Being pregnant in Finland - experiences

[Gigi]

Hi Ladies,

Just wanted to let you know, that I have become a mom / äiti / mama!

Our son Niilo is born on Sunday 30.11.2008, 3695gr and 51cm. We are doing fine and adjusting at the new home-life!


Greetings,


GIGI

[Amandine.K]

Congratulations! I was checking the forum every day waiting to read your big annoucement! I hope the delivery went smoothly and enjoy every second with your baby, time goes so fast! Aaron is already 4 months old, not a small baby anymore

[enk]

Congrats! And Amandine, if I didn't say it to you, too, congrats

-enk

[natty]

Hello there mamans and all mama-to-be,
I am pregnant and I would like to know if there are any free aerobics, pilates, breathing exercises or any other kind of exercises for mothers out there that are free to join?
any info would be much appreciated!
congrats to the new mothers and mothers-to-be!!!!!

[oompah18]

Hei all! Sorry haven´t been around much, & hugs to Amandine & Gigi! I have had the sickest pregnancy ever, but that´s another story. anyway, little girl came to this world 21st Nov 3320g, name of Helmi. Happy but tired (just wish she would not bite me - having a little trouble bf this time, but we persevere!!!!) As usual, maternity unit at TAYS Tampere great, very supportive. I have been having a little trouble with Kela too,but Finnish hubby phones them regularly, heh heh...... one day we will get it sorted. So now we have 3 in kestovaippa at night but only newborn needs diapers/nappies during the day, & as we don´t have a drying machine, house looks a little chaotic to say the least! Given up housework for ever, it would look like, by the state of things here anyway! Big brothers coping well, hubby doing the cooking, me, just bf, babywearing (sling (rengasliina), wrap (kantoliina), meitai (neliöliina I think) every waking moment. Life is good......
Allie

[Amandine.K]

Congrats Allie! I'm so happy for you! And a little girl, you must be thrilled! Aaron still doesn't sleep through the night and is quite demanding during the day in terms of entertainment. But I'm loving every minute of it. And I hear you with the housework and washing load! I have 3 kids and I haven't seen the bottom of my 3 laundry baskets so far!

[Gigi]

Hi!

Allie congratulations! And if I see how much laundry our little one already creates, I can only imagine how it is with 3!

Here the kestovaipat are doing very well, I am extremely satisfied with the Fuzzi Bunz diapers. They are just great. I tried also the kertavaipat which we got for free and they leak through! The one from pampers already got twice stuck to our son! I really don't advice them to anyone!

My mom is here to help me with my son and she is great! And the last 2 nights he has slept already twice 4,5h. So that is a small victory. But we are only a week home, so we are still adjusting!

Greetings and hugs to all of you!

GIGI

[Amandine.K]

Aren't the Fuzzi Bunz just great? I love mine as well. I bought 16 in size M which means we only use them and have enough so that we dont use the pampers. Plus we haven't had a single nappy rash, which my daughters had when they were babies and using pampers.

[sum]

Hi,

Congrats to all new Moms and Moms to be!

I am almost 39weeks pregnant and have begun to get all anxious about the birth! We have decided to go to Naistenklinikka for the delivery. Even though this is our second baby - its the first in Finland - and hence the anxiety and apprehensions! Especially coming from my experience with the Neuvola - even though my nurse is sweet to talk to - in terms of competence to answer our concerns it hasnt been a very positive experience. Every time I have had a concern - its been put down as "its normal". So our visits to the neuvola have primarily been a weight, blood pressure and belly size and fetal heartbeat count. For some reason even when I have a concern for which I think we should get an ultrasound done - like my belly has been measuring the same since last 3 weeks and last week the graph even dipped - but for some reason one is never sent for an ultrasound to Naistenklinikka - I wonder what the issue is. I feel quite dissatisfied with the answers I get and the ones I dont get. With my first son, the amniotic fluid level had gone down and I had to get labor induced around week 38. I wonder if things are fine things are fine this time - also with the belly size not going up much - it was 33 last time - i am a little concerned about the baby's weight. I would really appreciate any suggestions/ feedback from those of you who had similar experiences.

Also, I was looking for some advice on what I should take with me to the hospital. We plan to take a family room. My older son is about 4yrs and we plan to keep him with us since he would not stay anywhere else.

Have any of you given birth at Naistenklinikka - if you could share your experience. Do the nurses help you through the labor and do they guide you in terms of when to start pushing etc.

I know I'm posting this message a little late in the day - but I still chose to Hoping we dont have to rush to the hospital before i read some of your responses.

Cheers

[bhomrah]

I can only help to become pregnent , rest what will heppend we can see , lol

[Gigi]

I have given birth in Joensuu, so unfortunately I can't give you more info on naistenklinikka. BUT if you want my experiences, just let me know! BTW I had a very good experience in Joensuu, we had a good midwife and great nurses!

