Giving birth

You’ll soon be bringing your baby into the world. Usually, the delivery begins spontaneously between the 38th and 41st week of pregnancy. However, a delivery between the 37th and 42nd week is considered full term. If you haven’t had your baby after 40 weeks, there’s a good chance labour will begin on its own.

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You’ll also learn more about where you can give birth and the right time to arrive.

Choosing where to give birth

The CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent offers future parents three choices for giving birth. You can have your baby in a hospital centre, with a physician or a midwife, at the Maison de naissance Colette-Julien, in Mont-Joli, or at home with a midwife.

The option of giving birth at home is offered in some MRCs, depending on how far your home is from Hôpital régional de Rimouski or Centre hospitalier régional du Grand-Portage.

When to go to your birthing location

You must immediately go to your birthing location if one of the following situations occurs:

You’re having regular contractions every 5 minutes or less.
If you live more than 30 minutes from your birthing location, when your contractions are every 10 minutes.
Your water has broken.

Go to the hospital if:

you’re bleeding;
you can no longer feel your baby moving.

In case of doubt, contact your midwife or or a nurse from the obstetrics department of your hospital.

For more information about giving birth, consult the guide From Tiny Tot to Toddler (Delivery section).

Obstetrics Department at Hôpital de Rimouski

For users of Hôpital régional de Rimouski, a short video presents the facilities to future parents.

Obstetrics Department at Hôpital Notre-Dame-de-Fatima, La Pocatière

Hôpital Notre-Dame-de-Fatima de La Pocatière provides a short video presenting the facilities to future parents.