What does it feel like when your water breaks? Will your stomach hurt when your water breaks?

In the third trimester, pregnant women may give birth at any time. Usually, when the baby is about to be born, pregnant women will wet their underwear without knowing that the amniotic fluid has broken early and the baby is about to be born. So what does it feel like when the amniotic fluid breaks? Will the stomach hurt when the amniotic fluid breaks?

What does it feel like when your water breaks?

After the amniotic fluid breaks, the expectant mother can feel liquid flowing out of the vagina. Careful observation can reveal that the liquid is colorless and transparent, and the amount is larger than secretions, like water.

In addition, you can also feel that the outflow of liquid is uncontrolled. When the amount is large, it will feel warm; when the amount is small, it may feel a little wet, like urination, and it will flow out continuously, and even the pregnant woman cannot control it by contracting her vagina.

It is normal for the amniotic fluid to break before delivery, and the incidence rate is about 6%-12% of the total number of births. The breaking of the amniotic fluid often causes symptoms such as premature birth, fetal hypoxia, and fetal infection. Therefore, it is best to go to the hospital as soon as possible to wait for delivery when you feel the water breaking.

How long will it take to give birth after the water breaks?

Generally, the baby will be born as soon as the amniotic fluid breaks, but it varies from person to person. If there is no abdominal pain, you need to wait for some time. It is recommended that the pregnant mother do not stand, lie down immediately, and go to the hospital in time to prevent fetal deprivation of oxygen.

If the amniotic fluid is sufficient and clear, the fetus can survive until birth. If the amniotic fluid is insufficient and turbid, it means the fetus is lacking oxygen and needs surgery immediately. The hospital will treat your situation according to your condition, such as oxygen inhalation or caesarean section.

Generally speaking, labor will occur within 24 hours after water breaking. Antibiotics will be used to prevent infection after 12 hours. If there are no uterine contractions after 24 hours, the doctor will use an injection to induce labor. The injection can be used for 3 days. If the baby is not born after 3 days, a cesarean section will be the only option.

What to do if your water breaks

1. Do not stand: If the expectant mother keeps standing after the amniotic fluid breaks, it is a very dangerous action from a medical point of view, because it will easily cause the amniotic fluid to leak out, causing intrauterine fetal distress, fetal asphyxia and other complications.

2. Stay calm: When it is confirmed that the water has broken, the expectant mother should lie down in time and raise the buttocks with pillows or clothes to prevent umbilical cord prolapse, especially for those with breech presentation and twin mothers.

3. Keep the vulva clean: If the amount of amniotic fluid is relatively small, the expectant mother can put a sanitary napkin on the vulva, but if the amount of amniotic fluid is relatively large, a clean, sterilized towel can be used to pad the vulva to reduce the infection of the vulva. It is worth noting that the expectant mother cannot take a bath at this time.

4. Go to the hospital immediately: As long as water breaks, regardless of whether the mother has reached the due date or has uterine contractions, she must rush to the hospital immediately. The doctor will determine the treatment plan based on the specific situation of the expectant mother.