During pregnancy there are some signs or things you might experience that would mean you should call your midwife or hospital. These include:
***Key Points***
- Signs of early labour prior to 37 weeks pregnant
- If your waters break
- A change in your baby’s movements
- Any vaginal bleeding
- A headache, blurred vision or flashing lights in front of your face
- Severe swelling in your hands, face or feet, which comes on suddenly and reapidly.
- Any continual pain that you are concerned about
- If you are feeling very unwell
- Labour has started
***Key Points***
***Waters breaking***
If you waters break, call your Midwife or birth suite. Put a pad on and note the colour, odour, amount and time (COAT) and let your Midwife know.
Be mindful of your baby’s movements after your waters have broken.
***Waters breaking***
***Your baby’s movements***
If you notice a change in your baby’s normal pattern of movement you should call your hospital or midwife as soon as possible.
Trust your instinct, if you are at all concerned call and have everything checked out,
***Your baby’s movements***
***Vaginal bleeding***
If you experience any vaginal bleeding let your Midwife or birth suite know. A small amount of bleeding is mixed with mucous it is likely a show and is a sign that labour is progressing normally. Always call for advice if you are concerned.
***Vaginal bleeding***
***Premature labour***
If you notice cramping or tightenings, before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, that comes and go in a pattern and doesn’t go away, contact your care giver.
Call your Midwife or birth suite if you experience a sudden gush of fluid from your vagina – your waters may have broken.
***Premature labour***
***Headache/blurred vision**
If you have a headache, blurred vision or seeing spots, or swelling in your feet, ankles and hands you should call the hospital as soon as possible.
***Headache/blurred vision**
***Pain***
If you have pain that worries you, you think something is wrong or you feel scared, call your care provider for advice.
If you are experiencing abdominal pain that is continual and does not come and go, please call your midwife or doctor.
***Pain***
***Labour has started***
If you contraction have become regular and in an established pattern. They are closer together than 5 minutes, lasting around 45 seconds and this pattern is established for more than 1 hour. Call your midwife or birth suite for advice.
We know labour can take many hours or days to establish. This is sometimes called the latent phase of labour or pre-labour and is often more common when having your first baby.
If you contractions are irregular this is very normal in early labour and during this time your cervix is softening and thinning out. This is a normal process and the best place to spend this phase of labour is at home.
*If you have been given any different information related to your individual circumstances, please follow those specific instructions.
Listen to your body and do what you instinctively feel is right for you. Stay active, eat small amounts often as you desire, stay hydrated and enjoy activities that you love… have a bath, watch a movie, go for a walk – whatever makes your feel nourished and cared for.
***Labour has started***
Make sure you have your phone numbers for your Midwife or birth suite at your hospital written down, or saved into your phone so you can easily make the call when you need to.
If your partner or other support person is not with you, you should call them too to let them know that you have called the hospital or your midwife.
