When you should go to the birth center/hospital depends on whether you are expecting your first baby or if you have given birth before.
Recommendation to women who are giving birth for the first time
• When the contractions come three times over a 10-minute period, last about 60 seconds and increase in intensity and pain, you should go to the birth center/hospital. • If your water has broken and the contractions have not started, we will want you to come in for a checkup. If everything is normal and the contractions have not started, you will be allowed to go home again. While you are at home, we want you to take your temperature to discover a possible fever, monitor if the amniotic fluid changes color and make sure that your baby is moving as usual. Normally, we wait up to 48 hours before inducing labor after your water breaks.
Recommendation to women who have given birth before
• Consider what your previous deliveries were like. What were you thinking then? What was the birth process like? • When the contractions come twice over a 10-minute period, it’s usually time to go to the birth center/hospital. • If your water breaks and the contractions have not started, then the same applies for you as for women who are birthing their first child. Refer to the recommendation above.
Our recommendations are general and differ from woman to woman. You will decide when it is best for you to go in together with the midwife at the birth center/hospital. Read about what questions we will ask and need answers to in the article When to call the birth center.
Sources:
- Abascal, G., & Huss, M. S. (2018). Att föda. Bonnier Fakta.