Chapter 11: Opening – stage 1 of labor
The bag of waters
The bag of waters usually breaks
late in stage 1. But it may break at
any time — before labor starts or
not until the baby is born.
Sometimes the waters break with a
great gush. Sometimes they just
leak a little.
When you arrive at the birth
place, ask the mother if her waters
have broken. If she is not sure,
check to see if her genitals and
underclothes are wet. Since this
wetness could be waters or urine,
smell the pad to see if it smells
like urine.
This is the pad
I’ve been using.
This does not
smell like
urine — it is
probably
waters!
If the paper turns
blue or purple, the
wetness is waters.
Or, if you have nitrazine papers, put the paper into
the wetness. If the paper stays orange, the wetness is
urine. If it turns blue or purple, the wetness is
probably waters. (Waters and urine can be mixed
together. If the paper stays orange or the liquid smells
like urine, but you still think the waters have broken,
wait and test again later.)
Listen to the baby’s heartbeat right after the waters
break. If the baby’s heartbeat drops below 100 beats
a minute, get medical help.
Check the color of the waters
When the waters break, they should be clear or a little pink. It is also OK if there
are white dots in the waters. But yellow or green waters are a warning sign. They
mean the baby has probably passed stool inside the womb. Sometimes the waters
have clumps of stool that you can see.
Stools begin to form in the baby’s body during pregnancy, but the baby does
not usually pass stool until after birth. A baby’s first stool is tarry and sticky. It is
called meconium.
Stool in the waters may be a sign that the baby is having problems. There is also
a danger that the stool can get in the baby’s mouth and nose. When the baby
begins to breathe, the sticky stool can get into his lungs. It can be hard for him to
get enough air, and sometimes causes a lung infection, brain damage, or death.
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A Book for Midwives (2010)