Being pregnant in Finland - experiences

[jen]

I posted on this tread on the first page a long time ago before I was even living in Finland. I have been here now for nearly a year and a half and found out on the 23rd of December that my husband and I are expecting our second child.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences here, the good, the bad and the painful. All that you have written has been very useful ( I have just read through all 11 pages, congratulation to the new parents). I thought I would share my experiences so far:

Like I said I found out on the 23rd December. In the UK you would make an appointment with your GP (or the Practice Nurse) and they would refer you to the maternity hospital for your pre-natal care. I expected something similar here (I hadn't read this thread at that point) unfortunately the student healthcare center was closed from 23rd Dec to 2nd Jan (plus the following weekend) so I eventually spoke to my heath center on 5th. But here your doctor doesn't refer you to the midwife, you have to do it yourself. The receptionist at the medical center was very helpful though and found me the contact details of the center I should call.

However, I can only call that center from 12-13 which I had missed for that day, and the next day was a holiday again so I had to wait until today to call. So at 12.30 today I called to book an appointment. After the person on the other end of the line greeted me, I said sorry for not being able to speak Finnish ( I know I really should be able to manage some after being here for a year and a half) and asked if we could speak in English. She said "one moment please" and a few minutes later someone said hello to me. I assumed that she had been looking for someone around there who could speak English but apparently not. I had been transfered to Tourist Information! The women there was completely confused but was very helpful, she gave me the Finnish words for pregnancy and appointment.

I decided to try to get a Finnish friend to try to make the appointment for me, she called but couldnt make the appointment. She did manage to get the direct phone number and name of the midwife, so I will try to call her tomorrow since gain I can only call her from 12 - 13, I still have no idea if the midwife can speak english though. We will see.

[internatwoman]

Hi Jen,
I must tell you my midwife does not speak english, but it helps to have a Finnish husband there. There is no ways we would make it through the appointments if he were not. Maybe when you call again you should have your finnish friend do it, and it may be an idea to take them along with you as well when you go for the first visit...as well it will make it all a lot easier. It seems silly, but well as you know, if you cant speak Finnish and the midwife cant speak english ... a translator is needed I hope you have more luck and get somewhere...I also think If I remember correctly they only saw me after 8 weeks...until then you just have to sit and wait it all out....I could be mistaken though as well my mind is a bit of a blur these days!! So much has happened over the past few months, but I think they only do a conusltation once you are past a certain time period....that is why a person fluent in Finnish may be best being with you! Less frustration and anxiety for you!
Hayley

[sum]

Good to hear everything went fine Congratulations then

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

Well, fortunately his grandaparents came over to stay with us for a month - so we could leave him home. But I did see another couple with their 2 year old daughter in one of the family rooms. So I guess in principle there isnt any issue except the practical issues like space and bed etc.

Cheers

[jen]

I had my first midwife appointment today, everything went well. The language wasn't an issue just that conversation was a bit slow. The midwife is friendly and open and apparently 1 in 4 expecting mothers is a foreigner. I had no idea that the proportion would be so big, I guess it also has to do with the are of Oulu where we live. We do live near the Uni and Technopolis.

[Banaani]

Hello!

I'm new around here so don't really know how this works but I'm very interested in all of you have to say!
First of all, congratulations to all of you for new pregnancies/ babies!

I've been living for almost 4 years in here (and still have trouble with the language...I'm ashamed! ), my husband is Finnish. I'm pregnant and due for March.

I'm going to give birth in NKL too, so thank you for talking about it, because I have my appointment to visit the rooms but it's not until the 16th of February (the visit will be in english). I was kind of curious to know how it works there because it's my first pregnancy and all I have gotten like feedbacks about pregnancy-giving birth-choosing a maternity were from my friends in France, and I thought it might be quite different from here. I'm happy to know I can take my baby's own clothes for a starter and her diapers as well, as I would like to use washable ones.
What I didn't get correctly tho: Can we get a room alone in there? Or do automatically have to share one with someone else?

