Call the Midwife!

One of the biggest questions I get asked is: When do I go to the hospital or call my midwife?

The easy answer is 4-1-1!

My rule of thumb is when your contractions are 4 minutes apart, lasting about 1 minute long, and continue in that pattern for 1 hr.

I will always ask clients what their provider recommends. Sometimes the times vary according to the provider's comfortability.

A follow question I get is, "What if my contractions slow down or aren't getting closer together?"

That tells me that your body and uterus may be getting tired. This is where I'd recommend resting. Stop timing contractions and take a nap, protein packed meal or snack, and drink LOTS of water. I also recommend going about your day like you normally do. If it's at night, then try to get some decent sleep. Your body will need all the entertainment it can get!

Birth is a marathon, not a race.

If a couple hours later you notice them closer together, time them for an hour then stop timing them. You may find that you get hyper fixated on your contractions and start tending up before the next wave arrives. And that's the opposite of what we want.

My last recommendation is to always give your midwife and doula the heads up when you first start getting some regular contractions so they can be ready for when you give them the call. Hospitals don't usually require any sort of warning for births but some can be VERY picky on how close together your contractions are and could send you home if they aren't close enough together.

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