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help!! artificial rupture of membranes offered...what would you do?!

4K views 40 replies 12 participants last post by  ryleeee 
#1 ·
alright...last wednesday at my appointment i was just about 4 cm dilated...the midwife was totally shocked and did a membrane sweep telling me she thought at the very latest i'd have my baby by the following friday. i spent the weekend in bed pretty much...a lot of pain...a lot of contractions that weren't super painful or regular so i wrote them off as pretty much nothing. the worst pain was the near constant menstrual cramping and a sore lower back on the right. i finally caved on monday and took a tylenol in the afternoon and one at night.

anyways, so today at my appointment my midwife is basically like holy shit, you are SEVEN centimeters dilated, we never see this...and did a crazy membrane sweep for a couple minutes that was pretty painful (not in my cervix, just my uterus all over). she definitely stirred things up as she had blood and mucous on her glove as she pulled it out. she immediately called the midwife on call to give her directions to our house...evelyn was like "oh don't worry i'll just look it up" and anne-marie was like "um...no. you will GET IN YOUR CAR when she calls, you won't have time!!" they told me to call pretty much as soon as ctx were regular. my cervix is almost fully effaced (they said it's only about .5 cm thick at this point) and the baby is definitely low.

so i had contractions off and on for a couple hours this afternoon pretty regularly but i just didn't feel like it was time to call yet, i felt like it was more due to the membrane sweep than actual impending labour, but i wasn't entirely sure. also, it was mid-afternoon and SUPER nice outside and i didn't want to call evelyn away from whatever she was doing outside in the sun if it was nothing....we filled the pool maybe a quarter full with warmish water (which of course is now cold :p) and went for a walk...it is about 3 blocks away and took us 1.5 hours. i was in SO MUCH PAIN...i had to stop maybe 10 times to breathe through contractions...got home and laid down and they went away minus a couple more painful ones...i feel FULL now. like i have to use the bathroom but can't because there is nothing to expel...my friend told me that this means she is just getting lower and lower...i lost tons of mucous plug / bloody show this afternoon.

so ANYWAYS. they told me today that if i am not in labour by the morning to call evelyn and she will give me a castor oil / lemon / herbal drink that should kick labour in, but they can also rupture my membranes. i know a lot of people are REALLY against induction methods, but bear with me...here's my pros and cons. honestly, what would you do if you were me?

cons:

-i have had my water broken before and omg it is painful, but then again i was also induced and had zero pain meds.

-the cord could present first, obviously that would be a problem. i don't think it's likely because she is SO LOW they said.

pros:

- my mom took time off work starting friday. she is coming for a week. derek's parents are coming on the 28th (saturday next week) for a couple nights). it would work out well to have their visits apart, not that they don't get along...i just think it would work better for everyone.

-derek is off work right now for a couple days.

-i don't really see the labour taking much longer if they break my water and i am already 7 cm. i think it's pretty likely she would be born tomorrow (if you disagree with this PLEASE let me know)

-if they don't break my water and this goes as fast as they expect, there is a good chance we will be birthing unassisted, which i am mostly fine with but would prefer to have the midwives here for support!

-i honestly don't know how much longer i can deal with this pain. i am back to feeling pretty menstrual-like crampy...which apparently means dilation for me.

-i would have a good excuse to skip my baby shower on sunday and derek and haye could go to it...not to be rude but i realllllllly don't want to sit around talking about how i am feeling blah blah blah. and there's no way i'd take my newborn to a baby shower.

i guess i have unconventional labours? haha. haye was born at 38 weeks 6 days (that's what i am currently) after being induced for being over 3 cm (stupid reason to be induced but i was young and didn't know better)

ugh. what would you do? sorry this is so long.
 
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#2 ·
oh! also...i forgot one of the most important reasons why i want her to come sooner than later.

derek's brother has been diagnosed with cancer and starts major chemo and radiation treatments in a week...they are travelling through sunday night and live 12 hours away...it would be REALLY great for them to meet her. it's honestly the one reason i would seriously consider this.
 
#3 ·
Honestly, Riley, I think you should follow your heart. I know you and I know you are probably already leaning one way or the other. Flip a coin and see how you feel? Pray and maybe you will find answers?

I, personally, would take the castor oil/herbal mixture and let that steep and see how you feel. You can ride it out and see how it sits. I would probably keep the midwife close by after the mixture and since I am cool with it but IDK if you are, I would just have her do internals regularly. You can always just say "maybe" for now and if there comes a time over the next 24-36-whenever hours that you know you are READY for a rupture, you will know. This is just me, though! I like to ride the waves and say "not yet, not yet" cause that is my style.