Greetz,

Gigi

[bhomrah]

[quote="bhomrah"]Its a very much normal process , why people think much about it

[Amandine.K]

I gave birth to my 3rd child in Naistenklinnika in August this year. Like you I thought the care in Neuvola was very light, if not non existant. Yeah belly measurement? Big deal it doesn't tell you anything (so I wouldn't worry much especially that they have no idea how to do it properly! I had a difference of 7cm in 2 weeks at some point, not 7cm more but 7cm less!!! Doctor was called to check and he found a normal range). In our case we have twins and they were born very premature so we were told that the next pregnancy would need to be monitored. I didn't get extra care for that at all. I had an extra scan but that was to check if I could deliver vaginally after my C-section 5 years ago. I had a scan done at week 35 too when I had contractions, they wanted to check the size of the baby. That was done in the päivystys. Also do go to the labout ward as soon as you're unsure. I went there several times (with my twins I went into labour without realizig it, no pain, no water breaking, nothing, so that was a bit like my first time) and was always welcomed.

Do check for the family room. They are very small and they might not allow you to have your son with you during the night. They're very nice though. I remember a couple having their 1 year-old with them but it wasn't fun. The room gets cramped easily and the mum was obviously extremely tired as she had a new baby, she was recovering from the birth and she had a jumping 1 year-old around. One of my friends just delivered her baby in NKL and she didn't take the family room (they have two other children at home). She was in a 2-bed room with an English-speaking mum.

In term of labouring in NKL no problem, they're really excellent. Very supportive, offered various pain relief solutions. I had the epidural a bit too strong so didn't feel the urge to push but the midwife helped me a lot, giving instructions, etc. Another midwife came to offer her help (and it was needed! I delivered a big baby). After the baby was born he was given to me straight away, no rush at all for him to be cleaned or weighted or fed. He found the breast by himself after 20mn and stayed there for more than an hour. Then the midwife came to do his care, Daddy dressed him. Midwife then escorted me to the shower and gave me new clothes. Escort me back to bed where we had a cute little tray waiting for us with bread, ham, cheese, tea, coffee and apple juice served in champagn glass. So cute!

In terms of stuff to take I'd say : food!!! Take snacks for your husband! It happened so that I gave birth on Saturday midday. We arrived at NKL during the night (around 3.30am) but everything is closed til 1pm. My husband was starving. Also he found the delivery room to be a bit cold so take a blanket for him. It can take a while before you get into the active stage. Other than that no need for clothes at all. Take your toiletries. Baby clothes and diapers are offered for free. I did take my own clothes and baby clothes though and that wasn't a problem at all.

If you have other questions feel free to ask!

[sum]

I gave birth to my 3rd child in Naistenklinnika in August this year. Like you I thought the care in Neuvola was very light, if not non existant. Yeah belly measurement? Big deal it doesn't tell you anything (so I wouldn't worry much especially that they have no idea how to do it properly! I had a difference of 7cm in 2 weeks at some point, not 7cm more but 7cm less!!! Doctor was called to check and he found a normal range). In our case we have twins and they were born very premature so we were told that the next pregnancy would need to be monitored. I didn't get extra care for that at all. I had an extra scan but that was to check if I could deliver vaginally after my C-section 5 years ago. I had a scan done at week 35 too when I had contractions, they wanted to check the size of the baby. That was done in the päivystys. Also do go to the labout ward as soon as you're unsure. I went there several times (with my twins I went into labour without realizig it, no pain, no water breaking, nothing, so that was a bit like my first time) and was always welcomed.

Do check for the family room. They are very small and they might not allow you to have your son with you during the night. They're very nice though. I remember a couple having their 1 year-old with them but it wasn't fun. The room gets cramped easily and the mum was obviously extremely tired as she had a new baby, she was recovering from the birth and she had a jumping 1 year-old around. One of my friends just delivered her baby in NKL and she didn't take the family room (they have two other children at home). She was in a 2-bed room with an English-speaking mum.

In term of labouring in NKL no problem, they're really excellent. Very supportive, offered various pain relief solutions. I had the epidural a bit too strong so didn't feel the urge to push but the midwife helped me a lot, giving instructions, etc. Another midwife came to offer her help (and it was needed! I delivered a big baby). After the baby was born he was given to me straight away, no rush at all for him to be cleaned or weighted or fed. He found the breast by himself after 20mn and stayed there for more than an hour. Then the midwife came to do his care, Daddy dressed him. Midwife then escorted me to the shower and gave me new clothes. Escort me back to bed where we had a cute little tray waiting for us with bread, ham, cheese, tea, coffee and apple juice served in champagn glass. So cute!

In terms of stuff to take I'd say : food!!! Take snacks for your husband! It happened so that I gave birth on Saturday midday. We arrived at NKL during the night (around 3.30am) but everything is closed til 1pm. My husband was starving. Also he found the delivery room to be a bit cold so take a blanket for him. It can take a while before you get into the active stage. Other than that no need for clothes at all. Take your toiletries. Baby clothes and diapers are offered for free. I did take my own clothes and baby clothes though and that wasn't a problem at all.

If you have other questions feel free to ask!

Hi

Thanks for your response, appreciate it! And the delay in my writing back since we had our baby on the 21st

I must say everything went off really well and I had a great mid-wife to assist me through the labor and the rest of the experience too was quite similar to yours. And very competent nurses in ward 61. Even after we came home I could call them up for whatever concerns. So in a nutshell my experience has been a fairly positive one.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Cheers

[Amandine.K]

Good to hear everything went fine Congratulations then

Did you have your older child with you in the family room then?