Water Breaking

If there is fluid left, it's likely just a leak. The sac can reclose and the water can replenish itself. There is only an increased risk of infection after 24 hours if anything is put into the vagina (including gloved hands for cervical checks!) so it's best to avoid that until labor starts.

She definitely needs to find out what is going on! Generally, once your water breaks you have 24 hours to deliver because of the danger of infection. The exception to this would be if it was really premature, but they would still have kept her in the hospital.

Maybe her water didn't actually break. It may have just been a leak and as L. as she has enough fluid remaining they would send her back home.

Please let us all know what the result is!

I would tell her to go back to the hospital. Once your water breaks they want you to deliver within 24 hours. If not you and the baby run the risk of infection. I would definately be calling her doctor and going back to the hosptial. and tell them they need to keep her/

my daughter was 17 weeks pregnant when her water broke and they sent her home until her next appointment.your friend needs to see a doctor ASAP.two days after they sent my daughter home she delivered at home and my granddaughter was considered still born. when everything was done they found the cause of death was from my daughter contracting an infection. This is a serious matter please tell your friend to seek a doctor ASAP.

For what it's worth, a mother can go a week or so after the water breaks before giving birth. The interventions that occur in modern medicine are what make it imperative for a mother and her Dr. to pay close watch once her water has broken. If no internal exams are performed after the suspected break, the chance of infection is virtually non-existent. Of course that means no baths or sex in anticipation of labor actually beginning, but the breaking of the water as being the immediate and expected onset of labor is a misnomer.

D.,
I'm happy to hear that your friend's birth went well, and that she and baby are doing fine.

Blessings,

Rolinda
Wife, Mother, Friend.

Hi D., No I never heard of that. I thought once your water broke you had to stay in and at that point they would give petosin to induce labor and dilation. At least that is what happened to me. As soon as my water broke I went straight to the hospital and there was no question about sending me home, they put me right up in my room and I went all night monitered, they started petosin the the AM and I had my son at 2pm the next day. I would be concerned, what does her dr. say?

Hello I am a labor and delivery nurse and I have NEVER heard of that. Now that her fluid is broken she is at risk of introducing infection to the baby. We have had people sign out AMA before but we have never sent anyone home. We have had mom's who have ruptured pre term and we try to keep them pregnant as long as possible or till 35 weeks when we will augment labor but they never leave the hospital. I would have your friend ask why she isn't being admitted and what is preventing an infection from getting to the baby. HTH

I agree. she needs to call her doctor right away and ask what is going on. When my water broke, I wasnt sure that it was my water. I called my midwife and she said it might be my mucus plug leaking, but to come in anyway. I waited a few hours cuz it was the middle of the night and i wanted to eat something first, but when i went in it was my water, and they took me straight up to the birthing center. They told me i should have come in right away. Your friend needs to know whats going on because if it is her water that has broken, then the baby has to be delivered within a certain period of time after her water broke. I think the time limit is 18 or 24 hours. I wasnt dialting or contracting very hard when i went in and after a few hours they had to induce because of the risk to the baby. To beleaking water until thursday is not good.