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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Waters broke last night, hospital want to induce tomorrow

35 replies

CleanAllTheThings · 30/08/2013 11:45

So i'm 40+3 today and last night at about 11pm my waters broke when i turned over in bed! Was most unexpected. I have been having period type pains on and off since then, but nothing very regular or strong yet so the midwife doesn't think labour has started yet. I went in this morning to be checked and the baby still isn't fully engaged. Everything seems fine so i was sent home and asked to go in again tomorrow morning to be checked and offered induction depending on what they find when they do an internal.

I am keen to avoid induction as i really want to use the pool in the MLU. Plus i am really scared of being induced after hearing so many horror stories. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Would it be irresponsible of me to decline induction tomorrow morning and wait a bit longer for things to happen naturally? How long would you wait?

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Toizzy · 30/08/2013 12:07

Hi,
Just wanted to say I was induced at 42 weeks in June and I was actually a bit upset at the idea as I was so much hoping that little one would just come in his own time.I'd also heard that being induced meant more chances of getting a c section and more painful contractions.
Well i cant say it wasn't painful but I was induced at 6pm on a friday and by 4.37 am I was holding my baby after a fast and drug free delivery.
Just to give you my good induced delivery story

rallytog1 · 30/08/2013 16:31

If your waters have gone, there is an increased risk of infection, which increases over time until you give birth.

Having had a baby in neo-natal with an infection (group g - yes g - strep), which is an experience I would not recommend to anyone, I would strongly advise you to agree to the induction in your circumstances. You may not get the birth experience of your choice, but this should be entirely secondary to keeping your baby healthy - I'm really surprised this wasn't explained to you.

Good luck!

SoonToBeSix · 30/08/2013 16:47

I second what rally said you baby's health is the priority not your birth choice.

Yonididnaedaethat · 30/08/2013 16:52

I was induced with my 1st 2 pregnancies. The 1st when I was 18 so it's all a blurr but with my 2nd from my 1st real pain until he was born it was 55 mins in total. I went into labour myself with my 3rd and can't say there was much difference pain wise.

rachyconks · 30/08/2013 16:57

I was 29 hours from waters going til birth. But contractions didn't start until a good few hours after waters. I went to the hospital and they admitted me and gave me a sweep. I had a couple more sweeps at 4 hour intervals (I think) and then things got going. I would be going back if nothing is happening - a least for a sweep.

JoinTheDots · 30/08/2013 17:03

My waters broke at 7am and I went into labour about 14 hours later, baby born about 8 hours after that. I was booked for an induction but gave birth before needing it.

You might give birth before you need to be induced!

If no, I would say while induction might not be your first choice, go with it - the risk of infection is not something you want to ignore. I had IV antibiotics as a precaution and we stayed in hospital 24 hours so baby could be monitored for infection just in case.

Good luck!

Original poster

CleanAllTheThings · 30/08/2013 17:13

Thanks for the input everyone. Have been getting pains throughout the afternoon every 7-10 minutes so i'm hoping this is it!

OP posts:

rachyconks · 30/08/2013 17:32

Oh that sounds promising. Have a nice bath and try and get some rest/sleep while you can!

McRoo · 30/08/2013 17:44

Are you sure you can't use the pool if you are induced? I was and they were going to let me use the pool on the MLU until they realised I should have been on the CLU (for other non-induction related reasons so don't worry).

Also I had a long time between my waters going and DS being born which added to a contributing factor to putting him in SCBU for 3 days. They just did it as a precaution (there was nothing wrong and i did tick a couple of other risk factors high temp and something else that i forget) but meant I was separated from him. Get that baby out ASAP would be my advice. Better for everyone all around.

Best of luck!

Original poster

CleanAllTheThings · 30/08/2013 18:39

Thanks! The midwife definitely said this morning that would need to stay on the main delivery suite if they induce me.

Still getting the pains but so unsure if this is the real thing or not. They are still happening often, sometimes every 5-6 mins or sometimes 10 and lasting about 40-60 mins. Some of them are quite strong but i don't feel like i need pain relief yet. Going to have some dinner and give them a call i think just to put my mind at rest. I think i would feel better if they could tell me if these pains are actually dilating me at all!

OP posts:

sittinginthesun · 30/08/2013 18:43

Sounds like the real thing to me.

My waters went first with ds2, and I didn't feel a single pain for several hours. When I phoned, they told me to come straight in as I wasn't quite 37 weeks - put me on a monitor and it turned out I was contracting. I was 5cm before I felt a thing!

Original poster

CleanAllTheThings · 30/08/2013 18:45

Hopefully this is it! The midwife just totally dismissed the pains i had been having through the night, despite the fact i hardly slept and their suggestion of taking two painkillers did nothing at all. So it has made me doubt what i am feeling.

