“How long can you carry a baby after your water breaks?”

In today's day and age, it is recommended that if you break your bag of water, and do not have any signs or symptoms of labor, then to go to the hospital and get admitted and get the labor process started. Some patients to walk around for a few hours to see if labor starts, that is fine, too. More than 18 hours of ruptured bag of membranes is considered as prolonged rupture of membranes, if the baby still undelivered, then antibiotics need to be started. Ideally, a baby should deliver by 24 hours of rupture of bag of membranes, plus/minus a few hours, all depends on baby and mom's health status. Longer the bag of membranes ruptured, increased risk of infection to mother and baby.

It’s important to be checked by your doctor if you think your water has broken. Plans need to be made if it’s really “broken.” You could develop an infection if the situation is not managed. If it’s not “broken,“ then it’s good to know and you can go home as long as all is okay with the baby!
Never hesitate to call!! I would always want to know!

Susan Komorowski, MD