I think I’m in labour- This can look different for every birthing person and every birth. No birth is the same and even if you’ve had 5 babies one way that # 6 could be a curve ball!

First- Don’t panic, for ease we are going to assume everything below discusses a term pregnancy ie. 37wks gestation and over with no complications.

I think my water broke-

T- time, what time is it? Once waters break midwives & hospitals want labour progressing by 12-24hrs before they want to introduce antibiotics & inducing (ie. misoprostol or IV oxytocin). I have had clients deny both and wait for their bodies to do what they’re naturally going to do- some have signed AMA but did stay in hospital for observation. The risk of infection does increase after 24hrs, which is what the providers are trying to avoid.

A- amount, is it a big gush? Multiple big gushes? or is it a trickle and you think you might be leaking urine? If unsure go pee, empty your bladder shift around on the toilet then put on a pad- if no pads use a newborn diaper! Lay down for 30 minutes if you get a gush it could be your waters! You can take this into maternity to be checked for waters (speculum exam) or wait at home and see if more comes. You can have a hind leak that can seal itself.

If it was a big gush YAY! Labour is on its way. This may happen while having contractions or before anything starts both are NORMAL. Clean yourself up, put on a pad (you’ll still get little gushes) and go back to bed or whatever you were doing.

C- colour, Is it clear? Yay that means no meconium (baby poop) you can stay home until you desire to go to the hospital. Is it yellow? green? brown? speckles? That is a sign baby has pooped- not an emergency but I would let your midwives know or call Maternity and they may want you to come in for a check.

O- odour, does it smell like nothing/sweet/semen? Then it can be waters! (Unless you’ve had sex recently and it smells like semen it’s likely semen). Does it smell fishy? plus it is yellow or speckled? This is signs of meconium. Does it smell like ammonia or urine? It is likely pee.

All in all if our waters break at home its not a big deal! Please let me know - text or call use your judgement! Most midwives don’t want a call until you’re ready for their support in home for delivery OR you’re heading to the hospital. Clean yourself up, put on a pad and have a nap or try to get back to sleep. It is super exciting but this is just one part to your journey that needs to fall into place.

I think I’m having contractions?

Woo hoo! Lets hope they stick and gain momentum. Give me a text or call then I can get my ducks in a row! This could mean baby is coming in a few hours or a few days we never know.

Some times we can have Prodromal labour which is our bodies way of preparing for labour but not doing a whole lot of change cervix wise or babies position. You can get intense contractions for HOURS and they may build in intensity/timing but they tend to go away this can happen for multiple days or night, sometimes lasting from 1hr to 8hrs. Typically if we have this baby is likely in a non-optimal position. Doing things like spinning babies/Miles circuit/Lift and tuck may help encourage baby to shift and allow labour to progress. Jump in the shower, have a snack and drink. Use a heating pad. If you’re going on 3 nights of this with no sleep you can always get a shot of morphine & gravol to help you relax/sleep that sleep will be SO beneficial.

If it is not prodromal labour lets try to ignore labour until we can’t anymore. Timing is great but it doesn’t give much information at the beginning time for 1hr if you desire then don’t time again until you feel a big shift in either intensity or small intervals between contractions. Some people can have contractions every 3 minutes but still able to speak during them- those are likely early labour contractions still. We know when we’ve tipped into active labour territory when conversations are very short and the focus is on breathing through the contractions and resting in between. Contractions can be 3-5min apart and be 1 minute long. We try to head to the hospital no sooner than 4-1-1 or 3-1-1 or until you can’t cope well at home.

You can call me to come when you feel you need the extra support that can be chatting on the phone or having me come to your home. This can be early labour or active labour, I may stay until baby is born or if I feel it is very early we will make you comfortable and I will leave for a while but check in every 3 hours to see how you are progressing/if I need to come back.