I have been followed at Neuvola since my 2nd month of pregnancy. I have to say that the women there are very quiet about my status ("This is fine, this is ok, lalala") and I'm not given much details (BUT about my weight gain and how I should WATCH OUT ); that is quite frustrating because well, it's my first baby and I'm really curious of everything. Anyway, even at NKL for the ultrasounds too I wasn't given much details either. I even had to insist to know the sex of the baby, which the nurse gave me but staid kind of shy about it, not being sure...So from what I have understood, it's very different to how it's made in my country of origins (talking with future mommies from there to via a forum ).
In a way it's good not to be told too much not to grow paranoid but still, some more info wouldn't hurt

I'm kind of sad we don't get a 3rd trimester ultrasound...

About the language part, it's not much of a problem, most of the people I've met speak english and when they don't or have trouble with some words, my husband is always there with me to translate if I don't get it

I think that's it for now Thank you!

[Amandine.K]

Are you French?

If yu have a normal delivery you can ask for a family-room. You'll have a room for you and your husband, kind of like a hotel room really. It's really nice for the first nights to discover your baby. You'll have to ask for it when you are delivering the baby. If you have a c-section you'll be in a room with other new mums as they have to monitor more closely.

For the third semester it is indeed a bit of a shame. We had one done privately (the 4D scan). It was expensive but it was nice and the guy was spot on for the birth weight!

[Banaani]

Yes I'm french.
That's good to know about the room, as my husband would love to stay over with us while we are at the hospital!
Where did you find someone to give you an 4D ultrasound? I was looking for something like this but haven't found so far... :/
I guess it might be expensive, as an extra ultrasound costs (I had an extra one to know the sex of my baby, 5min, and i wasn't told the sex... ) me more than 100 euros!
My daughter is already head down, so I'm hoping to have a normal birth

[Clau]

Hi everybody, I have been away for a long time, crazy doing some 'remonti' at home before the baby comes. I am now 30 weeks pregnant, 10 to go and we found out in Brazil we are having a girl!

Congratulations Amandine, Allie, Sum and Gigi ( I share with Niilo the same bday ) for the new babies!
And thank you Amandine for such a nice report about Naistenkliikka. I am also planning to deliver there since I live 2 blocks away from them. I didnt have my visit yet, but I am booked in the next english tour, I cant wait!

Here some useful things I found and could help some other moms to be:

• Private ultrasound and 3D ultrasound:
Close to Kamppi and Stockmann there is this clinic called FEMEDA with some very good gynecologists. All of them speaks good english. There you have Dr. Bruno who is specialized in 3D (or 4D) ultrasounds. But all the doctors have very nice equipments.
The price of a normal appointment is around 60,00 euros and ultrasounds around 100,00.
http://www.femeda.fi/

• Birth preparation classes in english:
At Herttoniemi health center (close to siilitie metro station) they organize english classes for parents. The course is free of charge and part of the National Health system. You just have to call to check when is the next group starting. The course consits of 3 evening classes.
Contact Patricia Siljamaa, from 12 to 13:00 at (09)3105-5216

• Yoga/Jooga classes:
A very nice place to do different Jooga classes, pilates and meditation. They have special classes for pregnant women and also classes for mom&baby. The 1 hour class for moms to be costs 13,00 but you get a discount if you buy a package of 10 classes. There is also students discount.
http://www.jooga.fi/
http://www.jooga.fi/pdf/aitiysjooga.pdf

That's all for now. Hope to hear more from you and your little ones soon!

Cheers!
Claudia

[Amandine.K]

Great to read that everything is going smoothly! I can't believe Aaron turned 6 months already! Where did the time go?

For the 4D scan, it's 100€ but they also charge a gyn. consult so it's about 170€.

