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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

24hrs after waters broke and no labour, how long can I get away without induction for?

17 replies

sherby · 18/03/2010 08:03

Can't seem to find the NICE guidelines, but I am sure it was 96hrs?

Our hospital says 24 and they are not going to want to give in without a fight.

Can I just ask for temp monitoring and a wait and see approach?

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Shaz10 · 18/03/2010 08:17

Is there a reason you don't want to be induced? My friend was induced about 28 hours after her waters broke, her daughter was born 4 hours later.

Original poster

sherby · 18/03/2010 08:21

home birth planned

OP posts:

malteser1981 · 18/03/2010 09:09

NICE induction of labour guidelines - IOL appropriate after 24hrs. That said the unit I work in IOL is planned for 24-48hrs post SROM. Yes you can ask for temp monitoring and expectant management, but you we have to discuss a cut off with your CMW.
Just be sensible, if the liquor becomes offensive or meconuim stained, if you start to feel flushed or get a low grade pyrexia or if concerned about fetal movements go in. If alls well just wait.......good luck
Ps a bit of nipple stimulation might do the trick coz it's a no to sex once your waters have gone!

fishie · 18/03/2010 09:18

i sat on my arse which was probably not the best approach as i ended up with the induction.

have since heard that walking up and down stairs sideways is good to get things going.

good luck sherby! get up! now! twiddle nips!!

Ceasnake · 18/03/2010 10:19

Sherby, I'll join you in your waiting - my waters went last night and I was sent home from the MWL unit after monitoring. I have until Friday evening before I'm induced so I'm also desperate for labour to start!

Don't have a birthing ball but will try the nipple stimulation and walking up and down stairs...

Back to unit tonight at 8.30am for more monitoring but hopefully something will have happened by then... good luck for your HB.

Jennylee · 18/03/2010 10:23

If they do want to induce you beofre they get the drip going could you ask them to try the gel first to see if that starts the labour as it si nto as intense as the drip and might get things started without the drip. I had that for my induction with my second baby when my waters broke then nothing happened, I was horrified at having to be induced but the contractions started 20-30 mins after the gel was inserted and then it only took 5 hours and was an easy delivery although the cntractions are worse than with natural labour I found there was not enough time to get used to it without the slow build up, I only needed gas and air and they gave me morphine but I wish I had not had as baby was sleepy after and I talked a lot of rubbish in labour but it helped take the edge off it. no stitches and tearing induction is not always as bad as you think it will be

lal123 · 18/03/2010 10:32

bit off topic but sort of related! My waters went at 1am, with huge gush at 6am and I had to go in for a check at 1pm, told that if waters had gone they would induce me the next day. MW said there was no evidence of my waters having gone and that I would not be induced. I went into labour later that day and had DD2 that night. After having her mws were sorting out notes and one asked me "so, when did your waters go?" I told her htey had gone the previous night and they adjusted my notes accordingly. I've often wondered what would have happened if I hadn't gone into labour? Would I have just been left? Would my DDs health been put at risk? This was the same mw who didin't think I was in established labour when in fact I was 8-9 cm dilated and 3/4 hour away from having DD.

Re OPs post! - I think that if I was being advised to be induced for baby's health then personally that would be more important to me than my planned home birth

Jennylee · 18/03/2010 10:59

sherby, I totally get why you want to wait and see if you can try for your homebirth and avoid induction, I hope your labour starts soon but if it doesn't induction is not the end of the world (even though it might feel like it) is just a bit of a shock if you have been imagining it all being at home and without intervention, to having to go into hospital. I want a home birth this time so I'm hoping my waters don't break first this time round for me.

Original poster

sherby · 18/03/2010 13:30

Back from the hospital. They are happy for me to wait until tomorrow afternoon before induction so I need huge labour vibes please!

OP posts:

smilehomebirth · 18/03/2010 16:38

Go labour, go! Get nipple-twiddling while eating curry .
Remember, remember, ulimately the induction thing is up to you. Plenty of people have waited a lot longer than 48 hours and been absolutely fine. Stay home and take nil-by-vagina to avoid infection. If you continue feeling fit and healthy with no raised temperature, then stay home and insist on your homebirth. BTW, how do you know it's not just your hindwaters?

Mung · 18/03/2010 16:43

I went 72 hours before induction with DS...that was the hospital policy and I didn't need to fight it. Nothing happened in that time and even with induction it took about 12 hours for things to start.

morethemerrier · 18/03/2010 16:53

at smileshomebirths 'nil-by-vagina'!

Sending lots of labour vibes your way, I am hoping for a HB this time around (DC3 32 weeks pregnant)!

Go Sherby Go! x

IngridFletcher · 18/03/2010 16:55

With my third baby my waters started leaking on my due date. There was never a gush, they just continued leaking. I went 8 days before going in for induction. I had to neogiate this with a consultant in the hospital which was surprisingly easy. I also really wanted a home birth after a brilliant 4.5 hour labour with my second which would have been an ideal homebirth.

Tried everything to get labour going but on day eight went in for induction, had gel and due to midwife shortage was left for hours. Late afternoon contractions began and 1.5 hours later DS2 was born. It was a bit quick for me but apart from the midwife shortage it was fine.

bellylaughs · 18/03/2010 17:51

Hi Sherby, With my first and third babies my waters broke but no contractions. both times the hospital let me wait 48 hours to see if anything happened then put me on the drip. Its not a bad thing as far as my experience went and I wouldnt worry of you do end up induced. Good luck with everything!

Original poster

sherby · 20/03/2010 17:22

Well went in to be monitored because the baby wasn't moving much and 40 mins later was having an emergency c-setion

Turns out baby was v distressed so they got her out as quick as possible. I had nothing with me but a pack of cards and a banana I didn't even have a bra on

Anyway we just got home from the hospital and we are all very glad to be home and well.

OP posts:

malteser1981 · 20/03/2010 17:29

Glad you are both well, and at the end of the day thats all that matters.

bellylaughs · 24/03/2010 12:20

Great news, thank goodness you and baby both well and COngratulations!! ps. Have you decided on a name yet? I'm desperate for ideas (pg with 4th girl! run out of favourite names!!)

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