I woke up at 3 am because of contractions. I had been getting them on and off for several weeks, so I decided to wait and see if they would go away. One hours later I decided they were not going away, so I woke Jamie up ("Honey, I think we need to go to the hospital.") We got dressed and called Scott and Victoria. They happened to be awake, since they had just come back from dropping their parents at the airport. They came right away, with their children, and crashed at our place. Scott took Jamie and me to the hospital. All this happened before 5:30 am. Thanks, guys, I don't know how we would have done it without you!My hospital experience was a positive one. I will spare you unnecessary details, suffice it to say that it was similar in principle to what I had seen in American hospitals. Maybe 'no frills' would describe it. The basic premise is the same: a woman is ready to deliver her baby, and the hospital provides a facility and trained staff to help her and make sure everything goes OK. Jamie had to get down to his underwear and wear synthetic scrubs in ther room. When it came time for delivery, he also had to put on a hair net. The birthing room was a little sterile, with pink tile on the walls floor to ceiling. I did have some time before I delivered, and I couldn't help but notice that the tile workers had started laying tile at the corners and met up in the middle of each wall: there was a vertical strip of cut tiles running through the center of most walls.
I noticed a pitcher of cold water, which was the same exact Tupperware pitcher we have at home (even the same color!), and that was very amusing. Another interesting part was that the nurses turned on the music, and it was ABBA's greatest hits. After Agatha was born, they turned the same CD on again!
Labor and delivery were pretty much the same as in the US. We counted 4 doctors at delivery, including an anesthesiologist and a pediatrician. However, it was a nurse who delivered. Also, I did not have a baby monitor attached to me the whole time: the nurses came once in a while and hooked it up, but that was it. Also, as I found out, in Ukraine a woman does not need to have a tear to get stitches here. Hmm.
Recovery was uneventful. I did ask for some pain relief because of post-labor contractions, and they gave me a shot that did not work. I said something to the Dr, and he said, "Well, it's supposed to hurt." Basically, stop whining and get over it, woman! He would not give me any extra shots or pills. The second time they gave me a shot, it worked better.Nurses were great. I got very similar care to what I would get in the US. Neo-natal care was good, but they did not take the babies to moms in the middle of the night. You either roomed in with your baby at night, or they would take the baby and keep her at the neo-natal unit from 12 am to 6 am and give her formula at 3 am. I kept Aggie with me the first night, and let them have her and give her one bottle of formula the following night. I needed some sleep! Also, I was not aksed to keep any sort of log of how often I nursed her and for how long, or how often she had a BM. Basically, I was the one who had to make sure she was eating/going potty enough.
One particular nurse tried to push supplementing formula. She said Aggie's stomach was empty and she needed some food. I did not argue with her, but found it annoying. My babies never look malnourished.
I was discharged on the third day. The discharge procedure was interesting. I had to sign some papers, of course, and then the nurses asked me if I wanted an 'official' or 'unofficial' discharge. Sure, make it official. So, our discharge was complete with congratulations from the doctor, the nurses and a bottle of champagne which we all shared. Nice benefit for the hospital staff! We took a taxi to go home.
Oh, yes! Anna did have a birthday party that Saturday, and it was the only birthday I missed so far, but I think I had a good reason ;-) Now Anna has a birthday buddy. In her own words, "We will have a double birthday!"
We are thankful for God's blessing of Agatha. May she grow to know Him at an early age and to serve Him.
