"Water broke" means the amniotic sac surrounding a baby in the womb has ruptured (broken), releasing amniotic fluid, which is a key sign that labor is starting or imminent. This can happen as a gush or a trickle, often signaling the beginning of childbirth, but if it happens before 37 weeks, it's called premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and requires immediate medical attention.
How long after your water breaks do you have to deliver? The exact timing will vary depending on how far you are in pregnancy and if you have any health conditions. In most cases, your pregnancy care provider will want to deliver your baby within 24 to 48 hours.
Waters usually break during the first stage of labour. It is often a sign that labour has started and your baby is on their way. But they can break before you go into labour, too. If this happens you're likely to start labour within 24 hours of your waters breaking.
Around 7 in every 10 people give birth within 24 hours of their waters breaking, and almost all (9 in 10 people) within 48 hours. If your waters break after 37 weeks pregnant and labour doesn't start within 24 hours, your health team may discuss inducing labour due to the risk of infection.
If your cervix has opened up to at least 2-3 centimetres dilated and the baby's head is well engaged (low down in your pelvis), your waters will be broken (see below under Artifical Rupture of Membranes).
To advance or induce labor: Rupturing the membranes may release hormones that cause stronger contractions. Without the cushioning of amniotic fluid, your baby can move down deeper into the pelvis. This pressure on your cervix may cause further dilation.
If your water breaks, whether you're experiencing contractions or not, go to the hospital.
Tell your doctor or midwife that your water broke and follow their guidelines on next steps. If you haven't already, pack your hospital bag so that you're ready to head to the birthing center or hospital. Start timing your contractions, which may begin shortly after your water breaks.
Most often, if the water breaks and the pregnancy is full term, labor soon follows. It may have begun already. But labor doesn't always start after the water breaks. If you have prelabor rupture of membranes, your healthcare team might help your uterus contract before labor begins on its own.
6 out of 10 women will go into labour naturally in the next 24 hours after their waters have broken, and most will go into labour within 48 hours. This means that you avoid the risks of being induced.
5 Signs That You're Really in Labor
Water breaks when the amniotic sac weakens and stretches due to natural changes in the body and the baby's growth, which eventually causes the sac to rupture.
Your baby should continue to move as normal once your waters have broken and when you are having contractions. You can eat and drink as normal. It is really important that you drink plenty to remain hydrated. You can have a bath or shower with plain water.
In early labor, dilating from 0 to 6 centimeters can take from a few hours up to about 12 hours (though for some people, up to 20 hours). During active labor, dilating from 6 to 10 centimeters generally takes around 4 to 8 hours. On average, you may dilate about 1 centimeter an hour.
Signs of Fetal Distress
However, brain scans on unborn infants suggest fetuses do not sense pain until after 30 weeks, when the somatosensory neural pathways finish developing. By the mid-third trimester, however, the baby is able to appreciate a full range of sensations, including heat, cold, pressure, and pain in every part of the body.
When membranes rupture at term, most pregnant people go into labor within 12 hours of their water breaking. Around 95% will spontaneously begin labor within 24 to 48 hours. A person may consider contacting their doctor if they do not experience any signs of labor within several hours of their water breaking.
Put on a pad. If your water is broken, it will keep leaking. You will need to wear a pad to keep you dry. Take note of: » The time your water broke, or when you think it broke if you aren't sure. » How much water is leaking. » The colour of the fluid.
Here are some signs that your water broke and not something else: You hear a pop and feel pressure, then relief when the sac breaks. The fluid is clear and odorless, unlike urine. The fluid is thin and watery, unlike vaginal discharge.
The "5-5-5 rule" in a labor/postpartum context is a guideline for new mothers to prioritize rest and recovery in the first 15 days after childbirth, suggesting 5 days in bed, followed by 5 days on the bed (minimal movement), and then 5 days near the bed (gentle movement around the home). This promotes healing, bonding, and reduces stress, though it's a flexible guide, not a strict mandate, with some experts suggesting early movement can help prevent blood clots, making a modified approach ideal.
Sometimes, what appears to be water breaking is mucus. If the fluid is thicker, whiter, and odorless, it's likely mucus. No urine smell — Unlike urine, amniotic fluid doesn't smell like pee. You lose more fluid when you're standing — Try standing up.
It's likely your waters will break during labour, but it can also happen before labour starts. Your baby develops and grows inside a bag of fluid called the amniotic sac. When it's time for your baby to be born, the sac usually breaks and the amniotic fluid drains out through your vagina.