so if your water breaks....?

bellaleanne · October 2009

A couple women I've talked to have been put on pitocin because their water broke and they weren't contracting for a few hours afterward. This was done because of risk of infection.

What I'm wondering is, is it possible that this could be handled another way? for those who wish to remain drug free, what are the options?

Obviously it would be smart to ask a doctor, but you ladies do your research and I'd like to see what you think or what you have heard/experienced.

TIA

gaijinmama · October 2009

I think from what I have read the drs used to wait up until 24-48 hours to induce after your water breaks but over the past few years it has been getting cut closer and closer.

I would say the best way to avoid anything is to not go to the hospital right away. Need to ask my mother (a nurse) next time I talk to her.

Becky262 · October 2009

I wanted to go drug-free too but I ended up needing pitocin.

I woke up with contrax 6 minutes apart at 8am on Saturday. My water broke at 5pm Sat, checked in at the hospital 5am Sun. We tried several natural options to move my labor along, such as walking, nipple stimulation, orgasm, changing positions, birth ball, bath/shower but nothing worked. I only progressed from 4cm to 5cm and no change in effacement by 2pm so I was started on pit.

Def talk with your doctor about his/her thoughts on pitocin. I also highly recommend a doula if you're wanting a natural birth (kicking myself for not having one)

Good luck!

zoieglow · October 2009

My water broke and my son wasn't descending and I wasn't having very productive contractions so they put me on pit after a couple hours to get contractions moving. Once your water breaks, you have 24 hours to deliver (generally, this is the rule in most hospitals) because the baby's protection is gone and infection can set in. So, yes, pitocin sucks but it may help you avoid a c-section if you can't deliver soon enough. For me, it helped dilate me but my son never ended up dropping so I had a c-section anyway.

zoieglow · October 2009

gaijinmama:
I would say the best way to avoid anything is to not go to the hospital right away.

BAD idea. If your water breaks, ask your doctor if you should go to the hospital. If he tells you to go, you go. Don't make that decision on your own. I dawdled because I thought it wasn't a big deal but I found out when I got there that the reason my doctor told me he didn't want me to labor at home was because I had an internal that morning and he knew the baby wasn't dropping and with my water broken, the cord could have fallen out of me and caused serious problems for me and the baby.

dgurl26 · October 2009

I wanted to be drug free too but my hospital and the hospitals in the surrounding areas here have a policy that they would like to see the baby born withing 24 hours of your water breaking. They wont induce you unless you fail to go it to labor which is what I did. 8 hours after my water broke I still wasn't having contractions so they went ahead and induced me. I would NOT wait to go in to the hospital if your water breaks. GL!

mi2006 · October 2009

my doctor's policy is to start pit 4 hours after your water breaks if little progress is made...

gaijinmama · October 2009

zoieglow:
gaijinmama:
I would say the best way to avoid anything is to not go to the hospital right away.
BAD idea. If your water breaks, ask your doctor if you should go to the hospital. If he tells you to go, you go. Don't make that decision on your own. I dawdled because I thought it wasn't a big deal but I found out when I got there that the reason my doctor told me he didn't want me to labor at home was because I had an internal that morning and he knew the baby wasn't dropping and with my water broken, the cord could have fallen out of me and caused serious problems for me and the baby.

good to know then

tiffandjruss · October 2009

I actually got in a fight with MIL over this! The reason you get the infection is from the exams! My Dr is willing to go longer than the 24 hours but will do less internals!

cateye · October 2009

zoieglow:
gaijinmama:
I would say the best way to avoid anything is to not go to the hospital right away.
BAD idea. If your water breaks, ask your doctor if you should go to the hospital. If he tells you to go, you go. Don't make that decision on your own. I dawdled because I thought it wasn't a big deal but I found out when I got there that the reason my doctor told me he didn't want me to labor at home was because I had an internal that morning and he knew the baby wasn't dropping and with my water broken, the cord could have fallen out of me and caused serious problems for me and the baby.

Agree with this. My water broke with DD and they told me to go straight to the hospital because of all the potential risks. Once your water breaks, LO doesn't have much protection. DH and I talked about the risk/benefits and although I was progressing well after about 7 hours of labor, I decided I'd rather have pitocin than a c-section (still was only about 5 or 6 cm and they wanted a c-section after 12 hours due to PTL). They did try to let us go natural prior to that. . .although there was LOTS of pressure for pitocin, but about 90% of women around here get it, so I wasn't surprised.

gaijinmama · October 2009

tiffandjruss:
I actually got in a fight with MIL over this! The reason you get the infection is from the exams! My Dr is willing to go longer than the 24 hours but will do less internals!

This is what I was thinking (that and baths)

amandajjr · October 2009

In my Childbirth class we discussed this. Our instructor is a former L&D nurse. She suggested discussing with the nurses and doctors at the hospital that you would like to try laboring on your own for up to 12 hours if some progress is being made. After that it's probably time to give pit a try. That's just her advice but I think that's what I will plan on doing if I end up in this situation.

Rachel2315 · October 2009

The other issue with not going straight to L&D is umbilical cord prolapse. ?That is why my OB's office says that yeah, you have time to take a shower, let your pets out, grab your bag, etc before you go to L&D but they'd prefer you are there at least 2-3 hours after your water breaks. ?And they want you to call right away. ?

ninasc · October 2009

My SIL gave birth yesterday 33 hours after her water broke. She wasn't making much progress and did have to have pitocin but that was only 24 hours after her water broke. I know some doctors won't let you know more than 24 hours after the water breaking so it is something to discuss with your ob.

emmyloustu · October 2009

Our birthing center does not put a time limit on labor once your water breaks. If you are positive for GBS, then they need to give you periodic IV antibiotics once your water breaks, but other than that they will let nature take its course unless special circumstances arise.

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