[natty]

Hello everyone,
i am 33weeks pregnant and for over a week i have been having severe, sharp pain in my leg buttock and cant walk. I didnt think of it much in the begining thinking the pain would go away but now it seems to be getting worse. I have told my midwife but she said its normal but last night I felt so tired and frustrated with the pain as i cant move to change sides or get up at night and thought that this kind of pain cannot be normal.
-i want to know if other mothers-to-be or mothers had the problem and what did they do to help?

awaiting for your reply

[Amandine.K]

Could be that the weight of your womb + baby is pressing on your sciatic nerve (sounds like it by your description). You could try to see an ostheopath to try to change your position. Unfortunately there's nothing much the midwife will be able to do. It sucks I had it for my first pregnancy and it really is painful

[oompah18]

Poor you! I had that in my 2nd & 3rd pregnancies from about 30wks onwards, if I remember, it was sheer agony - not good when you have other kids to see to. But it did go away the instant I gave birth. Unfortunately I realise now that if I ever lift anything heavy (like my 16kg 2 yr old) I get it again, for about 24 hrs, then it disappears. It is called sciatica & I google searched lots about it, both during pregnancy & otherwise. My hugs to you,
Allie

[natty]

Hello ladies,
Thank you so much for posting something about the pain i have been having since i didnt now much about it! Like u all said i will wait till the day it goes away , nothing seems to help and my doctor suggest i take painkillers like panadols!
Well, i didnt know if exercise or rest would help but i have found out that rest atleast does not spread the pain throughout the whole body!
they do say its a small price you pay to get a baby!
i guess not much longer to go!!
hugs tou you all

[Amandine.K]

Go to see an osteopatti. Honestly they do wonders for pains such as this one. I know a good one in Helsinki that I have been advising to friends (pregnant or not) and they are very happy with her. She also speaks English. She has a "practise" in Helsinki and in Espoo (Kivenlahti if I remember right). I can pm you her name and number if you want.

[Magdakar]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this forum, so first of all congratulations to all moms and moms-to-be.

I just found out three days ago that I'm one of those happy woman too now. After over a half a year of trying, I didn't have much hopes when I was doing the test on Monday morning, as I didn't want to be disapointed again, but here we go - clear 2 stripes. Hubby bought two more tests that day, and all of them say - you're pregnant. So I was very exited and wanted to get an appointment to doctor as soon as possible, to confirm what the home test says by doing blood test and checking that everything is ok. That is exactly what would happen if I was in my home country - Poland. I wanted to hear from the doctor and not only from the test, that I am expecting a baby. So I called the students health service (thinking that luckily for few more months I can still use their services, as they are cheap), but there they told me that I should contact directly neuvola in my area. Btw, a woman there sounded shocked when I told her that I did 3 tests:) So I found the relevant neuvola, called and I was really disappointed and kind of shocked, when she told me that she won't see me until I'm at least 8 weeks pregnant. I asked about blood tests,etc, but she said that the urine test I did is enough, just don't drink alcohol, don't smoke and come 31.3. - oh my god,that's like a month, how am I going to live it, and I have to finish my master thesis this month!!! (Btw, even though my Finnish is far from perfect and in cases like this I usually ask my hubby to make phone calls, it seems that the situation and my baby's well-being released some special hidden language skills:), I was proud to do it all by myself!)

I know it seems stupid, but I still can't fully believe that I'm pregnant, especially that I don't really have any symptoms, maybe except for constant hunger, some nausea, tiredness and weight loss (I like especially the last one:), so I wanted to hear it from the doctor. The way they do it here is very weird to me, I thought the Polish medical system doesnt' have enough money, but here they seem to save on everything. I feel a bit unsure about not having my own doctor that will monitor my pregnancy, but I guess if things have been working pretty well for Finnish women so far, it must be fine. Just this waiting for the first visit...

OK, gotta go back to work now. Take care moms and I will let you know about my first visit to neuvola. I hope there won't be any more disappointments.

Jen - congratulations! I had a great laugh about your experience with neuvola/toursit information! and they say that Oulu goes international:) we study at the same department - see you around at uni!

Magda