I’d place the start of everything about a week before the actual birth. My belly started tightening and I was happy that something was finally starting to change. My pregnancy had been very pleasant, calm, and pain-free. I couldn’t imagine going from that state to the maternity hospital to give birth. Over the week, the tightening intensified, and in the meantime I regularly went for walks, check-ups, and acupuncture. On Friday, along with the tightening, pain and pressure appeared. By evening it was happening every 5 minutes, but on the midwife’s advice I went to take a shower and then to bed, where I fell asleep. But not for long. At 1:40 my waters broke. I went to shower, lay down on my left side, took homeopathic pellets, and my partner slowly packed the last things we needed to leave. In the car I was lying down and the contractions started. I said to our little girl in my belly: “Now show us what you’ve got.”

At the maternity hospital they welcomed us very kindly, and the midwife said I was 2–3 cm dilated, but still had a thick rim. They settled me into the delivery room, where they hooked me up to the CTG. They asked about my wishes and respected them. Our midwife joined us and stayed with us throughout the birth. I slowly breathed through the contractions, we changed positions, I went to the toilet, took homeopathic pellets, they stimulated acupressure points on my leg, we listened to music, and chatted in a relaxed way. We created an atmosphere I still remember fondly. I completely relaxed, and of course my partner and the midwife were “to blame” for that. They both stroked me, encouraged me, and focused on me. What I especially liked was that the CTG didn’t take over the attention—how I was feeling in that moment did.

The contractions intensified, and after the exam the midwife found I was 5 cm dilated. The pain increased to the point that I became more and more absent. I only remember lying on my side and my partner telling me to breathe; I remember the midwife gently stroking my leg, the cool 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.

At the exam I was fully dilated and the pushing stage began. My partner and I stood and squatted through it. 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 felt like it had been going on for a very long time. The midwife and my partner encouraged me and I was able to touch the baby’s head, which encouraged me even more.I remember not knowing whether I was pushing correctly, and I felt relief when the midwife advised me how to push and urged me to make the most of every contraction. After a few pushes, the midwife suggested we move to the bed. In my birth plan I had wanted to give birth on my side, and that was made possible for me. The atmosphere in the room began to change—another midwife came in, the lights were turned on, and I knew I was at the point where only the final part was ahead of me. My partner and the midwife encouraged me, and I gave birth to the most beautiful baby far and wide. The midwife placed her on my belly, and from that moment 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 an episiotomy, and it 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 think of it. We can thank Izidora and Mrs Gostenčnik, who prepared me for the birth, and my midwife Nastja, who on the 18th 7. created a fairytale in room 6 and, through that, became forever connected with our newly formed family.

My birth experience was like this, and I hope there will be as many similar ones as possible.