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Dilated 5cm & stopped progressing. Cons of OB breaking water?

kelcistanfieldkelcistanfield member
in Natural Birth

Hey ladies! Over the last few weeks, I've been going up about a cm a week and was feeling pretty good about things... until I stopped making progress! I'm fine with a slow labor (no, really, feel free to do the work for me, body!) but at this point I'm scared to stay at a 5 and face the pitocin when I go over. Not to mention I've been contracting like crazy for the last three weeks (4 mins apart, lasting over a minute each time) and my body is wearing out - FAST. I'm not sleeping (hence the insomniac posting) from the strength of the contractions and having a hard time resting through the day (maybe since I'm still working?).

Obviously the bulb treatment is out of the picture because I'm past 4cm; I'm drinking at least 4 cups of raspberry leaf tea a day (when the heat doesn't make me want to roll over and die); I started taking the evening primrose capsules, but they made my vag itch like crazy! Not to mention I've been walking like crazy, but is there anything else out there I can do to make these contractions a little more efficient?? I see my OB again on Friday and am tempted to ask about her breaking my water... Am I crazy?? What are the disadvantages of having your membranes artificially broken? Natural birth is so incredibly important to me, but even more so protecting my baby boy. Obviously if the risks are too high, I'll rule this out... just need help deciding/researching!

 

On a side note, my OB did sweep my membranes at the last appt to give the contractions  "a nudge", but I'm not seeing any real results besides having lost my mucus plug. Also, my mom's water never broke with any of her five kids... I guess the doctor's described her membrane lining as being "made of steel", lol.

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Re: Dilated 5cm & stopped progressing. Cons of OB breaking water?

  • anonsouthernbellanonsouthernbell member
    I wouldnt unless you want a more painful labor & to pout yourself on a time table that will prob lead to induction....look up ways to rest w prodrominal labor...GL!
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  • RockyMtnMamaRockyMtnMama member

    I guess my question is...are you overdue or less than 40 weeks?  I'm going to assume you are not 40-41 weeks yet. 

    Most docs/midwives won't just break your water unless you are in active labor.  It sounds like although you are having contractions rather often and consistent, you still aren't in "active" labor.  If you can still type, talk, or complain during those contractions and are at 5cm, then you're doing great (albeit I bet tired).  But I'm guessing once you go into active labor, you won't need much to keep dilating.  Hang in there - take baths, go swimming, heck, I'd even drink a glass of wine to try and see if my uterus would relax right before bed and so I could get one night of good sleep. 

    Good luck and I hope it happens before Friday!

    Two boys already - ages 5 and 3...

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  • macy42macy42

    imageanonsouthernbell:
    I wouldnt unless you want a more painful labor & to pout yourself on a time table that will prob lead to induction....look up ways to rest w prodrominal labor...GL!

    this. also i've read that it could lead to baby pressing against the cord, leading to less oxygen. higher chance of infection (hence the time table mentioned above). Your body is meant to do this girl! Don't let him do it unless you really want him to. Stand your ground if it's not your wish.

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  • lily225lily225 member

    I would try membrane sweeping again before asking to get induced by breaking your water. That was always my "condition", to at least try sweeping at every possible opportunity before getting induced.

    With my last birth, I was 41w6d and 4cm dilated when I had to be induced because of dropping fluid levels. She started me on the tiniest bit of pitocin and broke my water. I don't know which one for sure made it worse, but the contractions were horrrrrible compared to what I had felt with my previous two labors. So bad that I could not keep my body relaxed and I ended up stalling and then got an epidural. I know it wasn't anything I could have changed though, I needed to be induced at that point to get baby out.

    So if you can avoid an actual induction, do so. Especially if a natural birth is what you are shooting for. Don't put yourself up against bigger challenges than you already have. 

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  • LaurelBeeLaurelBee member

    Breaking your water early before the baby's head is engaged can lead to prolapsed cord (where the cord comes down 1st and baby's head pushes against it.) If you don't have an epi set, you will be put under general and an emergency CS will be performed. This happened to my Sil who had her water broken at 7cm. 

    I also dealt with tons of prodomal labor. I walked around at 5cm for over a week. By time I went into actual labor, I was only at the hospital for 4 hrs before I had Ds. My contrax up to 8cm were totally manageable, but I had my water broken (w/o my consent) and things got crazy painful.  I say wait and go into labor on your own!!  Also, I had lots of sex leading up to that point which always made me contract for hours afterward. Maybe that's the jump start you need?? GL mama, you're thisclose to having your baby!!

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  • judahsmommy1judahsmommy1

    Are you facing an induction either way? With my last pregnancy I needed to be induced for pre-eclampsia and so I had my doctor break my water to try to intensify contractions I was already having. It worked out well, but the only reason it was the right choice was because we knew baby had to come out one way or the other. My son was born 27 hours after my water was broken.

    Have you tried sex/nipple stimulation? Also, if there's any way for you to take a nice long bath and just try to COMPLETELY relax, that can sometimes get things moving. 

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  • JcrabJcrab
    I would not want membranes artificially ruptured unless in active labor and completely necessary. Maybe try to think of it as an advanced start for labor instead of stopped progressing. You are already half dilated and I want to say usually the second half goes faster than the first. Once active labor starts you'll do great. Stay positive, you can do it.
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  • erb82erb82 member
    I don't have much to add medically-speaking, but a personal experience: With DD2, I was in early labor for weeks.  I was at 3cms for 3 weeks and 5cms for over a week, walked around with fairly regular but mild contractions until she was born, didn't get a great night sleep for 3 weeks because of all that.  When I finally went into active labor, it was over so fast.  If you can possibly avoid the water breaking/induction and wait to go into labor naturally I recommend it.  The birth itself was fast and easy because my body had been building up to it slowly for almost a month.  My water finally broke when I started pushing.
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  • LJM0521LJM0521 member
    With DS1, I was 3 1/2 cm for weeks.  Then progressed to 4 1/2 around 39 weeks but still wasn't in labor.  It was beyond frustrating and I remember how hard it was to wake up each morning still pregnant.  But you know, when I finally went into labor, it was fast.  If you're 5 cm, I'm guessing when the real thing hits you, you'll have a fast and "easy" labor Big Smile

    Married to J since 5/05, Mommy to T (10/08), L (08/10) and C (02/13) who was born at home.

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  • AGangsteadAGangstead
    I was in a very similar situation, dilated to 5 slowly over several weeks and 90% effaced, but my contractions were mild so I wasn't having a sleep depravation problem. The Doctor told me that I had the strongest bag of waters he'd ever seen. They did want to break my water at 5 cm but I said no, I would wait and see what happened, and thank god I did, I don't think I would have gone natural if I had said yes at that point. In the end they did break my water, but only when I was in transition and starting to push and there was still no sign on it breaking on its own. As soon as they did everyone became soon much worse and intense. If it had been like that before I never would have made it drug free.
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