When to go to motherhood?
The painless, irregular, and benign uterine contractions that you may have felt from month 5 have allowed your cervix to shorten and / or open slightly. In contrast, the contractions preceding thechildbirth are different and may be associated with different symptoms. It’s time to go to the maternity ward when:
– contractions become regular, every five minutes, of increasing intensity, and they last longer and longer. If this is your first baby, do not rush with the first contractions, wait until you have regular babies for two hours. If they stop after half an hour or an hour, it is not yet the time to pack up.
– you lose the mucous plug that seals the cervix to prevent infections. This is characterized by the loss, all at once or several times, of translucent or brownish mucus. The loss of the mucous plug, which is not necessarily herald of the onset of labor, most often occurs in the three days before childbirth, sometimes a few hours before, and some women do not even realize it.
– you lose water, that is to say amniotic fluid, which can occur outside of labor and without prior uterine contractions. Made up of thin membranes, the water bag can rupture frankly or only crack: this is manifested respectively by an abundant loss of a lukewarm liquid resembling water or by a gradual flow. If you are full term, loss of amniotic fluid can induce labor and it can precede uterine contractions. If you are already having contractions, labor has started. These will then increase in frequency and intensity and childbirth will take place in the coming hours.
In addition, it is also important to consult your doctor or midwife if you have any red vaginal bleeding, darker blood clots, or if you are worried that your baby will not be able to move. Knowing that at the end of the pregnancy, its movements are less pronounced because the fetus is more cramped in the womb and the amniotic fluid is less abundant.
Know that before you go to the maternity, you can take a bath if you have lost the mucous plug, and a shower if the water bag is broken.
Namely: the term “labor”, used by the medical profession, designates the entire process of childbirth, from the start of dilation of the cervix until birth.
Tip: if you live far from the maternity ward, take into account the travel time and possible traffic jams
You go to the maternity ward if …
• you have blood loss,
• you notice a loss of amniotic fluid,
• your baby has not moved for 12 hours or if he moves less after you have stimulated him.
• you have fever,
• contractions are painful, close together and regular for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if you have had a cesarean.
7 tips for a serene start
Prepare your suitcase before the end of your pregnancy using the list that your maternity hospital will have entrusted to you or that you can surely consult on its website.
Do not forget your important documents such as the family record book, the vital and mutual card, your complete medical file (ultrasounds, blood group card, blood and urine tests …).
At the time of childbirth, a few accessories can help you make this moment more pleasant, in particular a mineral water sprayer, paper tissues, a lip balm …
In case of’episiotomy, an inflatable beach buoy can be useful to then sit down painlessly.
If you are in a double room, consider a small bedside lamp to nurse at night.
For the outing, opt for a loose and comfortable outfit and, for the safety of your baby, remember to secure the shell car seat in your vehicle.
Organize the care of your other children on D-Day and during your hospitalization.