What tool do doctors use to break your water

A Guide to Delivery Room Labor Tools

Don’t be alarmed when you see a nurse don a sterile hat, mask and gloves—all it means is that you’re getting close to delivery and it’s time to set up the doctor’s table. But some of the standard labor tools might not look so familiar to you. To help you mentally prepare, here’s a breakdown of the medical tools you might spot being set up. There’s a lot you can’t control during birth, but hey, at least you can know what’s being used and why.

Image: Jenny Tod

Amniotic hook

This long crochet-like hook is used in the early stages of delivery to break your water, otherwise known as rupturing the membrnaes, if it hasn’t naturally happened on its own. To break your water, the doctor will insert the amniotic hook and use it to puncture the amniotic sac. You might feel some slight discomfort as the device enters your vagina, but as for the actual water breaking, most women only feel a big, warm gush of liquid.

Image: Jenny Tod

Speculum

This old friend (think back to all those gynecological exams) is used early in delivery to open your vagina and get a better look at your cervix to see how dilation and effacement are coming along.

Image: Jenny Tod

Forceps

Resembling large salad tongs, forceps are generally used if baby needs some help making her way through the last part of the birth canal, or if mom’s been pushing for a while and needs an assist. The forcep ends are curved to fit snugly (but not tightly) around baby’s head and gently pull her out as mom pushes.

Image: Jenny Tod

Vacuum

An alternative to forceps for an assisted delivery, a vaccuum extractor can help deliver baby through the use of suction. A small suction cup is attached to the top of baby’s head and pulls as mom pushes. Don’t be alarmed if baby comes out looking a little conehead-like—newborns’ heads are super-soft and pliable, and in a few days baby’s noggin will regain its normal shape.

Image: Jenny Tod

Scissors

You’ll likely catch sight of a couple different pairs of scissors in the delivery room. One pair will be used to cut baby’s umbilical cord. Another will be used if you need an episiotomy. In that case, your doctor will have to cut into the perineum (the skin between the vagina and anus) to help baby fit through. The good news is, episiotomies aren’t very common these days.

Image: Jenny Tod

Hemostat

This clamp may look a lot like a pair of scissors, but it doesn’t have the same sharp blades. Instead of cutting, it’s used to contain any bleeds, hold sutures and—most importantly—clamp the umbilical cord before it’s cut.

Image: Jenny Tod

Sponge Holders

To keep any bleeding during delivery under control, your doctor may apply pressure with highly absorbent laparoscopic sponges. She’ll use sponge holders—ringed tools that look sort of like forceps—to keep a grasp on the gauzy sponge.

Image: Jenny Tod

Scalpel

Unless you’re having a c-section, your doctor probably won’t use this—but it may be kept on hand.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.

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How to Get Your Water to Break: Inducing Safely

Medically reviewed by Katie Mena, M.D. — By Chaunie Brusie on October 3, 2016

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Herbal supplements

Herbs like blue cohosh and raspberry leaves are sometimes used as holistic remedies for labor induction. But there aren’t any reputable studies on their efficacy. They also carry some risks. You may experience some unpleasant side effects. For example, blue cohosh can lead to diarrhea.

Sex

When it comes to inducing labor, good old-fashioned sex might be your best bet. Sex can stimulate the cervix. It’s thought that sperm might contain prostaglandins that stimulate labor. Labor onset is common within one week of having sex.

Nipple stimulation

Nipple stimulation is an effective way to help support labor for women who’ve already gone into labor naturally. It might play a role in inducing labor naturally, too. Stimulating the nipples releases oxytocin in the body (the hormone that causes the uterus to contract). Unfortunately, it’s difficult to stimulate the nipples enough to produce the levels of oxytocin needed to start labor.

Exercise

Experts aren’t sure if exercise effectively induces labor. But regular exercise during pregnancy may lower your risk of having a cesarean delivery. It’s important to continue your exercise routine, even up until your due date.

Castor oil

Using castor oil for labor induction has mixed results. Some studies have found that using castor oil to induce labor in women who are close to their due dates can be helpful, with others have found that it really doesn’t work. If you do decide to try castor oil, be sure to talk to your doctor about it and don’t try to induce labor unless you’re at least 39 weeks. Also, be sure to be near a bathroom, because castor oil stimulates the bowels to empty.

Shop for castor oil.

What are the risks of inducing labor?

There are risks to trying at-home induction techniques. The biggest risk would be if you’re preterm and your baby isn’t head-down. Induction techniques to break your water may carry a risk of your baby’s umbilical cord slipping out before their head. This is a life-threatening emergency called cord prolapse.

What to do in an emergency

Call 911 if your water breaks at home and you notice any bright red bleeding, or a dark brown color in your water. The bleeding or brown meconium could indicate an emergency. If you notice anything that looks shiny and smooth, like your baby’s umbilical cord, call 911. You’ll need to get on your hands and knees immediately to try to take pressure off of the cord.

Next steps

Unfortunately, there’s not one proven method for inducing labor safely. Your best bet is to try to stay comfortable, keep up with your regular checkups, and talk to your doctor about how to help ensure that your labor progresses normally.

Last medically reviewed on October 4, 2016

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How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Atrian, K., Sadat, Z., Rasolzadeh, B., Abbaszadeh, F., & Jafarabadi, A. (2014, December 26). The association of sexual intercourse during pregnancy with labor onset. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 17(1)
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25763253
Demirel, G., & Guler, H. (2015, October). The effect of uterine and nipple stimulation on induction with oxytocin and the labor process. Worldviews Evidence Based Nursing, 12(5), 273-80
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26444882
Domenjoz, I., Kayser, B., & Boulvain, M. (2014, October 1). Effect of physical activity during pregnancy on mode of delivery. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 211(4), e401-11
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24631706
Sanchez-Ramos, L., & Kaunitz, A. (2009, April). Induction of labor. Global Library of Women's Medicine
glowm.com/section_view/heading/Induction%20of%20Labor/item/130
Tenore, J. L. (2003, May 15). Methods for cervical ripening and induction of labor. American Family Physician, 67(10), 2123-2128
aafp.org/afp/2003/0515/p2123.html

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Oct 4, 2016

Written By

Chaunie Brusie

Edited By

Frank Crooks

Medically Reviewed By

Katie Mena, MD

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Medically reviewed by Katie Mena, M.D. — By Chaunie Brusie on October 3, 2016

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