When should you call the midwife?

CONTRACTIONS

When you have contractions that come every 3-4 minutes for an hour and each last 45-60 seconds, it is time to call us.
You may already have had contractions for some time, sometimes even a few hours, that are shorter or have more time between them. These contractions certainly have an effect too: they shorten the cervix and make it soft inside. You won’t get much dilation from them yet; more regularity is needed for that. So you can really just wait calmly……
If you do start to have doubts or feel worried, you may of course always call.

HEAD NOT ENGAGED

If you lose amniotic fluid and your baby’s head has not engaged in the pelvis, always call us immediately (day and night).
The midwife will always tell you if this is the case.

LOSS OF AMNIOTIC FLUID

The membranes can break without you having contractions. When the membranes break, you notice that you suddenly lose fluid from your vagina. It can be a gush of fluid, but you can also lose small amounts of fluid. Amniotic fluid should be clear white/pink in colour. Sometimes it is yellow, green or brown. Try to collect some amniotic fluid and keep it.

GREEN/BROWN AMNIOTIC FLUID

Your baby has pooed in the amniotic fluid. Usually the baby is fine, but to be on the safe side we will still go to hospital with you, so that the gynaecologist can keep an extra eye on the baby.

Call us immediately when you see green/brown amniotic fluid, day and night, contractions or no contractions.

CLEAR AMNIOTIC FLUID

• During the day: let us know (until 22:00). We will then arrange a time with you for us to come and do checks at your home, the next morning or during the day. We will also make a plan for what happens next.
• At night: you can go back to sleep and call us in the morning around 9:00, or earlier if the contractions come every 5 minutes for an hour.

WORRIES

If you are unsure whether what you see or feel is normal, you may always call.