Readers ask: What to do when water breaks?

How much time do I have after my water breaks?

In cases where your baby would be premature, they may survive just fine for weeks with proper monitoring and treatment, usually in a hospital setting. In cases where your baby is at least 37 weeks, current research suggests that it may be safe to wait 48 hours (and sometimes longer) for labor to start on its own.

Do I have to go to the hospital as soon as my water breaks?

So once the water bag breaks, it is very important to go to the hospital so the doctor can check the health of the pregnancy and proceed with assisting labor, if necessary, to minimize the time of labor and the risk of infection. Complications are rare, but it is still important to check in at the hospital.

How long can it take to have a baby after your water breaks?

If your baby is not born within the next 24 hours after your waters breaking, he/ she will need to stay in hospital for 12 hours after birth so they can be closely monitored for any signs of an infection. A small number of women will not go into labour within 48 hours and will be advised to have their labour induced.

Can I shower after my water breaks?

Some doctors allow women to shower after the bag of water has broken, but definitely not taking a bath. The fear is that while bathing in your tub, some bacteria may make their way up into the uterus and cause infection. (Although, it’s OK to labor in water once you’re at the hospital or birth center.)

How many cm dilated when water breaks?

If you didn’t already head to the hospital when your water broke in the first phase, this is usually the time to head to the hospital. Although it is the shortest phase, the transition phase is the most challenging. Transition typically lasts 30 minutes to 2 hours as your cervix fully dilates from 8 cm to 10 cm.

Can my water break without contractions?

Sometimes a woman’s waters break before labour starts. This happens in about 1 in 20 (5%) pregnancies and is known as Pre-labour Rupture of the Membranes (PROM). When this happens the length of time between the waters breaking and the contractions starting varies.

Can my water break without me knowing?

Most often, your water won’t break until you’re well into labor (it happens prior to the onset of labor only about 8% to 10% of the time). 1 Still, the fear is real that you won’t know the difference between amniotic fluid and urine.

Did my water break or did I pee?

If this nifty exercise doesn’t stop the trickle that you feel, you’re probably dealing with broken water. Try a wait-and-see approach for a few hours. If the gush is a one-time event it’s probably urine or vaginal discharge. If you continue to feed fluid leaking it’s more likely to be amniotic fluid.

What makes water break early?

Risk factors for water breaking too early include: A history of preterm prelabor rupture of membranes in a prior pregnancy. Inflammation of the fetal membranes (intra-amniotic infection) Vaginal bleeding during the second and third trimesters.