Waters broke at 4am today - but no contractions

[MrsZebra]

Hi
This is my 3rd labour and I'm just after some advice as this has never happened before. My waters broke at 4am this morning - loads and loads of fluid - I was checked at the hospital at 8am and waters have gone, baby fine but not in labour as no dilation or contractions. I've got to go in at 8am tomorrow to be induced if labour doesn't start naturally tonight. Has anyone else experienced this or have any advice. How great is the risk of infection or cord prolapse. The doctor scanned the baby, he's head down but not engaged and the cord wasn't in front of his head.
Thanks.

I was taken in and kept under observation with dd1. Ok it is in Italy and it was 1st child. I was told when it happened - shower no bath - Clean underwear . I was actually induced the next day - well put on a drip and dd arrived in 1.30 hrs ! Hope all goes well.

Happened to me. If you don't want to be induced (which I am NEVER going through again!!) refer to the NICE guidelines, which IMHO trump the NHS in this matter.

The NHS want to make sure you don't get infected (of course very important).

National Institute for Clinical Excellence site 90 hours, not a puny 24, before you need to get some antibiotics sorted.

I know nothing about cord prolapse, but it's actually possible to stay free of infection for weeks if you take good care of yourself. Yes, showers, taking tempreture every day, popping in for a scan a couple of times a week and if you feel stroppy enough requesting regular bloods taken too. Lol. Depends how much you're keen on avoiding an induction! Me? I'd move mountains for this!!

Of course, some peeps don't mind them at all and have had positive birth experiences with them, so just remember it's your choice!

Good luck either way!

I think NICE recommend induction after 24hrs now.

My waters broke and labour started properly the next day.

Happens to me every time. Waters go around 34 weeks, I go into labour at 36 weeks. Doctors check bloods and temp every day and only induce if I seem to get an infection (which has h=only happened once).

With term babies they seem to push to get you to accept induction, but its your decision.

Same thing happened to me at 37+2, was admitted as waters went but no contractions or dilation. Had to wait on ante-natal ward until space to admit me onto labour ward for induction. While on a-n ward all they did was monitor baby, check my temp and give me anti-b's to prevent infection.

Once I was admitted to labour ward was put on synto drip to start contractions, ended up having c-section due to failure to progress. (both me and baby didn't like synto drip).

Good luck!!

I was given 90 hours, told baths were fine and midwife would visit daily to check temp. Labour started after 6 hours though.

Hmm. NICE do appear to have changed their guidelines since I last looked - used to be about three days, now it's 24 hours. Wonder why they changed? But this was very recent and I don't remember a big H&S hoohah about changing the guidelines, so I'd stick to your guns and say it's been 90 hours until very recently.

In the meantime, walk up and down stairs a lot, bounce on your ball, go for a walk, etc. You know the drill!

My waters broke before I went into labour with DD in 2008, though was only the occasional gush, not as dramatic as yours! Contractions started about 48 hours later (while I was MNing ). I had to go to hospital to check that they had really gone and to be monitored briefly but there was no suggestion of imminent induction. I think this was Thursday am and I had an induction booked already for Sat am, so we decided just to stick with that for the meantime (actually went into labour and gave birth Fri night :)).

Did mean I didn't get the water birth I desperately wanted and had to stay in hospital an extra night because of risk of infection (so not the home birth I wanted either :() but otherwise fine.

Good luck :)