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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Daughter is in labour ward after waters breaking but hoped to be in birthing suite

24 replies

GGSue · 22/05/2018 21:14

Hello, I am seeking a bit of advice really. My daughter is 38 weeks pregnant and her waters broke yesterday evening. She has been advised by her midwife to go into hospital and she has done and is 1cm dilated. She has now been sent to the labour ward although she had hoped to give birth in one of the birthing suites for a more relaxed experience. She is now worried as they are talking about giving her a pessary to move things along a bit (no contractions as yet), and if that doesn't work then she will have a drip (which she really didn't want). Can anyone throw any light on what might be happening please? I think that she feels that she has been taken a bit by surprise about the turn of events (and is now finding it all a little scary). Thank you!

OP posts:
Newlooknamechange · 22/05/2018 21:20

My waters broke and I had no contractions too.

The midwife told me they like to induce after 24 hours and ideally have the baby out after 48 hours. As once your waters break there is an increased risk of infection.

It was 55 hours before my baby easy delivered ( c section) and we ended up getting an infection and needed IV antibiotics and to stay in hospital a week. I don't want to scare you at all, but you should perhaps ask about infection risk now her waters have broken.

Eryri1981 · 22/05/2018 21:25

With Pre-labour Rupture of Membranes (PROM), they don't like you to go more than 24 hours (IIRC) from rupture of membrane to delivery as there is a much greater increased risk of infection for the baby. They also like to continuously monitor during the labour either on the bump or attached to babies head, and will also want Mum and Baby to stay in for at least 12 hours after birth (I was in for 24hours) for monitoring in case of infection. Oh and, no birthing pool.

I was fortunate my contractions kicked back in (after starting and then stopping) about 18 hours after membranes went, and I was able to have a normal vaginal delivery.

ladymelbourne1926 · 22/05/2018 21:34

As others have said they don't like you to go more than 24 hours max 48 after PROM because of the infection risk, especially as she's already at 38 weeks so baby is term.
My sil was not allowed a water birth with PROM because of infection risk and she was given a drip to induce labour when nothing happened after about 20 hours. Her and baby were constantly monitored, and had to be observed for 3 days after the birth.
I imagine they are wanting to watch you daughter closely with a view to getting baby born in the next 24. hours or so if her waters went last night. I'd advise her to ask the dr what their plan is and why, so she can be prepared.
I hope all goes smoothly for her.

Nogodsnomasters · 22/05/2018 21:45

Just confirming what others have said really, my waters broke but no contractions, I was given a pessary after 15 hours which worked as my contractions started around 2 hours later. My son was born 37 hours after waters broke. No infection.

Duprasi · 22/05/2018 21:45

Dd1 my waters went with very very mild contractions for the next 24 hours they won't/shouldnt use a pesseary it introduces a risk of infection when its put in more than likely she'll get the drip
Sorry but water birth is now out
Dd1 (and 2) was a section in the end 48 hours later I don't think they would have been had I been walking around more

I know it's tough not getting the birth you hoped for I still get upset 2 years after my second and last baby but the midwives will do what's best for baby and mum

RemainOptimistic · 22/05/2018 21:52

I gave birth in 2017. Waters went around 10pm. I went in to the ward, they confirmed it was waters. Monitored baby heartbeat all fine. I declined to be examined for dilation as I knew this would increase my infection risk. They made an appointment for me to be induced, their policy was max 48h after waters broken.

I went into labour the following day and booked myself into the water birthing room. There was no issue with having the water birth.

So the policy might vary between hospitals. But your DD does have control and can make decisions. They cannot force an induction on anyone.

Original poster
GGSue · 22/05/2018 21:55

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Daughter and husband have turned off their phones now, and I daresay they will be in for a long night. Any more experiences I will read with interest thank you so much..I feel so sorry for her it is horrid the thought of a drip (I had to be induced with my first and I remember the pain being horrendous ). I do hope they offer her an epidural if it does get too bad :( Thank you so much x

OP posts:
elliejjtiny · 22/05/2018 21:56

I had this 4 times (5 babies in total). Unfortunately once your waters have been broken then baby needs to come out soonish because of the risk of infection. Sometimes this means induction and giving birth on the Labour ward. My youngest baby and I had sepsis because my waters went with no labour and I got an infection.

