Water Breaking

sschwege · March 2011

I was thinking about my DD's birth the other day and a question came to mind. My water never broke and so my MW broke it right before her head was crowning. I've heard that labor intensifies after your water breaks, so I'm wondering, would labor have been a lot worse if my water had broken? My labor while intense was always manageable, I guess I'm just wondering if it's going to be a lot worse the next time around. Thoughts?

NebMom · March 2011

it may or not have sped things up a bit. everyone is different. i've had some clients that their water breaks and labor is slow and fairly normal, and some that their water breaks and it speeds it up, and some where the water doesn't break til they push!

Temp110085250009077 · March 2011

My labor was crazy fast, but the the short time I had contractions prior to my water breaking, they were manageable. After it broke, I was immediately in transition so, yeah, it was pretty freaking intense. With my first 2 I had epis and they broke my water after the epis were placed, but the monitors said the contractions were stronger post-water breaking.

ckolak:-) · March 2011

With mine, I was in early labor/prodromal labor for literally 2 weeks before my water broke. The contractions were timeable but not very painful at all. However, within 30 minutes of my water breaking, the contractions got serious and I was throwing up. I think that had my labor progressed more gradually rather than going from a pain level of 1 to 6 or 7 in 30 minutes I might have been able to cope better. So that's my thought on the matter, I don't know how helpful it is.

AutumnBride929 · March 2011

I would also describe my labor as intense but manageable and my water was broken the whole time because that's how I was induced. I obviously have nothing else to compare it to though...

NewzieMom · March 2011

All three of my labors were far harder once my water was broken. Contractions started right coming right on top of one another and I didn't feel like I ever got a break. Also all three times my water was broke by the dr this time I plan on trying to wait it out and see if it breaks on its own.

jteneback · March 2011

My water broke first and labor went really fast - I was 5 cm within 3 hours and delivered in 6. It wasn't all that painful though, so I guess it depends what you mean by intense.

CheriCO · March 2011

My water broke first. Hard contractions (that I had to work through) started within 2hrs. It was pretty manageable until I got to transition. Then I had the normal self-doubt creep in. I was able to breathe through pushing contractions for 30min to get rid of a lip of cervix, so it wasn't too bad. I had DS almost 12hrs after my water broke. I can imagine that it's different if you start out with water breaking vs. water breaking when you're already in labor.

TheQuietGrrrl · March 2011

Hard for me to say. Mine broke just at the start of pushing. So it was padded labor, then right to unpadded pushing.

It was pushing *shrug*. I didn't have any context for comparison.

Temp34783000004059 · March 2011

I was 4 cm when my MW's assistant checked me at my homebirth, and right after that my water broke. Baby was born 1 hour and 10 minutes later, and 45 minutes of that was pushing. So essentially I went from a 4 to a 10 in 25 minutes, which was pretty intense. I don't know if it would have been less intense had my water not broken, but I will say this: I never had a "Holy crap I am in transition and this is horrible!" moment. In fact, I was completely surprised that the urge to push came so soon after my water broke. I don't remember my contractions being markedly stronger or more difficult post-breaking than they were before that moment.

That said, with my daughter I did 24 hours of back labor naturally, and then let a nurse scare me into an epidural by telling me the pain would get many times worse. I really, really wish I'd told her where to shove it, because I was 8 cm already and probably would have gone natural without her planting that seed in my mind. Which is to say: try not to overthink it. Your labor won't be harder or easier after your water breaks...it will be your labor, and you will make it through.

abell77 · March 2011

I think it is harder. I have a friend who gave birth naturally twice, once her water broke not too long before delivery, and the other her water broke very early on in labor. She said that one was much more difficult. My water broke at the start of my labor, so I don't know anything different. It was hard, so I am hoping this time around it won't break so soon and it might be a little easier...oh yeah, and lo NOT being posterior this time would help too:)

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