What to do if your membranes rupture as a first time mom
Hello mama. We are talking about what to do if your membranes rupture as a first time mom. I have heard moms say: “I woke up in the middle of the night with a wet bed. Did I lose control of my bladder, or did my water break?” You are not sure because you don’t have any pain.
1. What does it mean when your amniotic fluid ruptures?
When your (water breaks ) or amniotic fluid ruptures during pregnancy, it indicates that the fluid-filled sac that surrounds your unborn child has ruptured. Your unborn child is securely held inside the amniotic sac in your abdomen. It creates space for your baby to develop, maintains a constant temperature, and cushions the umbilical cord to prevent compression. It is also known as a bag of waters.
Your water bursts and empties through your vagina as your body prepares to birth the baby. This may occur prior to or during labor. Your cervix thins and expands at that point to allow the baby to come through. At that point, you begin to experience contractions. You amniotic fluid plays a major role in your baby’s development:
Your uterus’s amniotic sac (bag), where your unborn child develops, is inside of you during pregnancy (womb). Amniotic fluid is present within the sac. About 12 days after becoming pregnant, this sac forms. The fluid does the following:
- Protects and cushions your child
- Maintains a constant temperature around your infant, which aids in the development of their lungs because they are breathing in the fluid.
- Since your baby drinks the fluid, it aids in the development of their digestive system.
- Your baby can move around in the fluid, it aids in the development of their muscles and bones.
- Prevents squeezing of the umbilical chord, which supplies food and oxygen from the placenta to your baby.
Prelabor rupture of membranes is what it’s termed if your water breaks before your first contraction (PROM). You may have seen the cliché on television many times, along with cravings for pickles and ice cream: a pregnant woman whose water breaks unexpectedly before her contractions begin. In reality, this is how 10% of full-term labors begin. In most cases, it behaves more like a trickle than a fountain. It may also occur a long time after labor has begun. Yet, it’s crucial that you are aware of the symptoms.
2. How to know for sure if your amniotic sac is broken?
How to Tell Whether Your Water Is Broken
Each person experiences it absolutely differently. You may observe:
- a sudden flush that makes you feel like you urinated in your trousers
- a persistent leak
- a gentle drip
- a leak that begins and ends.
3. What to do if your sac is broken?
If you think your sac is broken in your bed, you can simply smell your sheets to get a clue. Smell the wet spot and if it smells more uniquely sweet and definitely not like urine with a stronger taste of ammonia, it’s quite likely to be amniotic fluid.
Another way to find out is you keep leaking straw-coloured which continually keeps draining and reproducing every three hours. You may notice that when you you sit, or lie down it drains less and more when you lie down. If there is a lower leak in the amniotic sac, the drainage will be heavier
What to do?
Call your practitioner and follow the instructions.
I always teach my students to observe for the acronym :COAT.
When your water breaks, you should be aware of four distinct signs so that you can let you and your care provider know what is happening with you.
- Color- You observe the color and it should be creamy looking or tainted yellow; not brown, or green which means that your baby has passed stools. This is not a good sign because the stools make the fluid toxic or poisoned. Meconium
- Odor- You should note the smell of the fluid; wether it smells good or bad. A. healthy fluid smells fresh and clean.
- Amount- Note the amount of fluid; wether it is a lot or just a little. You may feel a gush or trickle down your legs or in your underwear. If it is a small leak, it can be considered a high break. An if it is a lot of fluid it can be considered a low leak.
- Time- Noting the time is important because it can let everyone know how long they have been ruptured. After 12 hours you would need antibiotics if you are not yet nine months.
- Be aware that you can go into pre termed labor if your membranes rupture before 37 weeks. So if you find yourself in this position do not hesitate to go for further medical evaluation.
Use a pad (not a tampon) and call your doctor or midwife immediately if you believe there is even a remote chance that your water has burst. Usually, they’ll instruct you to go to their office or your local hospital or birthing facility immediately. If the rupture of your amniotic sac is not immediately apparent, they can do a quick test on a sample of your fluid.
The doctor or midwife might advise you to wait a few hours to see whether you go into labor on your own if you are less than three weeks away from your due date. Alternatively they could start your labor for you or induce it.
The doctor or midwife might advise you to wait a few hours to see whether you go into labor on your own if you are less than three weeks away from your due date. Alternatively, they could start your labor for you or induce it. Most women spontaneously go into labor within 12 hours.
According to studies, kids born to mothers who undergo an immediate induction had a lower risk of contracting infections, require less critical care, and leave the hospital sooner than newborns whose mothers watched and waited. What is best for you should be discussed with your obstetrician or midwife.
4. Risk of infection increases when your water breaks
It is important to remember that your risk for infection increases every time someone goes in your vagina to check. Care providers should limit the amount of times the go in and should wear sterile gloves on entering the womb to further reduce the risk of infection.
5. Decisions are made based on the condition of you and your baby
- Decision1. If you, your amniotic fluid , and your baby are healthy-then care providers usually allow you to go into spontaneous labor if their water breaks before contractions.So there will not be any interventions needed because you will be expected to go into labor within 12 hours (with 45%) , 77- 95% will go within 24 hours.And if you are a first time mom, it can take even longer.
- Decision 2. If you, your fluid or your baby aren’t doing well them decisions can be made to induce you or ripen your cervix if needed.
- Signs of infection include:
- A fever in mom ranging higher than 99.5 degrees -100.4 degrees farenheight, or
- an elevated white blood cell count.( from a blood test).
- Or a foul smelling amniotic fluid
- A yellow amniotic fluid
- dEPENDING ON WHAT IS GOING ON WITH YOU, YOWIRE
Depending on what is going on with you, your care provider will make a decision based on their findings. Ask all your questions and stay up to date with what is happening with you.
Conclusion
Every mama I am certain wants their water bag to broke at the right time. It is my hope that your water breaks the normal way: Two weeks before and two weeks after your due date. It can begin before or after labor begins. If it happens before labor begins. You might even imagine or think you have wet your underwear. It’s pretty normal to experience the rupture after 37 weeks.
As labor progresses the amniotic sac becomes weaken and can easily collapse.
Sometimes you can think it is amniotic fluid is escaping when it is actually pee. Don’t be embarrassed it can happen . Your practitioner can do an amniotic test to see if it is actually your bag of waters. have given you many ways to know for sure.
Either way, it is important that you get checked outs soon as your practitioner thinks you should go in for an exam. Let me know in the comments if you have some questions or comments about this topic. I would love to hear.
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