Preparing for birth involves more than packing a bag. It is also knowing whom to call, how to get there and how you want people to communicate with you. A short, flexible plan can help your support person participate without trying to script an unpredictable day. Use your maternity service’s own instructions alongside this guide.

Save the contact and arrival instructions

Ask your pregnancy provider which service to contact when labour may be starting or a concern develops. Save its daytime and after-hours instructions, location and parking or arrival details. Make sure a support person knows where those instructions are. The advice may differ for an individual pregnancy or planned birth setting.

Canada’s pregnancy guide describes possible labour signs and warns that preterm labour can happen before 37 weeks. Ask for individual guidance about contractions, fluid leakage, bleeding, changes in your baby’s movements or other concerning symptoms. Do not use a generic contraction-timing rule to delay contacting your maternity service when you are worried. [1]

Check how to describe your location and where you would go if your usual route is unavailable. If you live far from the birth setting, discuss travel planning early. Do not assume a plan that worked for a friend applies to your distance, medical needs or local services.

Write preferences that help people care for you

Family-centred maternity guidance supports communication, informed choices and respect for the person giving birth. A preferences page can identify communication needs, who you want present, pain-relief questions and what matters if the situation changes. Some choices depend on clinical circumstances, staffing and the facilities available. Discuss those limits before the day. [2]

Keep the page short enough to read. Useful headings are “Who is with me”, “How to communicate with me”, “Questions about comfort and pain relief” and “What I want discussed if plans change”. Include interpretation, hearing, mobility or other accessibility needs that affect participation.

You might write: “Please explain what you recommend and why before proceeding, and give me a moment to ask questions when the situation allows.” Your support person can remind staff about your preferences with your permission. They should not be expected to make decisions on your behalf simply because they carry the paper.

Pack for the setting you will actually use

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada offers a packing checklist for labour and the hospital stay. Use it as a starting point, then check what your own service supplies and requests. Documents, comfortable clothes, personal-care items and practical feeding or baby supplies may be useful; an expensive pre-packed bag is not essential. [3]

Try a two-part bag: items you may need soon and items for a longer stay or going home. Label any important documents and keep the charger accessible. Ask your support person to learn where things are, so you are not the only person who can find a clean top or phone cable.

Avoid buying large quantities of supplies until you know what is needed. A borrowed bag and a simple checklist can work well. Check hospital rules about food, electrical devices and visitors before including items that may not be permitted or useful.

Give your support person practical jobs

Choose tasks such as managing transport, contacting the person caring for older children, keeping your belongings together and helping remember questions. Discuss which updates may be shared and with whom. Decide who handles routine messages so you do not have to answer a family group chat during labour.

Make a backup arrangement if the first support person is unavailable. Include who could collect a forgotten item or help after discharge. If you are attending without a partner, ask the maternity service what support options and visitor arrangements are available rather than assuming you must manage every task alone.

Plan for the rest of the household

Write down the ordinary jobs that will continue while you are away: childcare, school pickup, pets, food and access to the home. Give the relevant person clear instructions and the contact information they need. Share only the private details necessary for their role.

A useful plan includes what happens if the stay is longer than expected. Keep spare clothes or supplies where a helper can find them. If you have older children, prepare a simple explanation and familiar care arrangements without promising an exact day the baby will arrive home.

Think about discharge before departure

Ask how the parent and baby’s follow-up appointments are arranged, what information you will receive and whom to call afterwards. Plan appropriate transport and check any car-seat arrangements before the day. Make sure someone can help carry belongings if needed; recovery and the baby’s care remain the priority.

At discharge, ask for explanations of feeding instructions, medicines, warning signs and follow-up. If the written plan has several parts, ask a support person to listen with your permission. There is no need to remember everything from a busy conversation without notes.

A final practical check

1. Contact and arrival instructions saved in two accessible places.
2. Preferences discussed with the care team and support person.
3. A manageable bag packed for your actual birth setting.
4. Household responsibilities and a backup person confirmed.
5. Going-home transport and follow-up questions prepared.

Revisit the plan when circumstances change. Its purpose is to make communication and everyday logistics easier while leaving room for appropriate clinical care.

General education for parents and caregivers. These guides do not assess your child or replace care from a qualified professional. For advice about your pregnancy or child, contact your care team.