When Your Water Breaks- What to Look For

When your water breaks, there are four important things to note before calling your doctor or midwife. You can remember these four things if you remember the word COAT. COAT stands for color, odor, amount and time. Each of these are important when your water breaks and can help your doctor or midwife decide if you should go to the hospital or if you should wait at home for awhile.

When Your Water Breaks- Color

Your waters should be clear. If the amniotic fluid is not clear, be sure to tell your doctor or midwife what color it is. When you arrive at the hospital, the nurse will test your amniotic fluid to find out if other fluids are present.

One common reason the amniotic fluid may be colored yellow or green is the presence of meconium. Meconium in the amniotic fluid can be a sign of stress to the baby. Pink or red colored amniotic fluid may mean the placenta is bleeding.

When Your Water Breaks- Odor

Your amniotic fluid should be odorless. A strong odor may indicate infection. Try to describe the odor to your midwife.

When Your Water Breaks- Amount

Note whether you have a trickle or a gush. A small rupture of membranes may reseal or leak slowly for days. If you are unsure if your water has truly broken, walk around. If the bag of water has broken you will notice it continues to leak. When you go to the hospital the nurse will do a test that detects amniotic fluid to be sure.

When Your Water Breaks- Time

Not only should you note what time your water breaks, but you should also note if you are having contractions, how far apart they are, and how long they last. If your waters break and you do not have contractions you may need to be induced to help your labor progress. (To see one way to try to encourage contractions, go here.) The risk of infection increases as time passes if labor does not begin. If labor does not start, most often your doctor or midwife will want to induce you within 24 hours.

When to Go to the Hospital Without Calling Your Doctor First

In some cases, it is best to head straight to the hospital without waiting to hear from your doctor or midwife. If you have a cell phone, call on the way. If you are having contractions ten minutes apart or less and the contractions are increasing in intensity, don't wait. If your water breaks before full term go to the hospital. The doctor may be able to stop your labor if your baby is premature.

Another reason to head straight to the hospital is if your water breaks with a gush and your last prenatal exam showed the baby was in breech position or had not dropped into the pelvis. In rare cases, these can indicate a prolapsed cord. A prolapsed cord is when the umbilical cord enters the birth canal before the baby's head. The cord could become pinched between the baby's head and the birth canal, causing oxygen supply to be cut off.

When Your Water Breaks- To Do or Not To Do

Do not take a tub bath until you are at the hospital, and not without permission from your midwife or doctor. Some hospitals have special sterile tubs in certain rooms, and some have a tub in each labor room. Others may not have a tub available at all.

Do not put anything into your vagina. You can put a pad in your underwear but you should not use a tampon. Also do not have sex after your water has broken. Anything going into your vagina increases the risk of infection.

Do take a shower if you want and your doctor or midwife hasn't told you not to. The warm water can relieve some of your labor pains.

Do take a deep breath and have a glass of water. Having a baby is hard work. Drink the water slowly though, because many women in labor get nauseous.

Sources:

Personal experience

Simkin, Penny, P.T, Janet Whalley, R.N., B.S.N., Ann Kepler, R.N., M.N. Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn-The Complete Guide. Minnetonka, MN: Meadowbrook Press.