# Water Broke - Slow Labor...need advice



## ActivistMommy (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi All,

My water began leaking slowly at 12 midnight and we went to the hospital. They confirmed that my membranes had ruptured. We stayed for 12 hours but contractions were still at least 10 minutes apart and there was no real progress. Against medical advice from the doctors (not our doula and team) we decided to go home to labor.

We are still not having much progress as far as contractions increasing in time or intensity. Anyone have experience with water breaking and a slow labor progressing. We really want to avoid the pitocin so we are avoiding the hospital. Any advice, stories, or experiences you can offer would be MUCH appreciated!!!!


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## queenjulie (Oct 26, 2007)

Big hugs! As far as I know, it's perfectly safe to labor at home for at least 24 hours after water breaking (I've heard people say 48 hours even), as long as you don't get cervical checks, which increase your chances of infection. Honestly, I would stay home at least until tonight if you want to try to avoid pitocin and go natural.

But if you decide you're too exhausted to keep it up, there is no shame in going in for pitocin with an epidural--after 20 hours of exhausting labor with no progress whatsoever, I couldn't do it anymore, and I had a wonderful birth 8 hours later (during which I actually got to sleep because of the epidural) and was able to enjoy my first hours with my daughter instead of being too exhausted to even hold her. It wasn't what I planned, but it was still a great birth.


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## coobabysmom (Nov 16, 2005)

Lots of interesting info about prom here:
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/prom.html

Besides nothing in the vagina, you might consider checking your temperature every 4 hrs. to rule out infection.

If you are tired or need time to decompress and center after the hospital, you might nap, shower or ask for a massage from your doula.

Since you are contracting, you might consider some natural augmentation techniques: nipple stimulation, acupressure or acupuncture (if you can get an "emergency appt."), black/blue cohosh tincture from an herbalist, castor oil.

Good for you for not staying at the hospital!

good birthing to you...







:

please update if you can.


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## hollytheteacher (Mar 10, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ActivistMommy* 
Hi All,

My water began leaking slowly at 12 midnight and we went to the hospital. They confirmed that my membranes had ruptured. We stayed for 12 hours but contractions were still at least 10 minutes apart and there was no real progress. Against medical advice from the doctors (not our doula and team) we decided to go home to labor.

We are still not having much progress as far as contractions increasing in time or intensity. Anyone have experience with water breaking and a slow labor progressing. We really want to avoid the pitocin so we are avoiding the hospital. Any advice, stories, or experiences you can offer would be MUCH appreciated!!!!

To be completely honest, this is a time when i WOULD recommend pitocin...with my son, my water broke and he was born 36 hours later...unfortuneatly we both had fevers and he got some kind of infection because of not being born within 24 hrs of my water breaking...because of this, if i am ever in that situation again (water breaking before true labor begins) i will request pitocin...basically because i want to be able to hold/bond with my baby instead of having him/her taken immediatly to the NICU again


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

The single most important thing with broken water is NOTHING (nothing, no, no checks, no, no fingers, no, no "sterile" checks) in the vagina.

Absolutely NOTHING.

As long as there is NOTHING in the vagina AND no sign of infection (fever etc) I would be comfortable with ruptured membranes for quite a while.

But since you went to the hospital, I'll venture a guess something's already been up there....










-Angela


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## racheloperasinger (Jun 21, 2007)

We love you, ActivistMommy!! We're praying for you!















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Love, ActivistMommy's BFF, est. 1990


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## ~*~MamaJava~*~ (Mar 7, 2004)

hope everything is going well and you're holding your babe!

fwiw, i had a late start to labour when my water broke with #2...nothing really happening for the first 17 hrs. Thankfully it got going at 9 AM, just before they were geared up to induce me


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## racheloperasinger (Jun 21, 2007)

Hey mamas!

I'm bumping this up because ActivistMommy is still progressing slowly (harder contractions but 6 minutes apart, and her water broke about 36 hours ago now) She's laboring at home right now, but feeling obviously discouraged and scared that the minute they walk back into the hospital, she'll get interventions forced on her.

Any more tips, advice, stories?


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## SalmonBayDoula (Jul 10, 2005)

Sounds like things are moving along. Some thoughts, in random order...

