Preparing for Birth

Recognising labour, your choices, and what to pack

Third Trimester Third trimester 4 modules

1 Recognising real labour

5 min read

Braxton Hicks tightenings are common before labour. They may feel uncomfortable but are usually painless, do not last long, do not happen very often, and do not build up.

Labour contractions are the opposite: they become longer, stronger and more frequent as labour progresses.

Call your midwife when you think you are in labour, or when contractions come every 5 minutes or more often. Get in touch urgently if your waters break, you have any bleeding, your baby is moving less, or contractions last over 2 minutes or come 6 or more times in 10 minutes. If your waters break you may feel a slow trickle or a sudden gush you cannot control; the fluid should be clear and pale, perhaps a little bloodstained.

2 Your birth choices

6 min read

A birth plan is a conversation starter, not a contract. NHS guidance puts it plainly: write down your wishes, but keep an open mind — you may want more pain relief than you planned, or your team may suggest something more effective.

Ask your midwife or doctor to explain what is available so you can decide what suits you. The options covered include self-help such as movement, massage and baths, gas and air, pethidine, an epidural, remifentanil, water birth, TENS, and none at all.

Whatever is offered during labour still requires your consent in the moment — you can ask questions, request more time, or decline, the same as at any other appointment.

3 Packing your hospital bag

4 min read

Pack from around 34–36 weeks so it is ready whenever labour starts. For you: comfortable nightwear, your own toiletries, snacks, phone charger, and any maternity notes you have been given.

For after birth: maternity pads, comfortable loose clothing, and something to go home in that fits a still-soft tummy — not your pre-pregnancy jeans.

For baby: a few going-home outfits in different sizes, a hat, and a properly fitted car seat already installed in the car — hospitals will usually check this before you can leave.

4 Warning signs in the third trimester

4 min read

Signs of pre-eclampsia need urgent help: a severe headache that simple painkillers do not shift, vision problems such as blurring or flashing lights, pain below the ribs, sudden swelling of the face, hands or feet, vomiting, heartburn that heartburn medicines do not touch, or simply feeling very unwell.

A change in your baby’s usual pattern of movement means calling your midwife or maternity unit immediately — not the next day, even if it is the middle of the night. Do not wait to see if it picks up, and do not be put off if you were checked recently and things were fine then.

It is the change from what is normal for your baby that matters, not a particular number of kicks. Trust your instinct — maternity triage would always rather see you and find nothing than not see you at all.