I hope your dd has an uneventful labour and a healthy baby. I really feel for her, it's horrible when you are hoping for a waterbirth in a birthing centre and it suddenly goes pear shaped.

GU24Mum · 22/05/2018 22:01

My waters broke at 37 weeks and I'd expected to be told I'd have the baby that day but apparently I was in the in-between number of weeks and they were happy to send me away (after a bit of monitoring) for a week as long as I checked my temperature. He came a few days later but the waters breaking apparently didn't mean they would definitely induce.

Original poster
GGSue · 22/05/2018 23:05

Thank you so much for your messages. It makes sense now as to why she is on the labour ward. The one good thing is that it seems as though baby is due to come out pretty soonish! Keeping all fingers and toes crossed for her that all will be well x

OP posts:
HalfStar · 23/05/2018 11:50

Hi OP has your grandchild arrived yet? Smile

Original poster
GGSue · 23/05/2018 22:17

Hello, no he/she hasn't!

They have put her on intravenous antibiotics for the past 12 hours. It is her 'back-waters' that have leaked if that means anything?

She has had a pessary, and then another after a few hours ...and then at about 4'o'clock this afternoon (as still no contractions and only about 1 and half cm ) they decided to induce her with a drip.

She is still in the delivery suite. Just hoping that it isn't too awful..and that they give her an epidural if she asks for one.

OP posts:
randomsabreuse · 23/05/2018 22:24

The delivery suite I gave birth in in the Consultant Led bit was way nicer then the room in the MLU where I was until waters went with Meconium so had to transfer. There was plenty of room to move around, en suite shower for afterwards and really rather pleasant... would go there quite happily this time ...if we were sure it would be there and not the layby after the notorious bumpy bit of road!

jigglepiggle · 23/05/2018 22:31

The drip should speed things up, but if not they will probably do a c section. They usually give an epidural with the drip as it can cause intense contractions. Baby will be here soon!!

Original poster
GGSue · 23/05/2018 22:45

Laughing about the bumpy road! Nice to think that she may have a nice room in spite of things not going quite as planned :) Yes, I do hope that Baby will arrive quite soon for everyone's sake :) ..and that he/she is well and healthy! It is so horrid having my daughter go through this..I would swap places with her in a heartbeat if I could! Thank you so much for your advice and support x

OP posts:
HalfStar · 23/05/2018 23:08

She will almost certainly get an epidural OP if she's on the drip. Though a pp may be right in that they might do a section in the end. She'll be in good hands anyway I'm sure. Hang in there, hard for you to be waiting for news!

ladymelbourne1926 · 24/05/2018 09:26

She should be offered and epidural if she's on a drip, if things don't happen quickly I think they will probably do a c section.
I hope things go as smoothly as possible for your dd.

AmethystRaven · 24/05/2018 09:40

The midwife suggested an epidural when things weren't moving for me so I could get some rest before I had to start pushing. I couldn't feel a thing though - I had to be shaken awake to push every time the monitors showed a contraction!

Hopefully you've had some good news by now though.

Original poster
GGSue · 24/05/2018 22:27

Thank you for all of your advice and experiences did really help. Well she had a 7lb 13oz baby girl at around 9.30 this morning!

You guys were so right...after about 4 hours on the drip she was given an epidural as it was all getting a bit much! She managed to dodge the c section and delivered without too much bother in the end. The midwives have kept her in at least until tomorrow just to make sure that Baby is definitely infection free and that the feeding can get more established (and it seems very quiet in the birthing rooms today, so they probably don't mind keeping them in at al!). Thank you so much for advice over the past couple of days, gave me much greater understanding of what on earth was going on! :) xx

OP posts:
HalfStar · 25/05/2018 01:45

Amazing news..congrats!!

ladymelbourne1926 · 25/05/2018 08:18

Great news congratulations Thanks

jigglepiggle · 25/05/2018 09:33

Congratulations!!

Snoopyokay · 25/05/2018 11:02

Congratulations! I had exactly the same birth with the drip and then the epidural! Hope your daughter and baby doing well Flowers

Original poster
GGSue · 25/05/2018 23:01

Thank you! Yes mum and baby both doing well and went home this afternoon! :) x

OP posts:
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