Anyone been induced by just having their waters broken?

[CloudyVanilla]

Hiya,

I was induced with my second DC but using the usual procedure of pessaries and building up to waters being broken.

This baby has an unstable lie; an ECV was successful but he has flipped right back into a transverse lie again!

I've been told the plan is to turn him again and then induce straight away by breaking waters so he can't move into the wrong position.

I'm quite nervous to be honest, it sounds like a quick jump and a recipe for a failed induction and EMCS.

I don't want to refuse though as I have been having some signs labour could be round the corner and have been told due to the risk of cord prolapse I would need to treat it as an emergency if my waters went at home. I also no longer have the option of turning him and waiting for natural labour as this was done before and he turned around again.

The ECV was painful and stressful (his heart was very fast on the monitor afterwards) and while I'm willing to try again in pursuit of a natural labour, I'm scared of the consequences of going straight to having waters broken to start labour - I have read this isn't really recommended?

I've had 2 straightforward deliveries before so I was really hoping to avoid a c section, but does it maybe sound safer to skip the ECV and induction and just book an ELCS instead?

Don't have much time left now to decide and I'm getting a little stressed!

Honestly, in your circumstances I would opt for ELCS. You may be scared of it but you are also scared of the alternative and surely it’s better to know what’s coming if you’re going to be scared either way?

@Veganmedic, sorry, I didn’t word that so well. What I meant was “of course you can’t make the staff give you an epidural, but equally they can’t perform procedures without your consent”.

My understanding is that if it isn’t a crash scenario, if you don’t consent to a particular procedure, or will only consent under certain circumstances, they would have to have a fairly thorough discussion with you about the different benefits and risks to find a mutually acceptable alternative, or at least to make sure you understand the risks of declining the proposed procedure if there is no alternative. In short, informed consent matters.

OP, I would have no qualms about going straight to section in light of what you’ve just said.

Due to my own experience of being induced, I get a bit wound up by medics telling you what they’ll do to you rather than telling you what they would recommend and why (in non-emergency/time-critical situations)....it seems more common in obstetrics.

I have been induced 4 times, the 2 that were 40/41 weeks needed ARM after pessaries and yes once ARM it was fast and actually with the other 2 once my waters broke it was very quick, with the last waters breaking to delivery was less than 2 minutes.

My understanding is that they want to break your waters so the baby will plug the gap and the cord can't prolapse, and if it does they will know it has happened and whisk you straight into theatre.

Each time I had ARM they explained the risk and what would happen. I had a friend with prolapsed cord via spontaneous delivery and it was quick, they realised what was going on, asked her about when she had last eaten etc, and as she was wheeled into theatre had a hand up her stopping the baby's head descending further and was given a GA - her and baby fine.

C-section isn't about easy option so I would stay open minded, hopefully baby will go head down and stay there!!!

It's reassuring to hear that induction by ARM isn't as uncommon as I thought! I will definitely be more vocal about my concerns as so far I have just smiled and nodded about induction as that's what I thought I wanted.

If they can convince me the ECV is safe then I may still go for it but I was told before they didn't like to repeat ECVs? I will also ask about time scales for a CS as he reason for the extra scans was episodes of reduced fetal movements; the consultant scanned me at my last visit to ADAU and it was then they realised he had moved from a head down position. As I've had a few episodes my consultant had agreed with me that I shouldn't go far overdue and ideally I would have an induction between 39 and 40 weeks.

Can they organise a c section quite quickly then? I have no idea how that whole process works

Like with inductions you go on the c-section list for the day.

You get bumped down by emergencies, staff availability etc.

I had my waters broken to be induced. 1hr15 mins later baby was born.

I've had 4 babies, the last 2 I was induced by ARM. I always have big late babies.
DC3 was at 42wks, they broke my waters, told me to walk to the toilet and by the time I got there I was in full blown labour..she was born 2hrs later.

Dc4 induced at 40wks, I don't believe I/he was ready as ARM did nothing, I walked all round the hospital, leaking and in the end had to go.on the drip. He was born 4hrs after I went into established labour but the whole process was 13hrs.

Good luck!

I had an induced labour and they broke my waters, best I can describe is they use a hook and I had gas and air to deal with it.
I can't comment on variable labour pains as I only have pfb but the pains were instant and really bad, no amount of drugs really helped and probably made labour progression worse in their own way.

Dc was back to back so wasn't shifting, had to have a forceps delivery with spinal placed in the end. I think if I had the same sort of experience I would have a section.