Water breaking is a stage of pregnancy that gives rise to many questions. What does it mean to break the waters? What’s the feeling? What should I do if my water bag breaks? Midwives Sandrine Brame and Céline Hattab Braha bring us their insight.
Towards the end of pregnancy, the pocket of waterx, which was contained in the uterus, may rupture spontaneously as the cervix dilates. Liquid can then flow out of the mother’s underwear or between her legs, in small or large quantities. Generally, water breaking is a normal, painless sign that indicates labor has started and delivery is near. The advice of midwives Sandrine Brame and Céline Hattab Braha on the loss of water before the birth of a baby.
What is the bag of waters?
Composed of two membranes (the chorion and the amnion), the bag of waters contains the fetus and amniotic fluid inside the uterus. True protective envelope, it allows the baby to develop in a bubble provided with a protective liquid at a constant temperature. A kind of cocoon protecting it from shocks, but also from microbes because“the bag of waters constitutes a mechanical barrier to infections”, explains Sandrine Brame.
Breaking water, what does that mean?
In principle, it is a term rupture of membranes. It may be associated with uterine contractions, in which case labor begins and the pocket breaks naturally. This is the course of a classic childbirth. Nevertheless, “in 5 to 10% of cases, this rupture of the membranes occurs prematurely”, notes Sandrine Brame, that is to say before the start of labor and without there being any pregnancy contractions.
What to do and when to go to the maternity ward in case of water break?
“Once the waters are broken, you shouldn’t wait for the contractions, the woman must go to the emergency room within 2 hours“, points out Céline Hattab Braha. During this time, there is no need for the mother-to-be to panic. Before going to the maternity ward, she can take the time to get ready, take a shower if she wishes and check her things one last time.
What does it feel like before the water breaks?
The mother-to-be has no particular feeling before the water breaks. “In general, the loss of water happens suddenly without there being any sign before, or associated pain”, emphasizes Céline Hattab Braha. In addition, water loss can occur at any time, at night, in the middle of the day, in restaurants, etc.
“In general, the loss of water happens suddenly without any sign before, or associated pain.”
How much liquid do we lose?
The loss of water can take place in two ways, and therefore have different quantities:
► The loss of liquid can be done in a way frankcorresponding to about half a glass of waterand you will then thoroughly wet your underwear and your clothes.
► There may be a simple cracking of the pocket of water, “like a small hole that forms in the pocket, which causes the liquid to flow out little by little, and not in large quantities”, illustrious Celine Hattab Braha
What is the color of the liquid in case of water loss?
It is a colorless liquid that looks like water. It is odorless, unlike urine which can be colored and slightly odorous. Exceptionally, the liquid may be a little tinged with green, when there is an emission of meconium in-utero, that is to say an evacuation of the baby’s stools. In this case, it is advisable to go to the maternity ward as soon as possible.
What is the smell of breaking water?
Depending on the mother’s diet, the smell of the amniotic liquid, contained in the bag of waters, varies. Indeed, it is in this pocket that the baby swallows, digests and urinates.
Yesthe rupture of the bag of waters can be done without contractions being triggered.
In the absence of regular contractions, it is important to be able to do the differential between urinary leakage, abundant vaginal discharge and sensation of vaginal humidity due to heat, frequent situations at the end of pregnancy. To achieve this, the two midwives suggest carrying out a small toilet: change your underwear and put on sanitary protection. Also try to maintain moderate activity, that is, moving around, moving, without lying down. If after half an hour your protection is still dry, it is probably neither a crack nor a rupture of the pocket of water. “When there is cracking of the membranes, there is permanent fluid loss until birth, like a dripping faucet“, explains Sandrine Brame. Your protection should therefore be at least damp.
When the water breaks, how long does it take to give birth?
“80% of mothers have ruptured the bag of waters with the onset of spontaneous labor within 12 to 24 hours”, notes Sandrine Brame. In this case, monitoring is carried out 24 hours after the rupture through a blood test and antibiotics to monitor the infection. Indeed, when the membrane is ruptured, there is no longer this mechanical barrier between the vagina and the fetus and therefore a risk of infection. Labor is then triggered artificially between 24 and 48 hours after the rupture if it is not spontaneous.
In addition, some patients in labor have contractions, accompanied by dilation of the cervix but the bag of waters does not pierce. SO, “the baby can be born in his pocketwe don’t have to break it”, assures Sandrine Brame. At the end of work “if the dilation is a little slower, we can decide to rupture the membranes artificiallythis will give rise to a small discharge of natural oxytocin and strengthen the contraction to allow the childbirth to go smoothly” she specifies.
What to do in case of premature rupture of the membranes?
Sometimes it happens that the pocket of water splits or cracks prematurelyduring the second trimester of pregnancy. The mother-to-be is then hospitalized and receives antibiotic treatment as well as corticosteroids to mature the baby because there is a risk of premature delivery. If this rupture is accompanied by contractions, a treatment to try to stop them can also be administered.
On the other hand, there is a ultrasound monitoring to check the amount of fluid so that the baby can continue to move and that his rib cage is not compressed and does not interfere with his good lung development. To also ensure that there is no infection, blood samples, urinary And vaginal are performed twice a week. If there is a risk of infection, the doctor will let the delivery take place because it is then greater than the risk of premature birth.
Thanks to Sandrine Brame and Céline Hattab Braha, both midwives in Paris.