Question about breaking waters after prostin gel for induction

[Whitetara]

Unless my baby makes an appearance soon I'm booked in for an induction on Sunday afternoon with some gel initially (I think).

There was mention that waters would be broken a few hours afterwards, but could someone clarify whether I am obliged to have my waters broken should I go down the route of having the gel or pessary or whether I could have the gel/whatever and then see what happens naturally thereafter.

TIA

When I was induced I had 3 doses of prostin over a couple of days in the hope that it would start things off naturally. Breaking the waters was the next step if the prostin didn't work (it didn't!)

i was to have 2 doses of the gel then my water broken but they broke themselves after the first dose, i have no idea if you are obliged to have your waters broken.

You are not obliged to have any sort of induction if you don't want it - you are quite within your rights to ask for monitoring of the baby to make sure all is well and wait for things to happen in their own time. You could say you will try gel and if nothing happens you prefer to wait and see what happens over another few days if that is what you prefer? Perhaps you can discuss this more with your midwife before you make a decision about what to do.

Hi there, I had one pessary and about 10 hours later my waters broke naturally and labour started.

I think they only break your waters if you are 3cm or more?

Good Luck!

Thank you for those replies. I had a second sweep this morning and have had some on off cramps this afternoon which seem to have petered out.

I'm reluctant to get my waters broken artificially if I can help it (am I right in saying it could make labour even more painful - or will the pessary see to that anyway?).

Just hope something happens before Sunday...

Is this your first baby? My obstetrician with my second baby seemed to think this was a very effective way of speeding a subsequent labour (implication was less so with no 1). But - as he said to me - "your body your baby" - so no you are not obliged to have anything!
I didn't need it in the end and by the way, with my no 1 the gel was enough for me - hopefully you too.

I had one dose of gel about 9pm in the evening (with a plan for another in the morning if things weren't moving) and my waters went naturally at about 3am, with a huge pop and floods.

As far as I understood at the time, at least 2 doses wold be given before any further intervention was offered.

Good luck.

HappyCat - It's my second....think I'm actually in labour as I type. Contractions every 4, 5, 3 minutes lasting for about half a minute.

I had my waters broken with all three of mine when i was around 6/7cm dilated with 1 and 3 and around 9 cm with number 2,they were all born pretty sharpish after the waters were broken. Did not hurt.

i had the prostin gel and luckily it worked first time. when i got the delivery suite (i was at the pushing stage and beyond) the midwives did want to break my waters but i refused due to stuff i'd read whilst preparing my birth plan. luckily they didn't make an issue of my refusal and my daughter was born without any problems. the waters broke naturally shortly before she emerged.

the thing to remember as others have said is that you don't have to do what they suggest. good luck