Refusal of breaking of water

YaraC

In my ongoing series of "Why are people against"...why do some women refuse having their water broken when they are already in active labor?

 I believe that these women have valid reasons for the choice. I just sometimes feel like I am late to the converstation on these things  and just see the birth story posts where women tell how they wanted to break her water but she wouldn't let them.

 Is it because of wanting everything to happen with as little interference as poosible?

lilacfritz

Yes, I think it because it feels like an intervention.  It's a welcome one to me because it gets me into active labor, but for some women it causes a strong surge into more frequent painful contractions that feels abrupt and difficult for them to manage. 

stever

lilacfritz:

for some women it causes a strong surge into more frequent painful contractions that feels abrupt and difficult for them to manage. 

 I think this is the primary reason. They broke my water and, I'm not going to lie, it did make the contractions stronger. That said, they weren't exponentially stronger.

sciteach

Having ruptured membranes does increase the chance of infection...I was against it for #1 because I wanted to labor in the tub, and my docs only let you get in the tub after 5 cm and not at all if your water has been broken for 18 hours. My water broke on its own and 24 hours later I still wasn't at 5 cm, so it was all a moot point. 

It was not really a pain management issue for me - the stronger the contrax the quicker it is over! I'm not going to hang out for hours with no progress this time, hopefully my body will be more cooperative now that it knows the drill!

robynlesley

My OB broke my water?but I was induced and was already on Pitocin and hooked up to monitors.  It was a bit uncomfortable but not painful. In my case, I had a textbook induction and delivered within 7 hours of receiving Pitocin.

But then I was OK with the induction at 41w1d and had an epidural and never intended to "go natural".

PS. Laura... good thing you said who you were. LOL!

mominatrix

I'm saying right now that I would make every effort with this pregnancy to NOT have my water broken...

When I was delivering DD, I ended up with the worst, stoooopidest labor ever. Seriously - I had about 60 hours of contractions that were uneven BEFORE I even was admitted to the hospital...

I went through it all... without an epidural, until they broke my water (in order to put internal monitors in). Then the contractions went from bad to unbearable.

I think I stood about 3 or 4 contractions with the broken water until I demanded an epidural.

 

It would totally depend on the reasons... but doing it just to "do it" or to "move things along" I'm not going to go with, no way, no how.

mominatrix

The other, and I think the biggest reason to refuse: once your water is broken, you're on a clock to deliver... most practicioners want the baby out, even if your body isn't particularly ready to do it.

stever

mominatrix:

I went through it all... without an epidural, until they broke my water (in order to put internal monitors in). Then the contractions went from bad to unbearable.

I think I stood about 3 or 4 contractions with the broken water until I demanded an epidural.

 

It would totally depend on the reasons... but doing it just to "do it" or to "move things along" I'm not going to go with, no way, no how.

I should have included that that's why my water was broken; the boy's heart rate dropped and they wanted to be able to monitor it more accurately. 

peeper72

My Ob broke my water b/c although I was fully effaced and 10cm dilated, contractions were just not moving her along. Tough to contract against a full bag. With the very next contraction after my water was broken I felt her shoot into the birth canal. I started pushing and the result is sleeping in her crib now I didn't have an epidural either and I don't feel that the contractions were any different before vs. after breaking my water. Rather, it was a huge relief to be able to push.