Water breaking / water birth???

[veggijessie]

Can you have a water birth if your water is broken?

Please help I really want a water birth but my labor always starts with my waters breaking. Any links or books would be great! Thanks

[Reha]

Absolutely!

I'm not sure what you birth plans are, but I have heard hospitals won't let you in the birth pool if your membranes have ruptured, but most providers well versed on waterbirth have no problem with it. If you are planning a homebirth, the likelihood is that your midwife won't be concerned about it.

Of course, the main concern is infection, but if you think about the physiology of our bodies, as long as nothing is going "up" in your vagina (examining fingers : ) our bodies naturally push things down and out of our vagina, especially during contractions. So, there is little risk of bacteria traveling upwards if nothing is put in the vagina.

We have had many mamas birth in the water after their membranes ruptured, some even DAYS after the water broke.

[Reha]

Oh, I forgot to post a link for w good source of information:

http://gentlebirth.org/archives/prom.html#Bathing

[jennica]

If you are seeing a provider who says you can't go in the pool if your water is broken, or isn't broken, I would take this as a tip off that your provider is not very supportive of, or comfortable with water birth and it is unlikely that you will get to have one if they are this restrictive about it. If you are having a hospital birth it is likely that they use this excuse as a reason to not have to set up the birth tub. It's always good to find out, not only if your hospital has a birth tub, but if women actually get to use it. Same with homebirth midwives, find out how many of her clients labor and deliver in the birth tub.

[laohaire]

If you are asking if there are problems with a water birth after ROM, there are not any known problems.

If you are asking what the policies usually are at hospitals, I believe they vary.

I had a waterbirth after a couple of days of PROM. No infection, everything was fine. That's not statistically helpful for you, but it is just one anecdote.

[SublimeBirthGirl]

Depends on your birth attendant. There's no reason you can't but that doesn't always mean anything.

[MamaEssie]

Start taking Vit C now...it strengthens your water bag so it won't break so early. My water broke before labor started with my first. With my second I took Vit C all the way through and my water didn't break until just before I started pushing!

[Veritaserum]

My last three births have been waterbirths. With two of them my water broke while I was in the tub. Those were home births, though. Some hospitals are strict with the rules as to who is allowed to get in the tub. If I were to have another hospital birth (not likely!) I would simply get in the tub and not ask permission first.

[veggijessie]

Thanks for the replies!

This child is going to be a UC.
#1 was a c/s
#2 HBAC with mw but the mw told me that because my waters were broke for 70 hours that she was not comfortable with the tub.
#3 another HB did not even try for a water birth/ no tub

My dh and I really want to UC and I want a tub! Thanks for the replies we just went and looked at stock tanks and we are going to get one!

[homebirthbaby]

My second was a WONDERFUL UC Home Waterbirth in a "fishey pool". My labors have both began with my water breaking. I will be aiming for that for my next birth too!

[AlpineMama]

The official policy of my birth center was no tub in case of ROM, and absolutely no deliveries before 38 weeks. I went straight into the tub, after a ROM, and I was 37 weeks and 1 day. :