Water Breaking During Childbirth

One of the most misunderstood medical procedures is childbirth, possibly because so few of us have ever witnessed it in action. Our knowledge of it is largely derived from television and motion pictures, and they virtually never do it right.

We can discuss the most pervasive delivery myth, the water-breaking procedure, even if it would be difficult to cover all of them here. Contrary to what most of us think, it is not an easy-to-use indicator of when to head straight for the hospital. Many times, the lady is not even aware that her water is breaking; on occasion, it even occurs while she is asleep.

It's absolutely OK to stay at home for a few hours to make the required preparations once it occurs, contrary to the panicked and racing to the hospital we see in the movies, as it typically takes a long time for the contractions to start. Additionally, the water can break while you're in the thick of labor and are likely already at the hospital receiving medical attention.