How long into your induction did they break your water?

[Anonymous]

I was induced and nothing happened with the Cervidil overnight. They started the pitocin the next morning around 9-10 and nothing all day until 4 when my water broke on its own. I delivered at midnight.

My friend had the same experience as me, except that they broke her water at about 2 and then she still wasnt progressing, and she had a c-section at 3:45.

Is there a normal amount of time to wait in an induction? Bc of my experience, it seemed like hers was rushed. I never felt like anyone cared if I labored all day with nothing doing. Neither of us were experiencing painful contractions on the pitocin until our water's broke.

I am curious bc I am preg with #2 and will likely need to be induced again and want to know if there is a standard period of time or not.

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I got my pitocin around 10:00 AM and my ob broke my water at noon, I delivered vaginally at 4:56 PM.

[Anonymous]

As soon as your water breaks, you are on the clock to deliver. Some OB's also require that you stay in bed once your water is broken. Since inductions can take a long time, it is best to not break the water until you are at least 8cm. For example, if you break it when you are 4 or 5 cm (most docs will want to do it at this time) and your labor progresses very slowly after that (which it could) then you could wind up with a c/section because your water has been broken too long.

You can also always refuse to have your water broken. As long as your water is intact, and your baby is not in distress, and you maintain your energy, you can labor for days with no harm to anyone.

[Anonymous]

I was on pitocin for about 10 hours on the first day, off at night (but with Cervadil), and then started up again at 10 the next morning. I recall my water breaking late in the afternoon and then delivering at 9:59. Shortly after my water broke is when the contractions started to hurt. I was never rushed. As an aside, my water broke on its own while the Dr. was in the room explaining the procedure for how he would break my water. No joke. Maybe my DD didn't like the sound of using the amni-hook.

[Anonymous]

I was incuded with Pitocin around 8am, doctor broke my water around noon - DD arrived about 20 mins. later.

Was scheduled to be induced with my second child but went into labor on my own a few hours before I was scheduled to arrive at the hospital. If I had a choice (and I'm sure that you don't) I'd choose not to be induced.

[Anonymous]

The nurses started my pitocin at 6 am, the doctor broke my water at 11 am and I DD was born at 2:30.

[Anonymous]

Cervadil overnight like you. Pitocin in the morning. Doc broke my water shortly after the Pitocin - maybe an hour.

[Anonymous]

Ditto previous poster. Started pit at 7ish, membranes were ruptured by 8ish and delivered vaginally at 3pm.

[Anonymous]

OP here - this is all so interesting. I wonder why they let me go so long or how much longer I could have been there. Breaking my water was never even discussed.

[Anonymous]

My cervix was not dilated or effaced. I was 41 weeks, 3 days. Low amniotic fluid led to induction.

Cervadil in at 11pm. Pitocin started at 11am, contractions began and continued regularly 2-3 minutes apart for hours, pitocin continued to be increased over time, no epi per my request, walked around, took a bath, rocked in rocker, sat on bouncy ball, etc. Water broke on it's own around 4pm, contractions intensified a lot, pitocin also increased again, still no epi per my request, kept walking and rocking and breathing. At 11pm, I was effaced but only about 1-2 cm dilated - and exhausted. Knew db was going to be big (they were telling me over 10lbs) and worried I wouldn't be able to push her out if I didn't get rest. Got epidural. Pitocin increased again, contractions continued while I rested. Urge to push began at 5:30am. Healthy db (weight 8lbs 9oz) born vaginally at 7:45am.

This was in a L&D floor of a hospital but with a midwife as the practitioner. Also, I was on a continuous fetal monitor once the pitocin was started, and my movement disrupted it which drove the L&D nurses, interns, and on-call residents nuts, but my midwife was highly experienced and played the intermediary on my behalf. She would make me be still at regular intervals to get readings to assess db's well-being throughout the process. Unlike most obstetricians, she was at the hospital on the L&D floor throughout the entire labor process. She would stay with me for periods and would go into another nearby room at times to rest herself and eat or whatever.

[Anonymous]

OP--you wondered why the did not break your water....my guess would be that they didn't want to because that is "when the clock starts ticking"....meaning, if you do not deliver within 24 hours of your water breaking, they get worried and often go in for a c-section. The problem with induction is that your body/baby is not ready to deliver/be delivered and you are forcing it...hence the water not breaking and often as cited above, your body not responding (just because you have contractions doesn't mean you will begin to dialate, etc)...so, the longer you can wait, the better--hoping that your water breaks on its own and things proceeed "naturally" from that point. Hope that makes sense.

[Anonymous]

pitocin around 7 am, broke water within an hour, baby born vaginally at 8.20 am. (3 wks early)

[Anonymous]

Cervadil at 6pm; Pitocin at 6am the next morning. Here's the kicker: it took 18 hours to get me to 1cm so they could break my water. Delivered son 24 hours later. Total time from Pitocin to birth: 2 1/2 days. No, this wasn't in Washington, though it was with an OB, rather than a midwife.

[Anonymous]

OP here - I brought this issue up with my OB yesterday and she said that there is no overall standard practice but since she delivers at GW, the drs there have to be in the hospital during the entire time they are on-call, so there is less of a rush to deliver. They have to be there whether they deliver 0 babies or 10 babies.

Also, bc GW is a teaching hospital, they have to be far more careful about any interventions and they have to have a very good reason and be well-documented. This is not true of all hospitals. She said she would never break a patient's water if she wasnt contracting, just to move things along.

At Sibley, where my friend delivered, they call the dr who is on-call to come in and that dr may feel more inclined to speed things along.

I just thought it was interesting bc I had never looked at it that way. Happy to be at GW!

[Anonymous]

An hour or so after administering the pitocin. Having regular contractions, though not painful. I was post-date, so there was no worry on starting any clock (plus second child). I think it sped things up. I went from 4 cm to 8 cm in 20 minutes. Hard labor was only for 2 hours.