The chance that your delivery will start with broken membranes is about 10%. The amniotic fluid is transparent of color, or sometimes a bit pink and may contain white flakes. If your membranes are broken, you keep losing small amounts of amniotic fluid. The placenta continues to produce new amniotic fluid until birth.

Contractions usually start within 12 hours of the rupture of the membranes. Sometimes it can also take a little longer. If there are no contractions after 24 hours, we will refer you to the hospital for an extra check-up and the delivery will therefore take place under the supervision of the hospital.

You always call us if:

• Your waters breaks before the  37th week. This is premature. Your delivery will then take place under the supervision of the hospital.
• The amniotic fluid is green or brown of color. The baby has defecated in the amniotic fluid and the heartbeat needs extra monitoring. We first do a home visit to do the check-ups and then we will refer you to the hospital, as they will take over the care.
• The baby’s head had not yet descended during the last prenatal check-up. We advice you to lay down while awaiting our home visit.
• Your water breaks between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. We will inform you when you can expect our home visit.

You can wait a while if:

• Your membranes break between 10 pm and 9 am and your pregnancy is  between 37 weeks and 42 weeks, the amniotic fluid is clear of  color and the babies head has descended well. Of course, always let us know if the contractions start regularly afterwards. When it remains calm, call us around 9 a.m. so that we can arrange a home visit.

If you are going to give birth for the first time, call us if your contractions come continuously every 4 minutes for at least an hour, with the contractions lasting 50-60 seconds.
If you have given birth before, call us when your contractions come every 5 minutes for an hour for 50-60 seconds.
Sometimes it can take hours before the contractions reach this frequency, the start-up phase is then a bit longer. Please wait patiently and give it time, this is normal.

If you have doubts about the frequency, duration or strength of the contractions, you can always call! We will then see what to do.

If you have clear bright red blood loss, such as during a period, call us immediately, regardless of the time. Always keep what you lost! So we can inspect this closely and asses where it is acceptable of too much.

You may have some slimy red of brown blood loss just a few days before delivery. Your cervix is ​​then preparing. If you have no other complaints, you can wait and see.

During the dilation phase we often see some mucus and blood loss, which is normal.