The waters have broken, but labour will not establish
In some cases, the waters break, but the contractions don't start, or the woman only feels mild, prelabour cramping. Intervening at this point is usually regarded as augmentation, even though the labour itself has not really started. Some caregivers may still refer to it as an induction of labour.
The reasons for augmenting the labour are primarily to reduce the chances of infection for the mother and her baby. Statistically, this intervention does slightly reduce this risk, compared to waiting (called 'expectant management'). However, there are many women who do wait (for 2 to 3 days), without complications. Many caregivers advise inducing the labour once the waters break. However, this need not necessarily be the case. One study showed no advantage in inducing labour in less then 32 hours to prevent a baby becoming unwell, due to an infection.This is something that you will need to weigh up for yourself.
If there are no signs of infection, the mother and baby are well and the amniotic fluid is clear, many caregivers will allow the woman to wait for up to 48 - 72 hours, for the labour to start on its own. Up to 80% of women will spontaneously go into labour within this time. Some caregivers will wait as long as 7 days, others as short as 6 to12 hours. Feeling pressured to 'perform' in a limited time frame, can in itself cause apprehension for the woman, inhibiting her labour. You may wish to read more in
ruptured membranes and no contractions.
The cervix is not opening, even with strong contractions
This can occur for a number of reasons.It could be because:
Your uterus is not contracting efficiently. This is usually referred to as 'incoordinate uterine action' and happens when the muscles of the uterus are not contracting in a partnership. Contractions normally start at the fundus (top of the uterus) and radiate down.