Water breaking

[Jalapeñomel]

I was always under the impression to labor at home until the contractions were 5 minutes apart (or whatever the doctor told you) or at least regularly occurring. 

[natablue]

I honestly have no idea! I'll have to ask at my appointment Monday.

It seems like on TV and in the movies they always rush to the hospital after the water breaks, lol.

[dukesilver]

I think it depends on the doctor. I was told to call my doctor if my water broke to get further instructions. I was not having contractions when my water broke, and was surprised when they told me to head to the hospital right away. In retrospect, I wish I'd either not called right away or disregarded their instructions. While I can't say for sure, I can't help but wonder if my labor/delivery would have gone better/differently if I'd waited to go to the hospital.

[sporklemotion]

I was told to call ASAP if it broke (or if I thought it did), regardless of contractions. When I called, they asked a few questions to gauge how likely it was that my water had broken (vs. peeing myself), and then told me to come in. They wanted to deliver w/in 24 hours of water breaking, so they didn't want to wait-- my contractions didn't really start until a few hours after my water had broken, and they didn't get within 5 minutes of each other without pitocin (about 10 hours in).
I also needed antibiotics for group B strep; they started these pretty much right off.
In general, I don't think it hurts to call if you're not sure-- I wouldn't go straight to the hospital, but also wouldn't wait until contractions are closer.

[Jalapeñomel]

Also keep in mind that my water actually broke on Thursday, and I didn't go in until the wee hours of Sunday morning (after it "breaking" again). So I'm probably not the one to listen too, lol.

[sookie]

Dec 22, 2013 11:08:29 GMT -5 @callmefia said:

My practice said to call. You will get further instructions upon calling.

Eta: If you go to the hospital during certain hours, you can't go directly into L&D, you have to go to ER first so I think we would need to know. Also, I think they like to call the hospital to let them know a patient is on the way so that they are prepared for you to register etc.

So I would not just show up at the hospital.

You can't go straight to L&D? That's silly. I never had to go through anywhere first after I was 20 weeks.

[sookie]

My OB's practice said it was either 5/1/1 or water breaking, whichever comes first.

[speckledfrog]

Dec 22, 2013 11:13:56 GMT -5 sookie said:

Dec 22, 2013 11:08:29 GMT -5 @callmefia said:

My practice said to call. You will get further instructions upon calling.

Eta: If you go to the hospital during certain hours, you can't go directly into L&D, you have to go to ER first so I think we would need to know. Also, I think they like to call the hospital to let them know a patient is on the way so that they are prepared for you to register etc.

So I would not just show up at the hospital.

You can't go straight to L&D? That's silly. I never had to go through anywhere first after I was 20 weeks.

At my hospital the main doors close at 9:00 pm and if you need to go in later than that you use the ER entrance.  You don't have to stop in the ER, just walk through and tell security you are going to L&D. 

[Yankees21]

The video I had to watch said the 5-1-1 was for contractions without your water breaking, but that you should go in right away after water breaking.

[Deleted]

I don't plan on going right away if my water breaks (unless we already know that baby is breach or I'm having regular contractions). Many docs want to deliver within 24 hours because of increased risk of infection. But as long as you aren't doing cervical checks at home and introducing bacteria into the vagina, the odds of infection are pretty small even if you wait a few hours to see if contractions start on their own. I wouldn't wait too long though.

[redpenmama]

I went to L&D when mine broke (it was like movie-style gushing) and was admitted. I was having contractions 5-7 min apart by the time we got admitted (some of which I wasn't feeling). Had I not made progress on my own, my OB would've started me on Pitocin, but I didn't want it unless absolutely necessary, but there was no way they were sending me home to labor until contractions sped up (and I wouldn't have wanted that either).

[cmarie11]

If you are GBS+, most docs prefer that you go in to start antibiotics.

If you are GBS-, you're probably ok to stay at home for a while.

[JayhawkGirl]

Mine broke with DS. I ate lunch, then called. They had me go to the hospital. I never started contracting and ended up on pit about five hours after it broke.

[kristie]

Call and go in if your water breaks. There are many different factors, but you want to get to the hospital once your water breaks. Even if you aren't contracting. Sure infection is a concern, but not immediately. If you are Gbs + though, you need antibiotics anyways. I would be more concerned about fetal positioning and cord placement, and how the baby is tolerating their now less floaty environment. Typically labor can take 2 to 24 hours to start after water breaks.

[kristie]

Dec 22, 2013 14:00:50 GMT -5 ribollita said:

Dec 22, 2013 11:53:37 GMT -5 @myblue said:

I don't plan on going right away if my water breaks (unless we already know that baby is breach or I'm having regular contractions). Many docs want to deliver within 24 hours because of increased risk of infection. But as long as you aren't doing cervical checks at home and introducing bacteria into the vagina, the odds of infection are pretty small even if you wait a few hours to see if contractions start on their own. I wouldn't wait too long though.

This. With #1 my water broke but I had no contractions. I took a nap, shower, and we went out to lunch before going in about six hours later.

