What is induction like after waters broken but no contractions? Scared!

[Craftycakey15]

My waters broke last night and I am booked to go in to start induction tomorrow morning as I have had no contractions yet. I had no idea that this happens and am willing my body to start contractions tonight! All I have is the constant waters breaking, argh!

Has any one had this type of contraction before (after waters break)? Is it a quicker process than other circumstances , e.g. Being very overdue. I'm 41 weeks tomorrow, cervix soft and 1-2 cm dilated, baby 3/5 engaged ...and really scared of induction including the days in hospital before labour starts.

[usernamewastooobv]

It will likely be a drip so the actual induction should be painless - then there is the actual labour.....

Good luck :)

[Rachelly123]

I was 2 weeks over due with dd, induced via a pesary, waters broke the next day but no contractions. Later that day I was induced via a drip. They start with a low dosage and turn it up as time goes on. This brings on the contractions. I have no idea what "normal" contractions feel like to make the comparison but wish you all the best X

[starsinyourpies]

I had the exact same situation and had a drip, nothing happened for quite a while then they broke my waters fully and it started to hurt like hell! Managed gas and air for a few hours but not dilating so had an epidural, slept for ages and woke up nearly ready to push! It really wasn't too bad and totally depends how your body reacts to the induction. Good luck!!

[SpicyTomatos]

I think if your waters break naturally you get longer (24hrs vs 6 hrs, say) than if they were broken for you. Either way, you will be given synthetic oxytocin as described by Rachelly123 to get you going if you still don't have any contractions.

It's supposed to be more painful with the assistance hence a greater likelihood of an epidural being required. Quick aside, if you do have an epidural and have the magic button option, it is worth holding back a bit, so you can deliver in a range of positions and still be able to use your legs.

In general though, it is a positive thing that your waters have broken, and soon you will be giving birth. Good luck.

[Mrsbclinton]

I had similar, my waters broke and nothing happened so they left me wandering the hospital corridors for 24 hours before I was hooked up to drip.
I started getting contractions very quickly and requested epidural which worked well for me. 10 hours after getting drip my baby arrived.
My advice would be to eat something as I remember feeling really hungry during labour and they wouldnt let me eat!
Good luck you are nearly there and will be meeting you baby real soon.

[Eehbaguhm]

My waters broke at 38 weeks and because of Group B Strep I was induced pretty much straight away. It took 18hrs from the drip going in to baby arriving, with the contractions fairly mild for the first few hours. I got by throughout with just gas and air.

My active labour was recorded as being 1hr20, it took ages to get beyond 2cm dilated but then I only pushed for 20 minutes so swings and roundabouts I guess! No cuts or grazes either.. Good luck!

[PinkyOrTank]

My sister had this (waters broke at 36+6). She didn't have an epidural although was warned it can be more 'intense' as happens in a shorter timeframe than if contractions build naturally. She was fine, and delivered within a few hours of the drip starting. Good luck!

[Craftycakey15]

I meant to say has anyone ever had this type of induction, not contraction! Thanks for all the info about your experiences. I am scared about being on the antenatal ward for a long time when I go in as I have heard it's very noisy where I am going. Also, find the idea of giving birth on my back attached to a drip so uncomfortable. I would have loved a water birth or at least I need to be active?

[Craftycakey15]

P,s, can you not eat during induced labour then?

[Giveusawobble]

Can't help on induction but did they swab you for Group B Strep when you were checked?

Baby is at risk of infection with broken waters and you should NOT be left without guidance on what to look out for and baby's heartbeat/your temp being checked regularly.

It's been 24 hours?

Not fear mongering but you need to be aware of increased infection risk the longer you are left with broken waters. I'm sure all will be fine but just to share info

Including a pic of NICE guidelines

[Giveusawobble]

Oh and I doubt you will have to stay on your back with a drip, you should be able to stand/move. Good luck it's honestly not as bad as everyone makes out if you concentrate on your breathing and have some lovely gas and air!

[Mrsbclinton]

I wasnt allowed to eat, was told it was in case a c section was needed.
All three of my births were inductions and only one resulted in section, so I suppose it can happen.
Dont be scared (easier said than done) you will be fine. I had earphones and listened to music which I found really helpful.

[Shurelyshomemistake]

I definitely ate during my induced labour. Maybe the no eating is a new thing.

If you can manage some marching arpund I would really go with that. Up and down stairs if possible. Might get things moving and so you won't need the drip.

Wax earplugs are great from blocking out loud noise. Could someone nip to boots to get you some??

Good luck!

[Mrsbclinton]

Just to add I wasnt allowed to move around as I had feral monitor strapped to my belly and bp monitored every 15 mins. The bouncy ball was as mobile as I got.

[Shurelyshomemistake]

You can move around with a drip but if you go with epidural then not usually.

If you are favourable you may get on fine with just pessary BTW.

[Partiallycloudy]

Same thing happened to me. Waters broke at 37+2, they wanted to induce me next morning, I refused. I held off for just over 48 hours. Said I would only be induced using the pessary not the drip.
Less then 4 hours later I needed to push but was ignored..... eventually needed an emergency c due to an undiagnosed breech.

