Notes I Carried

Notes on demolition: birth story

Pregnancy is a wonderful period in a woman’s life, but at the same time the most responsible. The expectant mother should not only monitor her health, but also prepare for the most important event - the birth of a child. However, as practice shows, no books or instructions can fully prepare a woman for what actually happens at the moment of birth. Each case is unique, and labor can begin unexpectedly, at any time and in any place.

In this article, I want to share some notes and thoughts I made during my postpartum period, a few days before the birth of my first child. I hope that my experience will help expectant mothers better understand what is happening in their body during this unique period and what symptoms may be a sign of the onset of labor.

Sunday, November 26

The night began with a celebration: I was at a friend’s birthday party and, as often happens, I overate. But in the morning, not the most pleasant sensations began: cramps in the abdominal area and abdominal pain. I decided that this was due to overeating, but over time it became clear that this was the beginning of contractions.

Gradually, contractions became more frequent and regular: at first they lasted 30-45 seconds and were repeated every 5-20 minutes, then they lasted 40-60 seconds and were repeated every 3-4 minutes. A few hours before giving birth, contractions intensify: they last 60-90 seconds and occur every 2-3 minutes.

Monday 27 November

The night passed in anticipation, but in the morning the contractions became more intense and regular. I started timing the time between them and realized that the time to give birth was close.

However, as often happens, no instructions were included: I didn’t know exactly when to go to the maternity hospital, what documents I needed to take, what things to take with me, etc. I had to rely on my instinct and intuition.

Some signs I've noticed can help expectant mothers determine how close they are to labor. For example, I started having mucous discharge from the vagina - this is a mucus plug that jumps out during contractions. I also noticed that my stomach began to sink and I began to feel pressure on my bladder.

As a result, when contractions began to occur every 15 minutes, I decided to go to the maternity hospital. At the maternity hospital they admitted me and began monitoring the baby’s contractions and heartbeat. When contractions began to occur every 5 minutes and last more than 1 minute, I was offered to stay in the maternity hospital and wait for the birth.

As the day progressed, the contractions became stronger and more painful, and I began using relaxation techniques and breathing exercises to help manage the pain. When the opening reached 10 cm, the active phase of labor began.

As a result, my labor lasted about 10 hours, and the baby was born a healthy and beautiful boy. It was the most amazing and emotional moment of my life.

Conclusions

Every pregnancy and birth is unique, and every woman goes through this journey in her own way. However, by observing your body and noticing the changes that occur in it, you can understand when labor begins and what signs indicate that it is time to go to the hospital.

In addition, preparing for childbirth is not only physical, but also psychological preparation. It is helpful to attend pregnancy classes, where expectant mothers can learn about what is happening in their body during childbirth, learn breathing exercises and relaxation techniques, and get answers to many questions related to childbirth.

It is important to remember that childbirth is a natural process and a woman must trust her body and intuition. The most important thing is the love and support of loved ones who surround the expectant mother during this exciting period.