Laboring at home/doula/water break timing?

ncjulia12 · May 2012

(I know that title doesn't make much sense, but I hope my post will!)

I know there have been threads about this before and I've read plenty of them, but the whole time I've been thinking I'd test GBS+ (since I tested + at the beginning of pregnancy) and I've been worried about the timing of the antibiotics.

Turns out, I'm GBS- right now, which makes me really excited to not have to worry with the antibiotics and really gives me the freedom to stay at home as long as possible. (My house is literally less than a mile from the hospital in a town with no traffic.)

My two questions are this: if your doula came when you were laboring at home, at what point did you have her come? Mine said to call "whenever I feel like I need her," but I was just curious at what point others have called. I know, especially as a FTM, it could be hours and hours and I'd hate to call her too early because she lives 45 minutes away and couldn't really go home once she came.

The other question is: Did you continue to labor at home after your water broke? One of my OBs (the less NB-friendly one) told me I needed to come immediately if my water broke, but I'm going to ask the other OB his opinion at my appointment Wednesday.

I just always like to hear your experiences to help prepare me and make decisions!

princessyetz · May 2012

It all depends on your comfort level and your doula. If you feel you need/want your doula to help keep you calm which will help labor progress better and she is willing to come whenever you want her to - I say call he when you feel you need/want her. Sse sounds like a great doula! As for the water breaking, I can't answer that question since I am a FTM as well and due in August. Do ask the other OB about that but also ask your doula what she thinks. I know some OBs are super cautious when it comes to labor and water breaking. Some only give you a few hours and then will administer pitocin which I personally want to avoid at all costs.

jennyann28 · May 2012

I didn't have a doula, so I can't help you on that part. I did have my water break before labor started, though. I went to see my midwife to confirm it had broken, and she let me go home until it had been ruptured for 12 hours. I was also GBS -. I had to go back to the hospital that night to be monitored for infection. My labor still hadn't started, so a few hours after arriving, I received a small dose of Cytotec. It was enough to get me going, and I never needed pitocin. DD was born 21 hours after my water broke.

barnwife · May 2012

While I haven't had a doula with either birth, I have had 2 homebirths with CNM. With J, I knew when I woke up that I was in labor. I stayed in contact with my CNM all morning. By mid-afternoon she asked if she could come check on me. She came at 3:30 and said everything looked good.

As she lives super close (2 miles) from us, she asked if we wanted her to stay or leave and come back later. I told her to go home as I was doing fine laboring on my own/with DH.

At 5 o'clock I had DH call to tell her I'd thrown up and I wanted her there. J. wasn't born until almost 11 pm.

With A., I suspected when I woke up that I was in labor but wasn't sure. I went about my day, staying in contact with my midwife. I still wasn't sure it was the real thing until 3 pm. Then I said to DH, "this is it. Get everyone here." My midwife was here by 3:30. Her assistant arrived at 4:30. And A. was born just after 5.

Honestly, your doula should be something like my midwife. If you think having her there will help, then she needs to be there. That's even if she's there a long time. (My midwife has been at births that last days.) Her job is to help you labor.

As for water breaking, with J. it broke while I was pushing. And with A. it broke just before I started pushing (maybe 3 or 4 contractions before). And yes, I continued to labor at home as they were born there!

That being said, this is something to discuss with your care provider. And your doula can provide guidance here. The biggest risk (in my understanding) is the risk of infection. But as long as you aren't sticking things in your vagina at that point, the risk is low.

phq2011 · May 2012

My care system is very pro- 5/1/1 rule. If your water breaks before normal contractions, they don't rush you in. We haven't hired the doula yet, but when we interview we ask them when they come to the home and if they are comfortable with transferring. Most are and suggest they come once you have established labor.

julyjennifer · May 2012

I would definitely call her when you think labor has started (if during the day) to give her a heads up, and then check back in with her later when you feel like you might want her soon. If it starts during the middle of the night, just call her when you feel the need to check in with her, or in the morning, whichever comes first. When you call she can get a feel for where you are at with things and you can decide together whether it would be good for her to come now or after awhile.

As an example, with #1 I woke up having contractions at 2am. Labored on my own with DH until about 6am, then called her. After chatting she said to call her back in a few hours to let me know how things were progressing. Had DH call her at 9:30 when things were getting more intense, and she came over around 10. We left for the hospital around noon. My water didn't break before getting there.

With #2 I should have called sooner, but the end went so fast. She got to our house about 10 minutes after DS was born (planned homebirth). The midwife also arrived 5 min after DS was born.

As to water breaking, with #1 my CNM hospital midwife basically told me that if your water breaks and you call in, they will tell you to come in right away, but you might just personally want to wait awhile and not call them right away. She kind of said something like "I'm not supposed to say this but..." So basically saying that the policy is X but in reality it might be better if you do Y. I appreciated the heads up.

With #2, my water broke before labor and I called our MW and doula to give them the heads up, then went to bed. Contractions started later, and like I said, things went fast at the end and by then time I woke up my husband and then he called them, there wasn't so much time left. But it was all good.

mamaloves · May 2012

I've decided that if my water breaks I'm not going to call/go to the hospital because I don't want to be put on that 24-hour clock. My doctors told me if my water breaks and it is clear, there isn't urgency but if it is tinged green/yellow/brown to come in right away because that indicates meconium that you don't want baby inhaling.

To pp's point, the risk of infection is low as long as you aren't sticking things in your vagina. As soon as you get to the hospital, they will be sticking their fingers in your vagina and increasing your risk of infection, so in my opinion the risk of infection is lower if I stay home and have my vagina left alone!

judahsmommy1 · May 2012

mamaloves:
I've decided that if my water breaks I'm not going to call/go to the hospital because I don't want to be put on that 24-hour clock. My doctors told me if my water breaks and it is clear, there isn't urgency but if it is tinged green/yellow/brown to come in right away because that indicates meconium that you don't want baby inhaling.

To pp's point, the risk of infection is low as long as you aren't sticking things in your vagina. As soon as you get to the hospital, they will be sticking their fingers in your vagina and increasing your risk of infection, so in my opinion the risk of infection is lower if I stay home and have my vagina left alone!

You can absolutely request that they not do cervical checks. If your water has already broken, and they would admit you for that, you can ask that they test to see if your water has broken instead of doing a cervical check to admit you. It is true that you're on a clock once they know your water has broken. But it doesn't change the fact that they are required to have consent for any and all medical procedures. It just becomes more of a pain to say no.

tokenhoser · May 2012

I woke up crampy at 11 am.

I went about my day (went to some garage sales, etc) and didn't really believe it was labour until about 5 pm. Then I went to church at 7 pm, came home at about 8:30 pm.

I had checked in with the doula before going to church (so she got a few hours notice that it was probably going to be a late night for her), and she came over about 9 pm.

We packed up and went to the hospital at about 10 pm. My water broke at 10:30 pm in assessment (10 cm!). I started pushing when I got settled in around 11 pm, and DS was born at 1 am.

cyclek8bride · May 2012

I called my doula when I thought I was in labor to give her a heads up at the same time I called my doctor. (about 9pm) I was not a textbook FTM though and was contracting immediately at 3/1/1. My doc didn't want me at L&D till I was bent over in pain for two hours though and I wasn't. Our doula came over at about 10:30.

I kept saying I didn't want to be a wimp, it didn't feel that bad... she said she would just come over and see. She said it would be good for her to come over earlier as then we could work out a rhythm together while things were still amping up. It was good that she did as I probably would have been pushing before we went to the hospital if she wasn't there.

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