What to take with you
As well as your hospital bag , remember you’ll need your
birth plan and maternity notes with you at the hospital.
Checks and tests
When you first get to hospital for the birth you’ll probably be taken to a room for moums-to-be who’ve just arrived.
A doctor will take you through a series of checks and tests. It may be your own doctor but it’s more likely to be the doctor who’s on duty at the time.
They’ll want to check:
• What’s already happened in your labour, such as whether your water bag has broken and whether your contractions have begun.
• Your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and urine.
• Your maternity notes.
• Your tummy and, with your permission, carry out an internal examination to find out how dilated your cervix is.
The next steps
If you’re in early it may be better to go home again and wait for the contractions to get stronger. If you’re staying, you’ll be given a bed on the early labour ward and move into a delivery room when your labour progresses.
If your contractions aren’t too strong this is when the doctor will go through your birth plan with you and find out what all your preferences are during labour.
However, if you’re in full labour you'll be taken straight to a delivery room. You’ll still be able to tell the doctor about your birth plan but make sure you have it on hand and that your birth partner knows about your choices too, because things may be moving more quickly by this stage.