I would place the beginning of events about a week before the actual birth. My belly started tightening and I was happy that something was finally starting to change. My pregnancy was very pleasant, calm, and pain-free. I couldn’t imagine going from that state to the maternity ward for delivery. Throughout the week, the tightening intensified, while I regularly went for walks, checkups, and acupuncture. On Friday, along with the tightening, pain or pressure appeared. In the evening it was happening every 5 minutes, but on the midwife’s advice I went to take a shower and went to bed, where I fell asleep. But not for long. At 1:40 my water broke. I went to shower, lay down on my left side, took homeopathic granules, and my partner slowly packed the last items for our departure. In the car I was lying down and contractions began. I said to our little girl in my belly: “Now it’s your time to shine.”
At the maternity ward they welcomed us very kindly and the midwife said I was 2-3 cm dilated, but still had a thick rim. They placed me in the delivery room, where they connected me to the CTG. They asked about my wishes and respected them. Our midwife joined us and was with us throughout the birth. I slowly breathed through the contractions, we changed positions, I went to the bathroom, took homeopathic granules, they stimulated acupressure points on my leg, we listened to music and had relaxed conversations. We created an atmosphere that I still remember with joy. I completely relaxed, which was of course “thanks to” my partner and the midwife. They both caressed and encouraged me and devoted themselves to me. I especially appreciated that the attention wasn’t taken over by the CTG, but rather by how I was feeling in the moment.
The contractions intensified and after examination the midwife determined I was 5 cm dilated. The pain intensified to the point where I became increasingly absent. I remember lying on my side and my partner urging me to breathe, I remember the midwife’s gentle caressing of my leg, the cold compresses she put on my head, and her encouragement that I was doing great. I also remember the pain and my thoughts that I would endure.
Upon examination I was fully dilated and the pushing stage began. My partner and I stood and squatted between contractions. I felt relief that I could push. In between, the midwife checked dilation and the baby’s descent. My sense of time slowly returned and it seemed to me this was taking very long. The midwife and my partner encouraged me and I was able to touch the head, which encouraged me even more. I remember not knowing if I was pushing correctly and I felt relief when the midwife advised me how to push and urged me to make the most of each contraction. After a few pushes, the midwife suggested we move to the bed. I had already wanted a side-lying birth in my birth plan and this was made possible for me. The atmosphere in the room began to change, another midwife arrived, they turned on the lights, and I knew I was at the point where only the final part awaited me. My partner and the midwife encouraged me and I gave birth to the most beautiful baby around. The midwife placed her on my belly and from that point on I only remember her. From the photos I saw that my partner cut the umbilical cord. Our Liza was 50 cm long and weighed 3,300 grams.
The birth was completely natural, without episiotomy, and lasted 4.5 hours. I can say for myself that I experienced the most beautiful moment of my life and I still get goosebumps when I remember it. For this wonderful and incredible experience, we can thank Izidora and Ms. Gostenčnik, who prepared me for birth, and my midwife Nastja, who on the 18th 7. created a fairy tale in room 6 and in doing so forever connected herself with our newly formed family.
My birth experience was like this and I wish there could be many more similar ones.