1. like a previous poster has said, nothing in the vagina AT ALL! The rule of thumb as I understand it in England is that they like to see birth within 24 hours after the FIRST vag exam aftr ROM, and clearly that can be days!

2. Is this mama GBS neg? IF she was GBS pos, I might be thinking of antibiotics if she was planning to go that route.

3. She can always go to the hospital for antibiotics, (if she is concerned) and leave, they do not have to admit her for this...several of my hospital birth clients have done this.

4. She can do stairs, walk up and down hills, (sideways too!) lunges, nipple stim, (breastpump is great) acupuncture, get skin to skin with her partner, have an orgasm (easier said then done when you are 36 hours into labor, but not by intercourse...) all things that may move things along, She can try visualization and talking to her baby, pressure points, also may help.

5. Encourage her to stay well nourished and well hdyrated and pee every hour also! Small sips constantly and little bites often are a good thing!

6. Lots of Vit C and garlic (orally) can help prevent infection, try E-Merg-N C (or however you spell it..) for a large dose of Vit. C.
Good luck and sending birthing vibes her way!

Sharon


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## Kidzaplenty (Jun 17, 2006)

Biggest thing, stay away from the hospital as long as she can.


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## Amila (Apr 4, 2006)

UGH this happened to me, and was the ONE thing I didn't research. I had a terrible midwife for many reasons, but she pretty much told me if I didn't go into labor withing 24 hours, I would be given Pit, and I was...and antibiotics, and Stadol, and an Epi...grrrr.

My new midwife (owner of the practice who has since fired this midwife) said that is unnecessary- she had women go up to 4 days without starting labor...as long as NOTHING is put up there, and no fever...I'd let nature take its course, and DON'T go to the hospital until ctx are coming fast and steady.


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## EarthsSpiral (Nov 13, 2007)

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## ~*~MamaJava~*~ (Mar 7, 2004)

Try to rest as much as possible - you could take a Gravol to help you sleep a little - if you feel energetic, walk or do stairs.

Eat!

Watch a funny movie.

Drink a big cup of super strong RRL tea.


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## Incubator (May 11, 2006)

same as above, keep things out of the vagina, PERIOD! nipple stimulation is great, don't be afraid to skip the breast pump and let your DP have at it. Wiggle your hips, move around, get intimate with DP, have a manual orgasm (remember the no-no vagina rule) dance/walk, eat something spicy (i've heard), try to poop and pee. I'd only really be worried if you're GBS+ or starting to run a fever. Even if you are GBS pos, keep a VERY close eye on the baby, but you should still be able to labor and deliver at home.


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## newmama8824 (Jul 8, 2007)

Same thing happened to me! I birthed in a hospital as well and before I went I waited 48 hours and nothing happened. No contractions, just irregular BH. Finally I went to the hospital and talked with my MW. She told me she could insert cervidil (a prostaglandin gel) since nipp stimulation and all that stuff did not work for me. 30 minutes after it was inserted I went into labor. No monitors, no cervical checks and I labored in the water.. I was checked after 10 hours because I had an urge to push & it was time!!! Good luck. I hope it works out well for you


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## Luv2Skydive (Mar 4, 2008)

And I hate to say it, but RELAX. Sometimes letting go of things that are bothering you can get you over that hump and get things going. Visualize, visualize, visualize yourself opening up for this baby and lots of positive affirmations that this IS going to happen at home, and soon! : )


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## so_blessed (Dec 24, 2007)

Same thing happened to me. My MW kept recommending pitocin, but we did not want it b/c I wanted to deliver without meds and I had heard contractions w/ pitocin were so much harder.

I called several friends who had had several births. Two of them had stalled labors. They had successfully used castor oil. My MW was skeptical, but I wanted to try it, so she brought me a bottle of odorless, flavorless castor oil.

After 20 minutes of drinking it, I was on the toilet pooping and vomiting. At that point, my contractions were so strong ( I went from 0 pain to like 8), I was asking for the MW. She arrived, and 20 minutes later I pushed out our son. So I went from NO contractions to delivering him in 45 minutes. My husband jokes that we need to take our own bottle with us this time, just in case it happens again!


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