Understanding Water Breaking: What to Expect During Labor

Question
What does a doctor actually do when they break your water?

Answer
There are a few different ways a doctor can do it, but normally they have a thin rod with a small, somewhat flexible hook on the top. They insert this into your vagina, through your cervix, and use the hook to literally break the membranes of the embryonic sac.

There's also a technique called "brushing", "sweeping", or "thinning" the membranes where they insert a similar tool and scrape the bottom of the embryonic sac lightly without breaking it.

Please let me know if I can help you further or with anything else.

Best wishes,
Helen =)