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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Waters broke, can I insist on induction

19 replies

Marabou · 07/05/2011 16:52

This is my first baby and my waters broke suddenly with a gush at 2:30am last night and I was told to come in for a check-up, which I did. As everything was fine with me and the baby and I had no contractions I was sent home, told to watch my temperature, the baby's movements and that the liquid still leaking was clear. I came home and started having minor contractions at around 5:00am which built up to about one every 10 to 15 minutes lasting for max. 60minutes, but they stopped at around 1pm and since then I've only had a few here and there.

Anyway, the MW I saw in the labour ward at night told me that if I wasn't in labour by 24hrs, I should come in and they would induce me, because of the infection risk. But the information leaflet she gave me said they would routinely only do this after 48hrs. I rang the labour ward just now, as my temperature was 37.4 and the MW told me that even if I came in after 24hrs, they might still send me home, as it gets busy at the labour ward around that time and I might not be classed as urgent. The problem is, we live quite a stretch away from the hospital and have today already spent £45 on the taxi back and forth and simply couldn't afford to go back and forth in vain again. So I was just wondering whether I can insist they induce me like the first MW said..? Sorry for the long rant :(!

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MrsMoppet · 07/05/2011 16:57

If you still haven't had any contractions by about 7pm this evening, I'd go back, and ask them to book you in. Given that your waters broke more than 24 hours ago, they will have to do something fairly soon, and you don't want to be dashing back to the hospital in the middle of the night, worrying that you won't make it in time.

If you do start having contractions - don't hesitate, get yourself back to the delivery suite pronto.

That's what i would do anyway.

How exciting for you - good luck! Let us know how it all goes, and whether the end result is pink or blue

travispickles · 07/05/2011 17:01

Go in and insist. I had a low level temp like you - ended up induced, refused epidural due to infection and many many horrific hours later an EMCS. I am sure you will be fine but I wish I had got on with it sooner.

Original poster

Marabou · 07/05/2011 17:03

Hey there and thanks for your reply! Sorry if I wasn't clear, but my waters broke at 2:30am on the 7th so today.. So by 7pm it would still not be 24hrs.

But I think I will call them again at that time anyway, because it also said in the info leaflet that they should monitor the baby's heartbeat every 12hrs..

I'm well excited and it's a little fella btw :)!

OP posts:

virginiasmonalogue · 07/05/2011 17:03

I was induced 3 days after waters went. Wish I'd have gone naturally but all was well. It's hell just waiting, but if itstarts naturally, you'll be so glad in the long run.

Good luck!

Original poster

Marabou · 07/05/2011 17:08

Oh gosh, I just can't wait 3 days !! I think I'll try and go for a litlle stroll to get some pineapple from tesco's ...

OP posts:

MrsMoppet · 07/05/2011 17:10

Awwww Well, I guess you need to keep monitoring your temperature, and if you've already had some contractions you will hopefully have some more before 2.30 a.m. tomorrow! But I'd be inclined to try to insist that they let you book in this evening. Midnight / early-hours dashes to the hospital aren't ideal (I've done it twice!).

I'd be willing to bet that you go into labour naturally before 2.30 a.m. Anyone else agree?!

travispickles · 07/05/2011 18:14

Btw my doc said 37.4 is a temp, which may indicate an infection... My infection got into placenta and meant my baby being sent to SCBU for IV antibiotics. If it stays at that go back in.

Original poster

Marabou · 07/05/2011 18:22

Thanks everyone for your replies!

travis, do you mean they refused you and epidural because of infection or that you refused an epidural? If they will induce me I think I would definitely want an epidural, because I heard the contractions are more painful..

Well I realised it might have been a bit warm inside so opened the windows a bit, waited a half an hour and took my temperature again. This time it was 36.8 so perfectly normal..

I think I will call the labour ward again at 8-9ish and ask to be booked in, as the first MW said exactly that it might not be a good idea to come in in the middle of the night and that we should perhaps come in after an evening meal at around 9 to 10pm..

OP posts:

Checkmate · 07/05/2011 18:56

Keep upright and mobile, it'll probably happen itself which is infinitely preferable.

Are your waters still coming out? (Meaning they've fully broken and its not just hind waters)

If your temp stays where it is, I would wait and go back in the morning, personally. As more doctors are there, and it'll be a doctor who decides to start induction not a midwife.

Hopefully it'll all start before you get to that stage.

Checkmate · 07/05/2011 18:57

Last thing you need the night before labour is to spend it in hospital, with no one available to induce you, and thereby getting a crappy night sleep.

Thinking about it though, tomorrow is sunday so still fewer doctors on shift. It may well be that you aren't induced until Monday morning anyway because of this; you may want to phone and ask before going in. (Unless temp high/proper contractions of course, then just race there.)

naturalbaby · 07/05/2011 19:04

my waters broke with ds1 and i was really determined to have a homebirth so my community midwife came out and did a really thorough stretch and sweep. contractions started an hour later - pretty full on and intense but baby arrived 6hrs later.

FutureNannyOgg · 08/05/2011 09:11

I would not go into hospital to wait to be induced. The risk of infection is much lower at home. Personally I would hold tight and see if things rolled on naturally, keeping an eye on temperature, no baths, no internals, rest up as much as possible. The policy for induction after ROM can very between 24 and 72 hours, waiting until monday morning is a reasonable option if you are happy holding tight. I certainly wouldn't push for an induction before 24 hours, baby will be fine for that time and the possible risks of induction aren't worth it for the sake of a few hours rest.

travispickles · 08/05/2011 13:30

No I was refused an epidural due to infection. You should have heard the howls I emitted when I was having non-productive contractions every couple of minutes whilst tied to a bed on drips...

bleachbabe · 08/05/2011 16:23

travis the OP is about to give birth for the first time, I'm not sure that's entirely helpful - you make it sound like medieval torture!

travispickles · 08/05/2011 18:33

It was.

Tangle · 08/05/2011 22:17

For a slightly more +ve spin...

There's more than one method of induction. I was induced with DD2 with prostaglandin gel. That was enough to get things moving. I laboured and gave birth with no chemical pain relief (not because I'm a masochist - I didn't feel I needed it). IIRC I had the 1st lot of gel at about 2pm, 2nd lot in the early evening and DD was born mid morning the next day.

Every birth for every woman will be different - I had an induced birth at one end of the spectrum and Travis was unfortunate enough to have one at the other. The one thing you can be sure of is that how you experience the birth of your DS will be unique to you.

I'd also lean towards waiting till morning - but that's also a very personal thing. If you feel you need to be in hospital then trust your instincts, but a good night's sleep will make everything easier to deal with in the morning.

Good luck :)

skewiff · 08/05/2011 22:23

Tangle,

I think that being induced is not so bad with second child - once your body has been through labour and kind of knows what its doing from first time around.

I've read this somewhere and also its seems that way with friends of mine who have been induced.

Was it your first child Travis - that you experienced this with?

TotorosOcarina · 08/05/2011 22:23

i was induced with ds1, just had 1 lot of gel, slept for a while and had him 6 hours after first contraction after labouring in the birth pool, was lovely :) i was free to move about as normal

Pootletrinket · 09/05/2011 08:27

I was induced with both DDs - first one took 3 lots of gel, drip, 3 days etc; second one was 2 lots of gel, thought I was coping badly wth prostin pains, turned out I was 4cm dilated, within an hour I was fully dilated (back to back contractions, very painful so opted for an epidural) and then they discovered litte Miss was breach again, so the plan deviated somewhat from there!! But the second was SO much quicker, as many people told me it would be.

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