[clchart]

My first baby is due today and at 11:45 last night my waters broke. I went back to sleep to wait it out until it might be time to call the hospital but since then nothing has happened.
If your waters break with no other action do you have to have the baby induced?

[greenthumbs]

That is really not for anyone to answer for you.

I would have thought the midwives/OB would have discussed this with you.

Call them now to advise them and have a chat about what happens next.

Good luck - whichever way it goes, you'll be holding your little one soon!!

[axiomae]

Get in touch with your hospital and caregivers. They all have different policies. Some induce to avoid risk of infection, others have differing approaches. Your labour will likely start soon in either case - good luck!

[Natttmumm]

If your waters break and nothing happens you should go to hospital. It's really easy to get an infection so they check you out. Eventually you would be induced.good luck.
Mine broke at 37 weeks with number 1. I was induced about a day later

[ubermum]

I had my waters broken to be induced. Labour did not start, so I went home. I was not consenting to syntocin, I've had it before and didn't want it. I agreed with the doctor that I didn't want an infection and consented to antibiotics at 18 hours post rupture if nothing had happened. 17 hours after rupture of membranes, my labour started and the baby was born within 2 hours.

I had my membranes ruptured with a previous baby and labour didn't start then either. 3 hours after rupture, I was pressured to have syntocin to augment my labour. I hated it and laboured for 8 hours before birth.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Ask what your alternatives and risks are if you consent and don't consent to certain interventions. Make sure you make any decisions fully informed.

[againagain]

Some hospitals will wait about 48 hours before inducing you. Obviously call your caregiver and let them know but stay upright and keep walking around, see if that will get things moving for you.

All my births (3) have started with waters breaking and then there were varying amounts of time before labour started naturally.

[JKC81]

5 days before I was due with my first my waters ruptured, I called the hospital and they had me come in. My waters ruptured at 7am and they only gave me until around 10:30am (3 and a half hours) for contractions to start but they didnt so they induced me, 7 hours later I was holding my baby. The chance of infection was to great. Hopefully you are at the hospital by now

[erindiv]

Most hospitals advise that you contact them if your waters break. There is a high risk of infection if left for too long so you need to be monitered. You should call them right now (in fact should probably have called last night).

[Bron1206]

My waters broke at 0430 on a Monday, intense regular contractions starting at midday and DS arriving at 1817 that evening. Midwives said they would give me 18hrs from waters breaking before inducing.

Good luck op

This post has been edited by Bron1206: 15/01/2013, 02:36 PM

[Shellby]

With my first my waters also broke about 11pm and no labour. I was told to wait 24 hours and take my temp every hour incase of infection. After 36 hours I went back and they had to use the drip which they started about 8 hours after that (waiting for lady to have baby in next room.) I was also given a IV shot of ABs.

However it took over 2 hours and the drip going to max to finally have one contraction - they did tell me for long term water breaks and no labour at full term its very common for the drip to fail in which case you go straight to C/S. I was lucky by 20 minutes I was told.

However it looks like my son did get an infection and got sick, within 24 hours of birth (and thinking he was fine) he was transferred 4 hours away to ICN and stayed in hospital for 5 days - he was close to death the first day it turns out. The same thing happened a month earlier and their baby didn't survive.

So please don't go holding off induction because you don't want the drip or a C/S (was told for broken waters and no labour its 50% rate) because your baby can get an infection.