Non-Urgent Matters
Please help your midwife team be mindful of a healthy work-life balance by sticking to the methods of communication listed below for all non-urgent matters that cannot wait until your next office visit:
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Email is often fastest and preferred when possible: info@eastvalleymidwifery.com
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Call the office line at 480-567-9784 Monday- Friday from 9-6.
Preterm Labor (<36 wks)
Call the on-call midwife immediately at 480-447-3435 with any of the following symptoms:
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Contractions- More than 6 notable contractions in an hour, increasing in intensity, duration, and frequency
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Premature rupture of membranes (your water breaks)
• Vaginal bleeding that is more than light spotting
Warning Signs
Call the on-call midwife at 480-447-3435 at any point in pregnancy if you have:
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Severe headache you cannot resolve with hydration, rest, natural methods, or tylenol especially if accompanied by visual disturbances
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Sudden onset of severe swelling
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Persistent pain in upper right quadrant of your belly, not attributed to baby’s movements or position
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Concerns about decreased fetal movement in the 3rd trimester (less than 10 movements in 2 hours)
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An outbreak of blisters anywhere around your genitals
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Fever over 100.4 that does not resolve with Tylenol
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Constant sharp abdominal pain
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Persistent back ache with tenderness to the touch
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Painful or difficult urination
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Abnormal vaginal bleeding
Labor (>36 weeks)
Please call the on-call midwife at 480-447-3435 anytime day or night if:
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Water breaks- please call midwife immediately to discuss.
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FIRST BIRTH: 3-2-1 Rule = strong consistent contractions every 3 minutes for over 2 hours that last over 1 minute long
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NOT YOUR FIRST BIRTH: 5-1-1 Rule = contractions every 5 minutes for 1 hour that are 1 minute long
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Bloody show is normal, if bleeding is profuse (more than a heavy period) please call immediately.
Heads-up Calls
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DAY between 8 am - 9 pm: If you believe labor has begun a heads-up call can help us to arrange our day so that we will be available faster when you need us later.
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NIGHT between 9 pm - 8 am: If you do not need a midwife immediately, please wait until morning. We appreciate our chances to sleep through the night, and having a rested midwife when labor gets hard may be just what you need. But if you know you are in active labor and need a midwife now or have any pressing concerns please don’t hesitate to call any time!
What to Expect: Signs of Impending Labor and How to Manage Early Labor
You may begin to notice some changes in your body as it gears up for labor including frequent loose stools, increased mucousy discharge that is sometimes blood-tinged or loss of your mucous plug in one big glob. Some report they feel more tired than usual, others have a burst of energy. You may notice dull achey cramps that eventually transition to more rhythmic mild/moderate contractions. During this early labor time try your best to go on about your normal routine; sleep if nighttime and try to take a nap during the day. Keep a mindful eye on your baby’s movements. Stay hydrated and eat good nutritious foods. Visit https://spinningbabies.com and http://www.milescircuit.com for excellent tips on encouraging labor progress, optimal fetal positioning, and smoothing your labor and birth process. If you have a doula be sure to keep her in the loop.
Back-up Midwives:
Wendi Cleckner, CPM LM 480-528-1689
Lyndsay King, CPM LM 480-313-0307