Make room for the day ahead.
A birth-preparation worksheet to talk through with your care team, then keep in your bag.
Three sheets. No account or payment. Print on A4 or Letter, or choose “Save as PDF” in your print dialog. Fill in your personal notes on paper.
Nestling Labor · Birth preparation · 1 of 3
Your plan for calling
Talk to your provider
This worksheet is general information, not medical advice. Use it for preparation, not diagnosis. Ask your doctor or midwife when to call and where to go for your pregnancy. Their instructions come first. A timer cannot tell you whether you are in labor or whether it is safe to wait.
Call your maternity care team
If you think labor has started, or you are unsure or worried, contact your team for guidance.
NHS (UK) guidance: call urgently, including overnight, if:
- You think your waters have broken.
- You have vaginal bleeding, or your baby is moving less than usual.
- You think labor may be starting before 37 weeks.
- A contraction continues for more than 2 minutes, or you have at least 6 in 10 minutes.
Do not wait for a timing target or a completed checklist. This list is not exhaustive. For an emergency, use your local emergency number. If birth feels imminent with a strong urge to push, call emergency services.
Source: NHS — Signs that labour has begun (UK guidance)https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/signs-that-labour-has-begun/
Write your local plan here
Confirm numbers and instructions with your team before you need them. Emergency numbers and care pathways vary by country.
Doctor / midwife and phone
Maternity unit / after-hours phone
If I cannot reach them, I should
Local emergency number
My team wants me to call when
Where to go / transport plan
Nestling Labor · Birth preparation · 2 of 3
Time it. Write it. Share it.
Timing gives you a record to describe to your care team. It does not diagnose labor or replace their instructions.
- Duration: how long it lasts
- Measure from the start of one contraction until that same contraction ends.
- Frequency: how far apart
- Measure from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. Include the contraction itself, not just the rest between them.
Example only: a contraction starts at 10:00 and ends at 10:01. The next starts at 10:06. Duration = 1 minute; start-to-start spacing = 6 minutes. These numbers are not a target or a signal to wait.
Source: Government of Newfoundland and Labrador — A Healthy Start for Baby and Me, “How to Time Your Contractions?”https://www.gov.nl.ca/hcs/files/A-Healthy-Start-For-Baby-And-Me.pdf
A small record for the conversation
Use a clock with seconds. Write the date and whether the times are AM or PM. Stop recording whenever you need to contact your team.
Date / AM or PM
| Start time | End time | Duration | Start-to-start spacing |
|---|---|---|---|
Ask before the day
What pattern should I call about?
Should I call earlier for my circumstances?
What else does my team want to know?
If you are concerned, call. Do not wait to fill this sheet or meet a timer’s pattern.
Nestling Labor · Birth preparation · 3 of 3
A bag for you. A few things for baby.
Use the boxes on your printout. Ask your birth setting what it supplies and adapt this list to your plans.
For you
- Pregnancy notes and birth preferences
- Comfortable daywear, sleepwear and underwear
- Slippers, socks and a change for going home
- Toiletries, lip balm and a towel
- Maternity pads; feeding bras or pads if needed
- Medicines you take; glasses if you use them
- Phone, charging cable and a water bottle
- Snacks and something relaxing to listen to
For baby
- Baby clothes and a going-home outfit
- Diapers / nappies and wipes or cotton wool
- Blanket and clothing suited to the weather
- Car seat for the journey home by car
For your support person
- Change of clothes and toiletries
- Phone, charger, snacks and drinks
- Their medicines and glasses, if needed
Source: NHS — Hospital bag checklisthttps://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/preparing-for-labour-and-birth/hospital-bag-checklist/
Your additions
My birth setting asks me to bring
Last-minute things to pick up
Who is bringing the bag?
Your care comes first. Do not delay contacting your team to finish packing.
Prepared from the linked public sources, checked 28 October 2026. This worksheet has not had an independent clinical review.