Were you wearing a diaper? I would be petrified to be in public with broken water. You might not make a mess, but the odds are definitely against you. lol.

[Deleted]

It's not just infection that is a concern. I would at least call once your water breaks. The idea of cord compression once the fluid is out, makes me too nervous.

[sookie]

Dec 22, 2013 11:44:09 GMT -5 @callmefia said:

Dec 22, 2013 11:13:56 GMT -5 sookie said:

You can't go straight to L&D? That's silly. I never had to go through anywhere first after I was 20 weeks.

Same as speckled-they close that entrance after hours and you enter through the ER. They don't admit you there and you still go back to L&D, it is just that you have to go through a different entrance.

Oh I see! The hospital I delivered at doesn't have a direct/close to direct entrance to L&D so we used a side entrance (it was before 5pm) that was closest to the elevator closest to the entrance to L&D, but we went once and went through the main entrance to the hospital around 2am which is a different entrance than the ER.

[Stingyshark]

My water broke at 10:10p, we were in a room by 12. We went right into the women's center, didn't have to use the ER entrance.

I wasn't having contractions at first but by time they got me on the monitor they were every 2min.

I only had pitocin to make my contractions more frequent when I was pushing. I progressed to 10cm/100% on my own.

[degal99]

My OB is in the call camp. They'll kinda triage you over the phone and go from there.

[speckledfrog]

Dec 22, 2013 13:45:28 GMT -5 kristie said:

Call and go in if your water breaks. There are many different factors, but you want to get to the hospital once your water breaks. Even if you aren't contracting. Sure infection is a concern, but not immediately. If you are Gbs + though, you need antibiotics anyways. I would be more concerned about fetal positioning and cord placement, and how the baby is tolerating their now less floaty environment. Typically labor can take 2 to 24 hours to start after water breaks.

I'm glad you weighed in on this.  I would have been in the wait a few hours and then call and mosey in camp, probably from reading natural births in hospitals books.  It's good to know that there could be pressing reasons for the fetus to go in.    My water did not break on its own the first time.

[AHappierHour]

My hospital has it's own entrance for L&D and it doesn't matter what time of day it is you have to be buzzed in by the nurses station.

If my water breaks I was told to go right in.

[dukesilver]

Dec 22, 2013 13:45:28 GMT -5 kristie said:

Call and go in if your water breaks. There are many different factors, but you want to get to the hospital once your water breaks. Even if you aren't contracting. Sure infection is a concern, but not immediately. If you are Gbs + though, you need antibiotics anyways. I would be more concerned about fetal positioning and cord placement, and how the baby is tolerating their now less floaty environment. Typically labor can take 2 to 24 hours to start after water breaks.

Thank you for weighing in on this.  I've been questioning going to the hospital right away and how that may have impacted my delivery, but I feel better now.

[browneyedgirl9]

My doctor said to come in if water broke

[fortnightlily]

Dec 22, 2013 14:33:02 GMT -5 @mjmksb04 said:

It's not just infection that is a concern. I would at least call once your water breaks. The idea of cord compression once the fluid is out, makes me too nervous.

This happened to me.  My water didn't break on its own, but as soon as they broke it at the hospital the baby's heartrate dropped and we did an emergency c-section.  He had the cord around his neck and the depressurization caused it to cinch tightly.

[Jalapeñomel]

What does GBS mean?

[kristie]

Dec 22, 2013 21:34:42 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

What does GBS mean?

Group B strep. It is a bacteria that is normally in the GI tract of a majority of people. Sometimes it works it's way out during pregnancy to the perineum. Most women are swabbed around 34-36 weeks for the presence of it. It isn't a big deal for the woman, but can cause significant issues for the baby.

[Jalapeñomel]

Dec 22, 2013 21:42:45 GMT -5 kristie said:

Dec 22, 2013 21:34:42 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

What does GBS mean?

Group B strep. It is a bacteria that is normally in the GI tract of a majority of people. Sometimes it works it's way out during pregnancy to the perineum. Most women are swabbed around 34-36 weeks for the presence of it. It isn't a big deal for the woman, but can cause significant issues for the baby.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it stood for! I never ended up having it done, since I went early. 

[winecheery]

mekiakoo I haven't lurked on this board in ages, but GL and omg you're 39 weeks?! Yay!

[Deleted]

Dec 22, 2013 14:33:02 GMT -5 @mjmksb04 said:

It's not just infection that is a concern. I would at least call once your water breaks. The idea of cord compression once the fluid is out, makes me too nervous.

that is whyt if we knew the baby was breach we would go straight in, if you the baby is already dropped head down, it is unlikely that the cord will slip through and get squished.

[Deleted]

Dec 23, 2013 1:32:04 GMT -5 @myblue said:

Dec 22, 2013 14:33:02 GMT -5 @mjmksb04 said:

It's not just infection that is a concern. I would at least call once your water breaks. The idea of cord compression once the fluid is out, makes me too nervous.

that is whyt if we knew the baby was breach we would go straight in, if you the baby is already dropped head down, it is unlikely that the cord will slip through and get squished.

You don't always know that, though. My DD turned breach while I was in labor and I had no clue.