Water Breaking

💧WATERS BREAKING💧Did you know that only only around 1 in 10 labours start with the waters breaking? Most start with surges (AKA contractions) of varying sensations and many mamas are well into established labour before their waters actually break – some even in the ‘birth humming’ phase. Or like my little one, babies can be born ‘en caul’ – still inside an intact amniotic sac which is rarity and happens in less than 1 in 80,000 births
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What does it feel like? You may feel pressure in the front with a popping sensation as it happens and a large gush of warm fluid or you may only notice what we call a slow leak where the slightest trickle of fluid is felt. In both cases the release of fluid will be continuous.
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What should I do when my waters break? Breathe, keep calm and pop on a sanitary pad to absorb the flow and be sure to remember the acronym COAT…
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💧Colour of the water: Is it clear, pink or green? If it’s green in colour, you need to make your way to your maternity hospital straight away. The green tinge can be from meconium, the baby’s first bowel movement has leaked into the waters.
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👃🏻Odour: Is there an unpleasant smell from the waters around the baby? A strange smell from this water could be a sign of infection. The water around the baby has a very faint sweet smell but it’s not unpleasant.
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💦Amount of fluid: Was there a little trickle or water or a massive gush?
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⏰Time: The clock starts from when the waters break. Once your waters break, your uterus is no longer the safe sterile environment it was and if your baby is in there more than 24 hours, the chance of infection increases.
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To learn more about the starting signs of labour and what to look out for ✨BOOK your one-to-one Birth Story hypnobirthing course✨ by emailing birthstoryco@gmail.com or dropping me a DM @ birthstoryhypnobirthing

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