Every hospital has different guidelines on when to induce after early rupture of membranes. The risk of infection is small and if you wish to wait it out and see if things happen naturally, go home and monitor your temp regularly. The hospital should ask you to keep coming back for monitoring.
Don't be forced into a situation you are not 100% about. You must give Informed consent to any procedure so make sure you are informed.
Try to relax, watch a funny film and breath! ( laughter releases oxytocin- oxytocin gets labour going)
Most of all good luck. X

[Mrsbclinton]

I didnt give birth in UK so it may vary in different countries.

[Craftycakey15]

Thanks for the info giveusawobble*. I did go in for monitoring this evening and am checking my temperature every four hours.

I hope for a quick and easy induction then!

[catkind]

I had this, though at the time the hospital guidelines let me go 72h before being induced.
When I was called in they tried a pessary first to see if it got things going - I was allowed to wander off around hospital grounds and stuff, just checked in occasionally for monitoring. Then when that didn't work they moved me to the delivery room and put me on a drip. So no actual labouring on the ward. Could still stand up and move on the drip but was a bit tied up by wires and monitor. Top tip - get them to put the drip and the monitor on same side of the bed, much easier to manoeuvre.
If it's still the same, they wanted to give me 2 doses of antibiotics during labour to reduce infection risk to baby. Actually only got the first lot in as baby arrived about 3 hours after they started the drip.

[Perpetualstateofchaos]

My waters broke at 36 +2 and I was induced with a pessary just over 24 hours later. Due to the risk of infection they weren't not willing to let me wait and wanted ds2 out within 72 hours of that. I was mobile throughout and ds was born roughly 7 hours later.

[MomentOfWonder]

Hope by the time I finally finish typing this post things are very much on the move!

My waters broke with no contractions but my induction was delayed (due to the hospital being very busy, also the guidelines were not so clear then apparently). The pessary didn't work for me at all (although I wasn't overdue) and things went pretty slowly even on the drip so I ended up having an epidural (up until then with WiFi continous monitoring I had been pretty mobile) but DC1 was born by ventouse and was fine.

The most stressful things were the delay to get started and my frustration at my own body for not doing what it was 'supposed' to do! Over time I realised the main thing was that we were both OK, and it felt less and less important that it wasn't quite how I would have wanted.

My top tips for induction would be to take an eye mask and ear plugs, and lots of things to distract you if it looks like you might be in for the long haul (and make the most of chances to sleep). I didn't eat but i'm not sure I would have wanted to!

Hopefully things will get going for you a lot more quickly. When I had my second child I was worried the same thing would happen-especially when my waters went first again (this time I was given thermometers to check my temp every four hours once a midwife confirmed it). However, the whole thing was less than twelve hours start to finish without any 'augmentation ' and we were home the same morning DC2 was born-the midwives were no doubt amused that we had packed as if we were going on holiday for a week, assuming we could be there a while again...

Best of luck with everything.

[SeventeenRainbeaus]

A lot of the time women don't need to be induced. Not even if your waters have broken. It leads to intervention after intervention. Drip because things slow down, then epidural because the woman feels she needs it, then usually an assisted delivery then the woman feels her body didn't do the right thing and feels she failed. Your waters can be broken for 96 hours and you still don't need inducing. They obviously wont tell you this though. As long as mum and baby are doing fine and there is no sign of infection you are okay to stay as is. VEs increase the risk of infection so it's best a woman is left alone when her waters break. Just saying as there is a lot of unnecessary inductions and it grates on me.

[SeventeenRainbeaus]

Or of course the drip, then epidural then baby gets distressed because the contractions aren't natural so mum ends up with EMCS then everyone thinks the staff done a good job for saving baby's life when they caused it in the first place.

[MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly]

I had your exact situation 2 years ago. NICE guidelines allow for 48 hr after waters break to induction, so if you are determined to go naturally you can make them wait.

I waited 48 hrs but still no contractions. Had the gel for 6 hours, then the drip. Gel was very uncomfortable (rather than painful) - like period pains and back ache. I was dreading the drip, but I found it manageable. They didn't tell me there was gas and air (hidden in a canister in the cupboard!) so I managed for 14 hours with only TENS and breathing through. I was allowed on the birthing ball, but I failed to progress past 4cm and baby was in distress so I ended up with a section under general.

You should be prepared that an assisted delivery of some kind could happen - they are more common if you opt for an epidural. Don't be afraid of the induced labour itself, I read some real horror stories, but no-one I know who has been induced in real life found it that bad, although quite a few who had epis ended up with c-section or forceps/ventouse.

Saying it's all worth it is no comfort at all just before you are about you go into labour. I know that, but I'm going to say it anyway. I'd do it all again tomorrow in a heartbeat to have my DS. Good luck and congratulations in advance!

[nooka]

My waters broke with no contractions with both of my births.

With ds they discovered that he had a transverse lie when I got to hospital probably about 12 hrs after my waters broke (I was planning a home water birth so the first assessment was by the community midwife at home) and so I had a c-section without ever going into labour.

With dd they let me go three days with monitoring as there was plenty of amniotic fluid and no signs of infection (plus they had no space!) then they induced me with a drip, and I'm sorry to say that it was the most painful and scary experience in my life. Possibly because it was only 16mths after my previous c-section, but also because although they said that I could move around before they put in the drip in practice I wasn't allowed off the bed. Ended up with another c-section because of failure to progress. If I ever were to have to give birth again I'd go for an elective c-section (although I'd probably not be given the choice for anything else).

I hope that the OP's contractions start on their own and she has a good a birth as possible.