You are still having contractions, correct? What makes you think that you aren't in labour? One woman in my DDC had a very fast birth and her daughter was born in the cowl. Maybe your waters won't rupture at all!

Either way, I am sending you so much love and support. I was reading over a lot of my birth affirmations tonight and sending them to you. I wanted to post them for you but didn't want to bug you. lol.
 
#4 ·
oh man farren i remember those photos of her daughter being born in the cowl! that was the COOLEST picture ever!!!

you can post them dude. please. lol. thanks for the love and support. <3
 
#5 ·
If you're comfortable, then do it - but if you're feeling very conflicted and are worried about the risks, listen to that. In the end it boils down to the choice that makes you happiest and most comfortable, and it sounds like you have all the tools necessary to make an informed choice... so really, it's just down to your feelings!

IF you're looking for others' experiences or opinions: I wouldn't do it. The risks of AROM are too high by comparison to going another few days to a week.
 
#6 ·
thanks babs. i knew that's what you would say ;)

ughhh i am increasingly UNCOMFORTABLE. i would be surprised if she doesn't come on her own, honestly.
i think in the morning i'll do the castor oil (they are pretty sure this will work on its own) and by supper if nothing then maybe get the rupture?

i honestly just don't know how much longer i can do this for. i don't mean to sound whiny but omg i am in pain.

:(

(still would like other opinions guys!)
 
#7 ·
Farren sent me :)

I say ride it out.. I know it's uncomfortable mama but I don't really think it will be much longer. I, too, have unconventional labors... I tend to cook for a long time and then labor hard for a full 24 hours before giving birth. Sit on your birth ball (if you have one), meditate, relax as much as you can. talk to you baby honey and tell her you are ready, she can come when she is ready. i say avoid any sort of labor stimulant at this point because it might end up making you really miserable. ((Hugs)) I'll be thinking of you and sending you lots of love and easy labor vibes. The end is so hard, patience is thin and the discomforts high but think of how rewarding it will be when it's all over.
 
#8 ·
These are some of the affirmations I actually USED during labour!

Give in to labour and let your body take over. Relinquish control to your instinctual body and the baby---they know more than your brain does! {honestly just repeated "instinctual body, instinctual body. lol}

your contractions cannot be stronger than you because they are you.

I easily flow through each contraction. {I said a lot of flow!flow!floowwwww!}

Relax your face {this is a personal thing for me. it helps me relax my entire body}

I surrender my birthing over to my baby and my body. {this is soo important to believe. I really think you ARE in labour. Relax into it. Stop timing contractions, maybe.}

I can do it, I am doing it, we are doing it. {During transition saying I AM DOING THIS I AM DOING THIS was the only thing that brought me peace.}

Love you so much. I know you will make the right decision for you and your baby either way because I trust you! Trust in yourself, too! <3 <3
 
#9 ·
Try the breast pump...I say this because my mw had a patient that was 7cm and after a sweep wasn't in labor still. They came to her house the next day and put her on the breast pump, within 10 minutes on it her water broke and within 15 she had a baby. It would be worth a try if you want to avoid arom. Otherwise I'd go for the castor oil mix.

And my CNM, not my current mw(whose story is above) told me they had a patient who walked around at 7cm for a bit. I walked around at 5cm for a week even after a membrane sweep and lots of walking. My active labor with him was under 2 hours.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#10 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryleeee View Post

thanks babs. i knew that's what you would say
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ughhh i am increasingly UNCOMFORTABLE. i would be surprised if she doesn't come on her own, honestly.
i think in the morning i'll do the castor oil (they are pretty sure this will work on its own) and by supper if nothing then maybe get the rupture?

i honestly just don't know how much longer i can do this for. i don't mean to sound whiny but omg i am in pain.

:(

(still would like other opinions guys!)
Ps. If you're in pain right now I'd call your mw...you may be one of those very lucky women whose labors aren't crazy painful:)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#11 ·
I was thinking it sounds like you ARE in labor too... and that Farren knows what she's talking about. :) You know your heart and where it's leading - I'd go with that over others' experiences.

That being said, I'd be torn between the castor oil and just doing the AROM. I'm not a huge fan of either, either, but ... sometimes things just need a kick in the pants. With dh's supposed to be leaving soon, us needing him to be both here AND making money somehow (not going to happen of course - we have to make a choice there) and my mom here Tuesday, and all the moving going, I may have less compelling reasons to motivate this LO out the door, but ooooohhhh how I want to do just that. Last I heard I was 4cm, tomorrow if I'm 7... yeah, I'd be trying some new tricks. I'll be 39 weeks Friday so right there with you on dates. I think I'd start with the castor oil first thing in the morning and see what happened.

