Is there a way to help my water to break at home?

Q: Is there anything that can help my water to break if the due date is past, and I don't want the doctors to break it for me? For natural births, I know a lot of walking can help pregnant women dilate and different pelvic excersises can also make labor a little easier.

A: In a word? Wait. Unless there is a medical reason for your doctor to break your water or induce labor, let nature take its course. Contrary to what you may have seen in the movies, your water doesn't always break before labor starts. You could be in active labor, already at the hospital, and fully dilated before it breaks. It can actually be a good thing for your water not to break right away -- you'll have more time for labor to happen naturally. Once the water does break, the clock starts ticking a bit more as to how long you can be in labor since ruptured membranes may increase infection.

Answered by Ami Burns