Are you nearing the end of your pregnancy or have you passed it and want to break things? There are several reasons why it is preferable to cause the water to break. Even if you are nearing your due date and ready for labor, it is best to take extra precautions before artificially inducing it by medical intervention or other methods. Always consult with your gynecologist or midwife before resorting to any system that promotes tearing of the amniotic sac. If you've received his consent and want to know - and possibly apply - some lifestyle changes or medical procedures that help break the water, keep reading the article!
Steps
Part 1 of 11: See your gynecologist or midwife
Step 1. Ask if natural methods are recommended
Try the following approaches only if you have your doctor's approval. Some can quickly induce labor, leading to complications if you don't see your doctor first.
- Ask your gynecologist if it is convenient for you to adopt natural methods or apply medical procedures, based on the course of your pregnancy.
- Don't try to break water or induce labor before the 39th week.
Part 2 of 11: Take a walk
Step 1. The walking movement stimulates the fetus to descend towards the pelvic strait
The so-called engagement of the baby in the birth canal puts pressure on the pelvis, preparing the cervix for labor and promoting rupture of the amniotic sac. If you have already had contractions, walking will also help speed up labor.
- Walk, effortlessly, no more than 30 minutes at a time to get your baby to move. Avoid straining or stressing yourself, even if you are excited that the time is almost here.
- Wear a pair of shoes that can cushion the impact of your foot on the ground and protect your legs against unnecessary strain. If you can, try to walk in a flat area.
Part 3 of 11: Do exercises
Step 1. Try deep breathing sitting on an exercise ball or do support squats
In order for the exercises to encourage water breakdown, the cervix must be soft and predisposed to spontaneously dilate. In other words, the body must already be ready for labor for these methods to work. If so, some low-intensity exercises can help tear the amniotic sac and initiate contractions.
- Try to breathe deeply. Hold your breath for a few seconds, then slowly expel the air through your mouth, imagining the baby heading towards the pelvic strait. Repeat until you feel the pelvic floor muscles relax.
- Sit on an exercise ball and bounce gently. Keep your legs apart, moving your body up and down so that the pelvic floor can contract and relax.
- Support squats stretch the pelvic floor, helping the baby descend into the birth canal. Place your back against the wall and keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Flex your knees and lower yourself as far as you can. Exhale as you come down and inhale as you stand up again.
Part 4 of 11: Have sex
Step 1. If you feel capable, sex can be of enormous help around the 39-40th week of pregnancy
Sexual intercourse stimulates the production of oxytocin, a hormone that, among other functions, also causes uterine contractions. An orgasm can even cause the uterus to contract if the body is already predisposed to enter the stage of labor. Consider the positions that favor deeper penetration, such as that of the cowgirl or from behind: they are able to stimulate the cervix more and make the prostaglandins contained in the sperm induce labor.
Avoid having sex when the waters have ruptured, otherwise there is a risk of introducing dangerous bacteria into the birth canal
Part 5 of 11: Massage the nipples
Step 1. Use nipple stimulation to induce or further progress labor
Rub your nipples and areolas between your index finger and thumb, mimicking the baby's sucking. Ask your partner for help if that's okay with you. In this way, you can induce water breakdown by increasing the production of oxytocin, the hormone that causes uterine contractions. Stimulate each nipple for 15 minutes at a time, for a total of one hour per day.
You will likely need to stimulate your nipples for a long time before entering the prodromal phase of labor
Part 6 of 11: Eat foods that promote labor
Step 1. Although there is not much scientific evidence on this, it is said that some dishes can promote tearing of the amniotic sac
For example, spicy foods, such as hot peppers, irritate the intestine and, consequently, this phenomenon stimulates contractions. However, as they can also lead to heartburn and diarrhea, avoid consuming them if you are particularly sensitive in the gut! Here are other foods that could induce the breaking of the waters:
- Eggplant;
- Balsamic vinegar;
- Licorice;
- Basil;
- Origan.
Part 7 of 11: Try castor oil
Step 1. Its purgative action is also able to act on the uterine muscles, starting the contractions and breaking of the water
If you want to try it, consult your gynecologist for the right dosage. Keep in mind that it can cause gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea, so if you already have problems like this, your doctor is likely to advise against this method.
- To avoid complications, take it in the morning. Taken during the day, you will be able to keep symptoms under control and drink water to keep yourself hydrated; in addition, you will avoid disturbing your sleep due to frequent urination during the night.
- Castor oil can also cause dehydration. So, if you use it, remember to drink plenty of water!
Part 8 of 11: Try raspberry leaf tea if your gynecologist agrees
Step 1. It is a natural remedy able to stimulate uterine contractions until the water breaks
Prepare it and sip it in the last few weeks of pregnancy. In addition to promoting labor, according to some scientific evidence it can also strengthen the uterus and promote milk production. It seems to have all the qualities to prepare you for a sweet and less painful birth.
Since it can cause contractions, you shouldn't drink it during the first trimester of gestation
Part 9 of 11: Consult the Gynecologist on Breaking the Waters
Step 1. It is possible to artificially intervene by stimulating the rupture of the amniotic sac with certain medical procedures
If natural methods have produced poor results, contact your gynecologist or midwife to help you achieve your goal. However, keep in mind that induction of labor can pose risks to the pregnant woman and the unborn child, so doctors agree to perform it only in the following cases:
- If you are past the estimated due date by nearly two weeks;
- If you have a uterine infection;
- If the fetus has stopped growing on schedule;
- If there is not enough amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios);
- If a placental abruption occurs, which is the premature separation of the placenta from the inner wall of the uterus;
- If you have high blood pressure or diabetes.
Part 10 of 11: Ask the gynecologist if the amniotic sac should be ruptured
Step 1. The gynecologist may intervene with the separation of the membranes if you are nearing the end of your pregnancy or have passed it
It is a simple outpatient maneuver, during which a finger is inserted into the cervix in order to create a gap between the uterine tissue and the fetal membranes. The doctor may also massage or stretch the cervix to further stimulate the breaking of the water.
- Membrane detachment can be bothersome and cause persistent cramps. However, it is not as effective as other birth induction techniques.
- Do not try to do this maneuver alone. Only a gynecologist can perform membrane dissection with the use of sterile instruments and special techniques.
Part 11 of 11: Undergo amniotomy
Step 1. This is a procedure which, through the use of a special instrument, causes the artificial laceration of the amniotic sac
If you are well past your due date, if your cervix is already dilated and thinned, or if labor has stopped once your baby is in the birth canal, your gynecologist or midwife may decide to perform an amniotomy in order to facilitate the rupture of the water and induce labor.
- Thereafter, the doctor must monitor both the pregnant woman and the baby to make sure that the stress caused by the amniotomy has not compromised their health conditions.
- Consider that this maneuver involves some risks, including infections and lacerations of the uterus, but also a high probability of intervening with a caesarean section.
