Going to the hospital
If you think you are in labour or you are just not sure if you are, please ring the birthing unit of the hospital where you are planning to give birth.
The birthing unit is staffed by midwives all the time and will be able to advise you about whether it is the right time to come to hospital.
It is best to always ring the hospital instead of going there without calling first. That way, the midwives know about you and will be ready for your admission. In some circumstances, it may not be time to come into hospital as it may be too early in your labour and the midwives can assess this over the phone. The midwives are trained to give you advice to help you manage labour at home (especially if you are in early labour) and you can call back when your situation changes.
You can call back at any time if you are worried or unsure, the midwives will invite you to come into the hospital for assessment. It can be beneficial to be at home during the early stages of labour in your familiar surroundings and you can rest.
Once the contractions become stronger and more frequent, it is time to call the birthing unit and to go into hospital.
Arriving at the hospital
When you arrive at the hospital, you will be met by a midwife who will be looking after you in labour. The midwife will ask you questions about what has been happening so far and will make an assessment of your labour. The midwife will call Dr Parashar to inform her of your admission and progress. Dr Parashar will come to see you and make plans about your labour care with you.
The midwife will help you with your birth choices and provide support for you during labour. Your partner (or a chosen family member) will be with you during this time and will help support you.
You can eat small amounts of food in labour but water intake is more important, as you may not feel hungry in established labour but your body needs to maintain hydration.
Partner's role
Your partner can remind you about drinking water during labour and it is an important job to do on the day. The partner needs to be supportive and reassuring you that you are managing your labour well- giving you the confidence you need to get through! The woman in labour needs to be at the centre of attention and therefore the partner being on the mobile phone is not helpful whilst you are coping with labour.
