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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask why people wouldn't like their waters to be broken for them?

68 replies

Mumof3xox · 17/07/2014 21:03

I had my waters broken for me with all 3 births

I've never in rl heard anyone speak negatively about it

But just saw a poster on a thread say "hope they don't have to break your waters for you" and wondered why?

I was always glad when they did it! With the last I actually asked for it to be done!

OP posts:

MissDuke · 17/07/2014 23:02

It is better for them to stay intact until the end of the first stage - as mentioned, they prevent infection. They also protect the baby, cord and placenta from the force of the contractions, as the fluid is not compressible. Obviously it is sometimes indicated, for example to augment labour or if a fetal scalp electrode needs to be used for example - however it shouldn't be used to speed up a labour that is actually progressing normally (though often is!). It is very painful if the cervix is not well dilated.

LST · 17/07/2014 23:10

They broke mine at 38 weeks instead of putting me in a pessary like I thought would happen. It was and still is the worst experience of my life! Thank god they broke themselves with ds2!

WanderingAway · 17/07/2014 23:12

I had mine broken. The dr came in popped them, left and four hours later with not much pain my dd was born. I also am strep b positive, my dd was put straight onto antibiotics & was absolutely fine.

I don't see what the big deal is.

ShakesBootyFlabWobbles · 17/07/2014 23:22

I had mine broke in both pregnancies. Was unpleasant both times, particularly the 2nd time when I had spd. I had to have gas and air to get through it, it was agony.

Osmiornica · 17/07/2014 23:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HalfEatenPizza · 17/07/2014 23:47

They scratched my daughter's head with the hook! I couldn't stop thinking 'what if... they had pierced through to her brain.'

Please, do not agree to unneccessary procedures. Please!

Sillylass79 · 18/07/2014 00:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StillFrigginRexManningDay · 18/07/2014 00:07

SillyLass I only had one stitch on ds so yes that makes sense, on the dds I think they lost count but they were there for ages. Dd1 and dd2 both times my waters broke by themselves. With dd3 they kind of half went going in the hospital door.

MoominKoalaAndMiniMoom · 18/07/2014 00:15

The woman opposite me in induction ward insisted I'd need gas and air for when they broke my waters, that I'd scream and cry.

I didn't even realise they'd done it until they came gushing out, it just felt like a normal internal examination. Contractions ramping up didn't bother me as I was already on the syntocin drip

MrsMook · 18/07/2014 00:18

With DS1 they were broken when I stalled at 5cm.

It sent contractions through the roof. The pethadine then came out which locked my brain into a world of fiery pain for 8 hours. DS got jammed in back to back, became distressed, we had an EMCS after 2 hours of fruitless pushing, and he ended up in neonatal for observations while I was in HDU. I don't know how much the breaking of waters triggered that direction of events, but the inability to cope with the pain being so sudden, and my reaction to being drugged made the experience much harder to deal with.

Second time they were broken during pushing for forceps and I didn't notice a difference, but contactions had naturally built up. I'm not aware of them being broken, so it may have been when the spinal block was in place as I didn't experience the great gush of the first time. It had looked likely that DS2 would be born in his sac.

Mylovelylovelyhorse · 18/07/2014 00:29

DD was born in her sac. Had my waters been broken she'd be at increasesd risk of drowning at sea. As it is she is unlucky to suffer that fate

NacMacFeeglie · 18/07/2014 00:29

If the midwife had broken ddtwos waters she wouldn't be here.

I had a lovely midwife that I trusted and whenever she asked me if I wanted them broken I said I trusted her judgement. In the end they broke about a minute before she was born.

The placenta didn't come away. The moment my midwife tugged on the cord it snapped. Turned out I had a condition of the cord and breaking my waters early could have caused it to detach from the placenta whilst my dd was still inside.

So IMO yabu. If it's not necessary then don't take the risk.

RedPony · 18/07/2014 01:01

I had my waters broken about 20 mins before Ds arrived and I hardly noticed it. I was having extremely intense contractions with just a couple of seconds in between so I didn't notice until after and I felt a small warm gush. The contractions were 100 x more painfull once they had been broken though so I think if I have another I will refuse ARM.

I was induced for pre eclampsia so they wanted to get him out pretty quickly which they did but I would try and avoid it I'm future labours.

I did find the examinations excruciating and every examination ( I had 4 and a sweep) the midwife had to stop early as I just couldn't handle the pain even with gas and air.

Birdsgottafly · 18/07/2014 06:16

I had mine broken with all three of my births.

I was fully dilated and ready to deliver, I just needed my waters to break.

When I had my second it was hospital policy not to break the waters, so I ended up fully in labour and totally exhausted for, four hours longer than I needed to.

The MW told me to say "that I was discharging myself, so my mother could break my waters", it was a ridiculous situation.

Luckily the policy had changed when I had my last.

I didn't have stitches, or tear, with any of my births, I don't know if the waters being intact until the last minute helped, this.

I would of liked the experience of my waters going, I didn't even have a dripple, after the show.

mumteedum · 18/07/2014 07:30

I was induced at 37 weeks for high bp/ risk pre eclampsia. They did a pessary and told me another one in 24 hours. When they came to do that one, without warning doctor said might as well just break waters instead. I naively just went along with it and it meant I was mentally unprepared for contractions ramping up so fast

My stbxh wasn't even there yet. I can't say the breaking of waters hurt but I had so many interventions. It was an awful birth. Back to back. Baby in distress. Ventouse. Catheter. Constant monitoring. Episiotomy.

My one and only birth experience.

Mouthfulofquiz · 18/07/2014 09:24

Mine popped when I was well into the push

Mouthfulofquiz · 18/07/2014 09:26

Sorry - sausage fingers!
I was well into the pushing stage... DS was nearly out. When they popped it felt like someone flicked me on the vag! Owwwwww. I think it might have been better to have them popped for me!

wonderingsoul · 18/07/2014 09:52

Withbds1 they broke my waters, I didn't want them.to cos it looked scary, but soon as she had a felt a pressure release and managed to push him out with in 5 minutes.

I strongly belive had it not been done it would have taken longer.

Ds2 they told me they was going to pop my waters but they had all ready gone,

I wouldn't say no to having it done, but I form for having quick labours.

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