Breaking Your Water Isn’t a Quick Fix You may hear this a lot: “Let’s break your water to move things along.” But guess what? 💡 Studies say it only makes labor about 30 minutes faster. That’s it. The real problem? Once your water is broken, your timer starts. Doctors and nurses start watching the clock. And that can lead to: • More checks • More pressure • More risk of a c-section Your water protects your baby from germs. Breaking it too early means more risk for infection. That’s why we teach

💦Water Breaking: AKA AROM, artificial rupture of membranes. I know it’s so common that many of you may not even think twice about letting your provider break your water. And it is A-OK if that’s what you want. I caution my students always to ask questions. The bag of water is a great way to keep your baby protected during labor. Once it is broken, there is a risk of infection of the amniotic fluid, which is one reason you may end up needing a cesarean. The bag of water is also a protective cush

A water birth means at least part of your labor, delivery, or both happen while you’re in a birth pool filled with warm water. It can take place in a hospital, a birthing center, or at home. A doctor, nurse-midwife, or midwife helps you through it. Advantages: • Help ease pain • Keep you from needing anesthesia • Shorten your labor A warm bath might help you relax and help you feel more in control. Floating in water helps you move around more easily than in bed, too. Some science suggests that t