Many parents who call the birth center/hospital want to touch base and get good advice from a midwife. Most are wondering if labor has started and when they should head to the birth center/hospital. When you call, the midwife will need certain details:
- the woman’s personal identification number
- where you live
- frequency between contractions
- how much pain from the contractions
- has the water has broken
- is there any bleeding
- the position of the baby
- is the baby kicking
- how the pregnancy has been
- is the woman taking any medication.
It probably feels frustrating to answer these questions. You just want to hear, “Come in and we’ll take care of you”.
Most often, the woman’s partner makes the call and gives information about the situation, answers the questions and takes the advice that the midwife gives. If everything is clear, and you both agree with the midwife on the other end, then things are fine. However, it may be that the partner needs to ask the woman for an answer after each question. This makes it more difficult to determine what should be done. Second-hand information can be difficult to interpret. In some situations, it is therefore better that the woman speaks with the midwife herself. By listening to the tone of the woman’s voice and how she is breathing, the midwife can get a better understanding of the situation.
When the call is about other things
The phone call can also be about complications related to the pregnancy. For example, that the baby is not moving, not kicking like before—less frequently or differently—is a common reason for a phone call. It is important that you reach out when you have questions. Before the call ends, the midwife usually summarizes what’s been discussed and decided during the call.
Remember, it is better to ask one too many questions than one too few, and you need to feel satisfied with the answer.
Sources:
- Abascal, G., & Huss, M. S. (2018). Att föda. Bonnier Fakta.