ELVs and hugs!
 
#12 ·
well mdc just ate my reply :(

it basically boiled down to - with arom there is no turning back, if it doesn't work you are out of luck. i think you should try everything else first because with things like castor oil if it doesn't work you can just try something else, no worries about having to force things along or head to the hospital.

my cousin had all 5 of her children 2-3 weeks before due dates by taking castor oil. it really can work but its a gets worse before it gets better sort of thing. take it only after a good nights sleep.

ask your midwives about blue or black cohosh? maybe that is already in there little brew?

good luck! you are so close rye!!
 
#15 ·
YES.

Ohhhh yes. At least, that was my experience. Lots of counterpressure on your back, (stick two tennis balls in a sock and have dh or doula or anyone press/roll them into the pain, hot and cold rice bags are also happy, the heels of whomever's hands pressing into it helped too) and I would've killed for a warm tub, but I was in a hospital that didn't roll that way. :(

Rocking, rotating my hips, on the birth ball helped too, if you have one.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ryleeee View Post

also - is it possible for back labour to be more painful than contractions?! honestly?
Sending you strength!
 
#19 ·
during the first thirty minutes when my labor turned into actual labor i was stuck on the toilet cleaning out, lol. but anyway, i had a book with me that showed pictures of a baby descending down and then out and i just visualized and focused on that as much as i could!

also if your back is really hurting and you think things are picking up but arent sure? take a warm shower! we called my midwife after 1 hour of intense contractions and she laughed at us (nicely) and told me to get in the shower and things would calm down. well instead they got way more intense and i had rhys an hour later. afterwards my midwife said that its a great way to test if it's actual labor or just prelabor. if it's the real deal a warm shower is not going to slow it down it is more likely to pick things up. if it's not it will fizzle!
 
#20 ·
Its really happening, Rye! Your body is taking over and you are going to be holding your baby girl very soon! Many many ELVs!!!!
goodvibes.gif
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ~Demeter~ View Post

Rye, let go Mama.... give into it and let her come, don't hold back. You can do it! Rock your hips and open yourself up. Thinking of you, honey... and wishing you a most joyous birth.
heartbeat.gif
Yes this and um call your mw unless you are okay with a uc
smile.gif


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#23 ·
midwife just left...she gave us the labour smoothie ing and recipe...she says take it at 6 am if i don't hear from her (if she's at another birth). we don't have all the ing so we might have to wait until 8am to make it and take it but that's fine. she says i haven't really progressed since this afternoon and am still between 5 and 7 cm (she can definitely stretch it to 7 easily) and that the baby is still a bit high. i took a gravol and two tylenol and am going to bed...she says to get a really good night sleep in. she says normally they don't do the labour smoothie until 41 weeks but all i need is some good, regular ctx and she will be out. she says there is a good chance she will be born tomorrow if i do the smoothie, and if after 2 doses it doesn't work then she's not ready...if it starts to work though, they can break my water if i want and she will come. so i guess we'll see what tomorrow brings.

ugh. i'm so glad i called her and she came. i was losing it a bit.
 
#26 ·
i don't regret having them stripped em, really! it has been painful but i think it's been worth it...look at the progress i've made in a week. i only have 3 cm left to go. that's pretty awesome. derek just left to get the labour smoothie ingredients...i am totally grossed out. i don't want to drink it. barf. supposedly the almond butter will bind to the castor oil so i don't just have horrendous diarrhea. i dreamt all night about my midwife and hanging out with her.

and i slept.

oh. my. gosh did i sleep.

i woke up about an hour ago with menstrual-like cramping but went back to sleep. it's still really dull.

checking in with the midwife at 10. either today is the day or it isn't, pretty much.

it's insane to me that i could be holding my baby today. i know lots of people on here are really anti-induction but seriously...i don't want to do this for another week. or 2. or 3. 7 cm is not really fun to walk around with. she thinks the bag of water is keeping the baby off my cervix and if i do this drink it will start contractions...as soon as i feel 3 strong ones even if they are 8 minutes apart i am supposed to call her. i am also supposed to go back to bed after drinking it.

send elvs guys...we want this baby out!!!!!

keeping haye home from school, he doesn't want to miss the birth.

please let today be it.

my brother in law predicted last week it would be thursday.

then again he also wants me to sell my placenta to kenny from kenny vs. spenny so...
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