help! water broker but no contractions!

[flyjawn]

my water broke early this morning but i'm not having any sort of regular contractions... i only have 9 hours left to get the labour started before i have to go to the hospital for a NST and then figure out what the next steps are. i don't want a hospital birth and i certainly don't want an induction.

any advice???

[nurnur]

you don't HAVE to do anything, if you are not having signs or symptoms of a problem (ie, infection) there is no reason to not let nature takes it's course. here are some links from past threads on the same issue.
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...33#post7421933
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=608240
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=538391

anxiety is the anti-labor inducing state! So the more you worry about getting it going the less likely it will. Deep relaxation and going into yourself, talking to your baby and letting him/her know that you trust his timing seems to really help. Get some oxytocin flowing, spend some loving time with your partner, treat yourself like a queen, nipple stimulation, a good tear jerker movie, what gets you all gushy?...

[ColetteInIllinois]

Disclaimer: I'm not a midwife or doctor or doula or any "professional". This is just what I've read or tried myself over the years.

First, have you tried anything?

Popular methods to bring on labor include:

• Making out w/your partner w/special attention to areola/nipple stimulation (not just the nipples, instead further back where the baby would nurse) -- but no penetration of any kind!

• You could try blue&black cohoshes or homeopathic caullophylum.

• Castor oil (some say it brings on diarrhea but others swear it doesn't/ I don't really know).

• A good foot rub, with special attention paid to your pinky toe.

• A forearm and hand massage with special attention to the fleshy part between the thumb and pointer finger.

• Clary sage essential oil aromatherapy (but, of course, don't take a bath).

Things that people will claim starts labor but don't, really, include red raspberry leaf tea and spicy foods (well, maybe spicy foods do a little; they supposedly stimulate your bowel which is the same principle as castor oil).

BEST OF LUCK!

[flyjawn]

thanks for those links...

i am trying very hard to relax and my DH is doing a great job pampering me. i've never had to be admitted to a hospital and this seems like a horrible way to start so there's a lingering panic in the back of my mind. plus i'm not sure what the guidelines in ontario are that my midwives have to follow.

i know they're about as horrified by hospitals as i am so i trust them 100% but still they have to follow the "rules"...

[cheeseRjedi]

My water broke 27 hours before I started really having contractions. I woke up to contractions and had my girl after 12 hours of labor.

Like nurnur said, if you are only focusing on when you are going to go into labor then you are not going to go in labor. Have a relaxing evening and a good massage . Try to sleep (I know it sounds ridiculous) but even just laying down and focusing on your last hours/days of being pregnant will calm you down. Talk to your little one.

GOOD LUCK! You will be holding your wee babe soon.

[~Megan~]

Sometimes there is a small leak and then it stops. Could this be what happened?

[flyjawn]

thanks everyone - my water is definitely broken - 24 hours later i'm still having gushes every once in a while.

i was having really good strong contractions last night for about an hour and then they just stopped altogether. for some reason when i walk, the contractions start and are unbearable but the minute that i stand still or sit down, they stop completely.

i've taken some castor oil as per my midwives instructions because i only have a few more hours to get this labour going before my midwives will have to recommend an induction of some sort. it will 30 hours since water breaking.

so for now i'm trying to walk around but the contractions are just so strong they almost knock me over. and then of course when i pause, they disappear....

[HeatherB]

Do you have or could you get to a chiropractor? I had a similar pattern with my first labor and the baby was malpositioned. I would have good, strong, consistent contractions only when walking. A chiropractor came to me with my 2nd birth and it helped dramatically in getting the baby better positioned. Ctx became evenly spaced (though at that point further apart as there was less work to do).

You might ask your MWs about other techinques to work on position, too, as I'd really guess that's the problem at this point. I was so surprised when my MW with my 2nd birth said that right off the bat when I told her my previous story, but it made so much sense!

Hoping you have no need for this advice at this point and are holding your little one! Blessings!

[ericswifey27]

Drink lots of water to replenish fluids, and don't agree to anything you are not 100% behind.

Sending you happy & healthy mama & baby vibes.

[flyjawn]

thanks everyone! as it turned out, as soon as we headed to the hospital for an NST test my contractions started and by the time we were finished the test, they were 4 minutes apart. of course the doctor wanted to start an induction with pitocin but my midwfie backed us up and we decided to go home.

less than 3 hours later i had my little boy in my arms!

[StacyL]

Hooray - a happy ending!

COngratulations!

[ericswifey27]

Originally Posted by flyjawn

thanks everyone! as it turned out, as soon as we headed to the hospital for an NST test my contractions started and by the time we were finished the test, they were 4 minutes apart. of course the doctor wanted to start an induction with pitocin but my midwfie backed us up and we decided to go home.

less than 3 hours later i had my little boy in my arms!

YES! That is wonderful news!

Welcome, little one!

[HeatherB]

Yay!! Wonderful news!! Congrats on the new little one - so glad to hear it had a perfect ending.

[nurnur]

Yeah!!! ~

another testement that our bodies KNOW what to do and all that time is not for nothing ~ Im certain your body was changing and getting ready and therefore you only had 3 hours of the intense stuff! A gift! Now if we could only get the "RULES" to conincide with good science!

[Jimibell]

yay!!
I was just reading this thread but it really put a smile on my face to see you had your baby the way you wanted!!! yay, yay, yay!!
congratulations!!