OP posts:

pongping · 30/08/2013 18:51

Is it your first baby?

My waters went at about midnight on the Friday and DS2 was finally born on the Sunday morning. I refused internal examination as this increases infection risk, and I refused induction. I did eventually consent to antibiotics, and we had to stay on the postnatal ward overnight to make sure he was ok.

Do you know if it was your fore or hind waters that went? Mine was definitely hind (started with a rush but not a huge among, then slowed to small gushes with contractions and eventually nothing) and the MW told me that actually there is no evidence that a hind water leak increases infection risk, unlike a fore water leak.

Worth remembering that as you have already had an internal, which could introduce bacteria, they will be more concerned about the length of time before induction/ antibiotics.

Are you monitoring your temp?

pongping · 30/08/2013 18:53

Ps, after my waters broke I had several hours with no contractions, and when they did start they were very erratic, with long gaps between (about 30 mins (!) between contractions for the whole of sat afternoon/night/sun morning.

They didn't bec

pongping · 30/08/2013 18:55

Oops

They didn't become regular until about 90 mins before DS2 was born. And then - wham - there he was. So they were definitely doing something, even though they weren't the traditional sort.

Good luck!

Original poster

CleanAllTheThings · 30/08/2013 19:43

I didn't have an internal this morning so risk of infection still low i guess. Midwife took my temp this morning but might check it myself now actually just to make sure all ok. I assume it was forewaters as was quite a lot over the bed and then i soaked through two of the big maternity pads straight after. Have been having mini gushes since then!

OP posts:

Original poster

CleanAllTheThings · 30/08/2013 19:43

Forgot to say, yes it's my first baby!

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sittinginthesun · 30/08/2013 19:59

Is this going to be a live birth thread then? Take your phone with you and keep us updated.

ChimneyDeep · 30/08/2013 20:03

My waters went 13 hours before dd2 arrived, I bounced on birth ball, did hip circles and side stepped on the stairs to bring on contractions as they'd booked me for induction. It worked and I had a v quick labour in the end. Good luck!

AppleYumYum · 30/08/2013 20:27

Sounds similar to my experience OP. My waters went on Tue night about 10pm, nothing really happened, Wed night had what I thought was it, quite strong contractions every 5 or so mins. Called the hospital, they said take two paracetamol and get in the bath. Everything stopped after that. I was told I had to return Thu morning for induction if nothing happened, they said it was 48 hours post waters going that the risk of infection increases.

I really didn't want up be induced, knew about the cascade of interventions etc. The contractions had done a bit of dilating as I wasn't able to have the pessary/gel stuff (from what I have heard is ok and more of a natural labour, not at all like being on the drip, plus you still can go in the pool etc).

The drip early on was ok, but when it hit max dose was absolutely horrendous and I ended up with an epidural which in hindsight I'd say get it at the same time as they come at you with the drip! Anyway, ended up with forceps and episiotomy, but baby was fine except for forcep bruising. Finally born Fri morning at 3am.

I could have refused induction and gone home monitoring my temp, antibiotics etc, but I was tired and over it and just wanted to meet my baby, plus naively thought how bad can it be...

pongping · 31/08/2013 05:55

How are you doing now, Clean?

nooka · 31/08/2013 06:12

My waters broke early in both my pregnancies (10 days early too). I never really had any contractions on my own. ds was positioned oddly and the waters were meconium stained so he came out the sun roof (instead of my lovely planned home birth with pool!) a few hours later. With dd they let me go three days before inducing me. They monitored her every morning to check the fluid levels were still OK. I have to admit the contractions with the drip were incredibly painful, but that might have been because of my previous c-section 16 months earlier. So I'd agree with AppleYumYum if they hook you up to the drip ask for pain relief early rather than hanging in there until it gets really bad.

I hope it all works out well for you :)

Original poster

CleanAllTheThings · 31/08/2013 07:00

Still here! Pains became quite close together during the night but as i was till managing them they told me to stay at home and try to sleep, it was about 3.30am at this point and the pains slowed down to about every 20 minutes and i got some rest. The picked up again about 5.30 and have been getting stronger too, but i think a lot of that was to do with being in bed. I don't think the baby is in a very good position either.
Going to have some breakfast and go over to the hospital. I'm hoping these pains have got me dilating at least a bit so they don't have to induce but if not much has happened i think it will be the drip for me. Really not looking forward to it but will take all the drugs if i have to!

OP posts:

ChimneyDeep · 31/08/2013 11:21

Good luck x

sittinginthesun · 31/08/2013 13:18

Good luck!

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