A thin, plastic tool called an amnihook ruptures your membranes. An amnihook is about 12 inches long with a curved hook at the top. It resembles a hook you'd use to crotchet a blanket. To break your water, your healthcare provider inserts the amnihook through your vagina.
It doesn't hurt when your water breaks, so you shouldn't feel any pain.
If your cervix has opened up to at least 2-3 centimetres dilated and the baby's head is well engaged (low down in your pelvis), your waters will be broken (see below under Artifical Rupture of Membranes). If it is not possible to break your waters a second Propess pessary may be inserted if appropriate.
This method works for some women, but not all. Breaking your water (also called an amniotomy). The doctor ruptures the amniotic sac during a vaginal exam using a little plastic hook to break the membranes. If the cervix is ready for labor, amniotomy usually brings on labor in a matter of hours.
Doctors may recommend inducing labor if it does not begin naturally within 24 hours of water breaking. When a pregnant person's waters break, the amniotic sac can no longer protect against infection. The pregnant person and the fetus become at risk for infections such as chorioamnionitis and sepsis.
However, once your water breaks, your healthcare provider will usually want delivery to happen within 24 to 48 hours. You can learn more about what to expect in the case of a vaginal birth. Remember: the long months of waiting are nearly over, and you'll meet your baby soon enough!
Potential complications include maternal or fetal infection, placental abruption — when the placenta peels away from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery — and umbilical cord problems. The baby is also at risk of complications due to premature birth.
In some cases, the sac may not open up on its own as labor begins. The doctor or midwife may recommend the sac be ruptured intentionally in a procedure called amniotomy. Obstetricians have used amniotomy to stimulate labor or help it progress for more than a century. However, its effectiveness is not 100% certain.
When your baby is ready to begin the journey through the birth canal, your cervix dilates from fully closed to 10 centimeters. This process can take hours, days, or even weeks. But once you hit active labor – about 6 cm dilated – it's usually just a matter of hours before you reach full dilation.
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.
Hospitals and doctors have their own individual policies for epidurals. In most cases, however, an epidural will not be given until the mother is at least 3-4 centimeters dilated. Once the mother is fully dilated most doctors and hospitals will consider it too late for an epidural to be given.
Induced labour is usually more painful than labour that starts on its own, and you may want to ask for an epidural. Your pain relief options during labour are not restricted by being induced. You should have access to all the pain relief options usually available in the maternity unit.
Breaking your waters
This is also known as artificial rupture of the membranes (ARM). Your midwife or doctor can do this by making a small break in the membrane during a vaginal examination. This may make your contractions feel stronger and more painful, so your midwife will talk to you about pain relief.
Medical interventions can speed up labor, but there are other ways to encourage dilation. They include moving around, rocking on an exercise ball, using relaxation techniques, and laughing. Dilation is a term that describes the widening of the cervical opening.
When you walk, and just about 30 minutes at a time is all you need, the baby will begin to move down into the birth canal. This may cause your water to break and get the contractions started. Make sure you don't overdo it even though you are anxious to give birth.
This means that the protective sac of fluid around your baby, now has a hole in it that is allowing the water to drain away. Most women go into labour soon after their waters break. 60% of women go into labour naturally within 24 hours. 91% of women go into labour naturally within 48 hours.
Amniotomy, aka artificial rupture of the membranes, is basically when the doctor artificially breaks your water in order to encourage you to dilate faster, monitor baby more closely or reduce risk to you and baby.
Increased possibility of a poorly positioned baby, which could increase pain, length of labor, and need for interventions or c-section. Complication with baby's umbilical cord called "cord prolapse" Rare: problems with baby's heart rate, known as "fetal distress"
Usually the doctor, midwife, or nurse will break your water before you become completely dilated, if it hasn't broken by then. This allows them to learn if you have any problems that would impede the baby's safe delivery. Contractions usually become much more intense after your water breaks, and the labor goes faster.
Your baby will continue to move once your water breaks. However, without that extra fluid and cushioning, there is diminished buoyancy. This will result in the baby not being able to reposition if the baby is malpositioned (in a less ideal positionfor birth).
Your provider may recommend inducing labor if your health or your baby's health is at risk or if you're 2 weeks or more past your due date. For some women, inducing labor is the best way to keep mom and baby healthy. Inducing labor should be for medical reasons only.
For most people, active labor is more painful than pushing because it lasts longer, gets more and more intense as it progresses, and involves many muscles, ligaments, organs, nerves, and skin surfaces.