 movements in an hour)

•Notice any change (color, odor) to the fluid and report results to your midwife immediately

•After a full 24 hours since rupture, the addition of Oregon Grape Root and Echinacea tinctures to your daily supplementation regimen is recommended. Take a dropperful of each tincture four times a day.

•REST, REST, REST, REST

[Ekatherina]

thankx a lot everybody.......it is just that my old MW has told me that if my waters break she will take me to the hospital and can;t deliver me at home anymore God im so happy i have changed her....

[Breathless Wonder]

I'm saving that pamamidwife!

I wish I had had that information with my first. Maybe I could have avoided all of the interventions (manual breaking of bag of bag of waters, pitocin, IFM, demerol, episiotomy due to baby's heart decels).

I was only leaking fluid, but that was enough to send the hospital into a panic.

[hunnybumm]

I definitly don't want to scare you but when we went to a lamaz class before my son was born the instructor (a nurse in L&D for 20 years and mother of 4) told us a very sad true story.

A mother was pregnant with her first child, she was right at the 40 week mark and was very ready for her baby to be here. She kept leaking fluid that ended up being pee, she went to the hospital a number of times just to be told to go back home. On the last trip she finaly said "Fine, I won't be back until I am sure I am in labor!". Her water broke, with a gush, a few days later. She decided she was going to stay at home until her contractions were at least 5 minutes apart. She labored at home for 10 hours then went into the hospital only to find that the cord had gone through the cervix with the gush. The baby had gone too long with out oxygen and was stilborn.

I know this is extremely rare, and is probably a 1 in a million, but I am still so scared that something like this could happen. After reading the above post if you followed the above "rules" then this probably wouldn't happen. But I have a few questions. Is there someway to check with out comprimising the area and possibly causing infection?

I am planning a home with with our next child and I am very nervous that something like this could happen, and eventhough I am trying to do all of this without interventions that my babies life could be at risk. I know any labor is risky and there could be complications, and that home births are extremely safe if done correctly, but that worry is always there. KWIM? Or am I just being overy peraniod?

[pamamidwife]

Yeah, with a first time mom, cord prolapse is very, very rare. I think you'd have better luck winning the lottery.

Seriously, nothing can take the risk out of every situation - we realize that when we get in our cars everyday. Or maybe we don't.

I'm not sure why a story like that was shared in a birth class - to perpetuate fear? One of the main issues with baby's well being is movement. I go back to the piece on my informed choice on PROM about counting baby's movement. That would have picked up a problem.

I think there are far more serious complications that occur when women run to the hospital, as they're often told, when their waters break with no labor. Induction of labor, fetal distress, cesarean sections....those risks are much, much greater.

[rad]

With both of my babies, my water has broken first. I had no contractions before and then all of sudden it broke. With DS my contractions started about 30 mintues after my water broke and he was born within 4 hours of it breaking. With DD, my contractions started within minutes of it breaking and she was born about 3 hours later. All I heard, was that if my contractions didn't get going within 12 hours or so, I might have to head to the hospital. But luckily, that never was a problem. My mother's and my sister's labors all went the same, so I guess I never even realized that the water breaking before labor was even an issue.

[lilyka]

My water broke before labor with all three of my children.

I was a high risk for prolapse cord with my first but you can feel it if it happens and take precautions until it can be delt with (at the hospital it is automatic c-sec but a skilled midwife can also just put it right back in from what I here - I would take the c-sec though because it can be risky. My point is you can see/feel it). And it is very rare especially if all you have is trickle. My olast baby is the only one who broke with a gush (and a sanp. Man it hurt) and hse was out 3 minutes later. No sweat. She wasn't thrilled LOL but it was easy on my part.

So long as you don't go too long I wouldn't worry. Even the most conservative Dr. usually give you 24 hours for the baby to be born.

[georgia]

I believe that many times, nurses and doctors don't even realize how they are perpetuating the myth that birth belongs in the hospital and that birth is scary and fraught with danger....they would be out of their particular jobs if the myth was exposed . Look how scary and unpredictable birth can be----trust us and our technology. We can make it all better. We can take out the physicality of it. The emotions. The pain. Take it away, along with mothers' empowerment and transformative experience. Birth belongs in the hospital where we can measure you, time you, watch you like you were sick.....then we can start treating you like there's something wrong b/c your body isn't working on some arbitrary timetable....

I've had my water break with my first (hospital birth) before any significant contractions and my third (at home) after many days of starting and stopping contractions. IMO, my babies and I were a million times safer in my home than in the hospital....not to mention more comfortable! The risks of infection and iatrogenic complications rise to astounding levels once a healthy woman enters the hospital. There are no guarantees either way, but, I'm choose to believe that birth works when left alone and mother isn't bullied or feeling threatened in ANY way.

If your water breaks---do not panic. It's a sign labor and baby will be here soon . Pregnancy, for me, can be a time of working through emotions, fears....I think it's important that we read and gather stories so that we understand the different scenarios that we *might* encounter, but ultimately, consider surrendering to the positive and just believe we are totally capable, no matter what comes our way.

Happy Birthing!