Routinely breaking waters – normal?

[hotmama]

My friend just had 1st baby. She was overdue by 12 days and they induced her. Then when she started dilating, they took her to labour ward and broke her waters. They didnt ask her if they culd break them – they just said to her, that they do it all the time, its routine and they did it.

Its only now shes saying ‘they didn’t ask me, they just did it’, she feels like her birth was outta her control, like they decided it for her and she just went along with it

Just wondering, if this happened to you, would you mind if they broke your waters or would you want to go naturally?

I would not want them to interfere with me unless necessary but seems they just do what they like and don’t really ask the mum

Thoughts of it kind of freaking me out….

[chewieodie]

Mine were broken for me… on both my pregnancies….
Granted, I was told that it was happening. I wasn’t asked whether or not I wanted it to happen… but after labouring for hours, without pain relief… I would have attacked myself with a pair of garden shears just to make it happen faster! Also, as soon as mine were broken… my labour sped up dramatically, and the birth happened very quickly thereafter…. particularly with no 2. I don’t feel that the birth experience was out of my control…. at all times the midwives were sympathetic and supportive of me. And on baby no two… she was in distress (which I wasn’t aware of)… and when breaking the waters they discovered meconium…. so it really was the best thing to do at the time. I kind of trusted that they were the experts…. and that worked for me…..
sorry that your friend felt it to be a bad experience…. 🙁

[meathmamofour]

the evidence for best practice says that in normally functioning labour (ie. mum and baby are doing well) it is best to keep the waters intact and that breaking the waters does not make labour faster.

with the waters gone, contractions do become more intense as the bag of waters cushions the head – so its common to hear mums say that they ‘lost control’ once the waters were gone. I have given birth twice with waters going very late in the labour and twice with waters gone earlier or broken earlier. Hands down, it is much easier with waters intact.

breaking the waters absolutely needs consent – and informed consent at that (benefits and risks of having waters broken given). "Routine Policy" is not an excuse for breaking waters – you have the right make an informed refusal – or for alternatives: ie. what happens if we do nothing, can I have more time, etc

Your friend sounds like she is upset over this – she could consider putting in a complaint

[mammycool]

Hi there,

I think it is routine as part of the induction process. Different hospitals have different policies on when you are induced but I think you can have a say on this. As far as I am award, the Lourdes is now 14 days over. If your doctor starts talking about iducing, you can ask if everything is ok with the baby and whether or not it is safe to wait another day or so to see if you go naturally.

I was brought in to be induced on my first but actually went into labour myself. The procedure I was told was as follows, assuming that the previous step did not put you into full labour and that you are a first time mother:

1) Gel given in the evening and you are left overnight.
2) Gel given the next morning
3) Lunch time – waters broken
4) Evening – drip attached

I had the 1st step when I was admitted but when the doctor came to examine me, she said that I was already having contractions. Baby was born by 10am next morning.

Induction is supposed to be a harder labour but you can discuss waiting a day or so with your doctor. Then once you agree to it, the procedure is to try and get you into full labour and not drag it out too long for you.

The policy of the Lourdes differs from other hospitals. There is one in Dublin, if you go in in labour, and have not progressed sufficiently within 8 hours, the policy is to intervene. You do have a choice – you have to sign something in advance of intervention – just make sure that your baby is safe and then make it. Do not be bullied.

[duckiedoo]

I had my waters broken in my 3 pregnancies as i was very far dilated (8cm) and waters were still intact with no sign of natural eruption, the first time i was quite peeved that they had to do it, the 2nd n 3rd time i couldnt wait, the relief of pressure i felt was amazing, and had my babies in a few mins, with a nice wet delivery, in fact my 3rd delivery was so fast after they broke my waters i was still in the ward when she ‘popped’ out without even a push!!!

I think that if she was that far in labour without eruption and they had to manually break her waters that she may prepare for the same procedure in subsequent pregnancies.

[Taylor5]

I had my broken on ds1…. was like a feckin waterfall for 36hours on ds2 😆 😆 😆

I know your friend might be upset about this, but im sure she was told what was happening. They have to get their little tray with the little knitting needle type thing, maybe she just didnt understand why it was done….. i was so glad as the relief was amazing!!!!

I do respect your friends worries as she was the one at the birth, but tbh its a very minor thing to be upset about….. there is alot worse that can happen during birth. She has a healthy baby and that should be her focus, she cant go back in time but she can move on and for the next time request that she doesnt want her waters broken
Wish her well with her new baby 😀

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