What do I do when I go into labour?

[TurquoiseWeekend]

I feel a bit stupid asking this, but I haven't yet been given any information, but I'm sure it's too early.

What do I do when I go into labour?!

I'm currently 21 weeks with my first baby so have a good long while yet, but I've only seen my midwife twice and feel like I don't know what I'm doing!

I know which hospital I'm going to be at, but they have a birth centre that I'd like to be in. Will I just turn up and ask to go in there, or will they already know and be expecting me sometime around my due date? Do I have to let anyone know when I think I've gone into labour?

Are these all things that'll be discussed later in the pregnancy with my midwife and I'm jumping the gun a bit? I've just realised I'm completely clueless!

Hi, I had a number on the front of my notes i had to ring when I thought I was in labour. They then assessed me over the phone and told me to go to the hospital when it was time

Your midwife appointments ramp up towards the end so you'll have more contact with them. As soon as your due date is close they normally discuss next steps. For me I went over due to saw them every couple of days for sweeps etc.

When you go into labor and your waters haven't gone I would suggest giving it a little while to see how you get on as the early stages can take a while. If at any point you're not coping or feel you're progressing give the number in the front of your notes a call and they will asses you over the phone. Our unit keep ladies on the phone for a minimum of 10 mins to see how many contractions you have in that time! Of course if your waters have gone give them a call as they like to asses you ( to see if full waters gone or just hind waters) and put you on the clock, I think they leave you about 24 hours after your waters go before they need to make a plan.

Have you got an antenatal class booked? They covered the what to do in ours!

Does your hospital do a tour of the maternity area? They can show you the triage area, birth centre, labour ward etc. It might make it clearer in your head. In my area, you phone the midwife when you are 'unable to cope with contractions' (my previous experience is to go when contractions are 3 in 10 mins), you are admitted to triage and assessed, and then either sent home, admitted to birth centre if low risk or your preference, or admitted to labour ward if high risk or want an epidural.

There will be a labour line that you call if you think you are in labour - you will speak to a MW and be told what to do.

If you are before 37 weeks you call the maternity assessment unit.

Your midwife will go through the procedure when you are closer. Generally you don't go in until your getting 2 contractions in ten minutes, the first part of labour can take a while and generally more comfortable at home. In my area you phone maternity assessment no matter how many weeks you are but other areas have separate numbers to ring.

Yes, the midwife will go through this with you! In my area the 36 week appointment is the one where they go through your birth plan and talk through all that sort of thing, they also do a midwife led antenatal class covering childbirth and what to expect.

My local hospital has a video tour of the maternity unit on their website, might be worth googling yours to see if they have something similar. But try not to worry too much at this stage, there’s plenty of time yet!