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Marias fødselsberetning med en doula
Maria og Thomas er gravide med 3.barn, og vælger at benytte Doula Kristina Svensson igennem graviditet og fødsel. Maria fortæller Smallwalk om deres oplevelse:

Jeg synes, det er enormt vigtigt, at flere kvinder får kendskab til, at det rent faktisk er muligt at få hjælp til at få en tryggere fødsel og dermed større chance for at komme ud af fødslen med armene over hovedet og en god fødselsoplevelse med sig i bagagen. Jeg vil aldrig glemme den nat Barbara blev født. For mig betød trygheden at fødslen var kortere, fordi jeg arbejdede med veerne og følte, at der var rigtig mange muligheder for at lindre smerterne. Det var ikke en fødsel i lidelse – det var en fødsel, hvor smerterne havde et mål, hvor jeg kom nærmere målet efter hver ve! Og så var det utrolig trygt, at der var en som kunne få min mand Thomas til at være 100% med. Han fik meget ud af de møder, vi havde med fødselsforberedelse, akupressur og rebozo. Vi brugte det aktivt under fødslen – til stor glæde og lettelse/smertelindring for mig. Thomas hjalp mig, og det gav os en mere intim oplevelse af at føde i fællesskab.

Her er min beretning om fødsel med doula. Jeg er 3. gangsfødende, så jeg har lidt erfaring med fødsler:
Nogen tror, at det er nemmere at føde, når man har prøvet det før. Jeg ved ikke, om det er nemmere, men jeg havde i hvert fald lidt erfaring at trække på. For jeg har oplevet, hvordan det er at føde uforberedt med 3 vagtskift. Min første fødsel startede med vandafgang dagen før terminsdagen, Max blev født 25 timer senere. Den bedste tid i løbet af den fødsel (altså bortset fra da jeg fik ham i mine arme), var de 10 minutter hvor min konsultationsjordemor kom ind til mig. Nussede mig lidt, roste mig, puttede dynen godt rundt om mig og fik mig til at slappe af. Det var desværre i slutningen af hendes vagt, så hun fik fri, og jeg fik en ny jordemor. Det var ikke en god fødsel, men jeg vidste ikke bedre.

Min anden fødsel var lidt bedre. Den startede med veer, vandet gik spontant kort før presseveerne. Fra første ve og til Gloria var ude, gik der ca 15 timer. Thomas trængte til en lur i starten af fødslen, og jeg blev meget bange ved tanken om at være ladt alene. Da jeg opfordrede ham til at finde en afløser (som kunne hjælpe mig med at holde vejrtrækningen), blev vi mødt af 2 travle jordemødre, som mente, at vi skulle ringe efter en veninde… Øh bøh, klokken er 3 om natten, jeg har ingen, jeg kan ringe til, og Thomas måtte droppe ideen om en power-nap. Han har måttet høre meget for det siden, men faktisk var det ikke så meget hans behov for søvn, der var slemt. Det var følelsen af, at jeg var alene og bange, der var slem. At der ikke var en fagperson, som havde tid til at hjælpe mig.

Det var dér, drømmen om at føde i tryghed startede. Jeg fik kontakt til doula Kristina Svensson meget tidligt i graviditeten. Vi aftalte at mødes til fødselsforberedende samtaler 2 gange, når jeg nåede til 8. måned. Kristina reserverede 14 dage før og 14 dage efter min termin i sin kalender. I denne periode var hun klar 24 timer i døgnet til at rykke ud og støtte mig og Thomas under fødslen.

Denne fredag begyndte veerne om morgenen. Igen. For der havde været mange opstarter de sidste 5 uger, men denne gang var det rigtige veer og fornemmelsen var anderledes. Jeg havde passeret 41. uge, så det var også på tide at hun kom ud. Vi fik børnene afsted og jeg tog på arbejde, for at klare de sidste ting – velvidende at jeg nok ikke kom derhen lige med det samme igen.

Vi fik hentet børn og kom hjem ved 15 tiden. På det tidspunkt kom veerne med 3 minutter imellem og varede kun 20-35 sekunder, og de bed slet ikke som de senere skulle komme til. Thomas kørte afsted på indkøb og hentede de største slagterbøffer – vi sku’ ha proteiner til aftenens strabadser!

Der var et mærkeligt mønster i de veer. Når jeg slappede af eller bare satte mig ned, så stoppede de, når jeg gik på wc, stod eller gik, så gik de i gang igen. Vi spiste aftensmad, jeg måtte lige op og stå indimellem – og vi blev hurtigt enige om, at vi sku ha børnene ud af huset, så vi ku få ro.

Vi ringede til vores doula Kristina kl. halv otte – og kort efter kom hun med en taske fuld af smertelindringsting, masser af overskud, ideer og muligheder. Det var både hyggeligt og sådan lidt juleagtigt, når man venter på en glædelig begivenhed. Jeg var meget tryg, for jeg følte at der var en enorm værktøjskasse af muligheder til min disposition. Kristina viste Thomas nogle forskellige igangsættelses-akupressur punkter og smertelindrings akupressur punkter – og rebozo. Det havde vi ikke prøvet før, og det var helt vildt, hvordan et mexicansk tørklæde kan bruges til at puffe barnet rigtigt ned i fødselsvejen – og endnu mere vildt hvordan en rebozo øvelse kan fremprovokere en ve!

Thomas blev lidt overrumplet af alle de ting han ku gøre, men han havde heller ikke været med ved vores sidste møde – så det var faktisk fint, at bruge tiden til at vise ham mulighederne. Kl. 23 begyndte vi at tale om, at veerne nok alligevel ikke var slemme nok, og måske var det bedre at få lidt søvn, og se hvad der skete. Jeg er jo typisk 3. gangsfødende, og har oplevet, at veerne er gået i sig selv før. De var ikke rigtig slemme nok, til at det gav noget. Kristina tog hjem igen, og vi gik i seng. Thomas faldt i søvn næsten med det samme.

Jeg lå dér og vidste, at det ikke var slut. Prøvede at få hvile og nåede også lige at blunde lidt hen. Men ved midnat kom veerne pludselig meget oftere, 4 min. mellem, 3 min. mellem og så var der kun ½ minuts pause mellem dem. Vi ringede til Kristina, og blev enige om at køre mod Frederiksberg – enten hjem til hende hvis det gik i sig selv igen, eller til hospitalet.  Det blev hospitalet, og det var godt at vi kom af sted. Turen føltes lang, men heldigvis kørte vi i en bil med automatgear, så Thomas ku presse hårdt på lænden, hver gang der kom en ve, jeg tror, der kom 8-10 veer på turen. Av Av, men tak søde doula Kristina, for at du havde vist ham det tryk…

Vi gik sammen ind i modtagelsesstuen, blev mødt af en jordemoder som ku se, at jeg var 3 cm åben – lang vej igen. Efter klyx kunne jeg komme ind på en hyggelig fødestue. Det var et rart sted med en fødebriks, en rigtig seng, og et badekar og dæmpet belysning. Jeg tror jeg fik brugt alle fødestillingerne i rummet. Først hang jeg over fødebriksen. Den kunne køres op og ned i højden, så jeg kunne aflaste benene en smule. Men jeg blev træt (eller: Kristina spurgte om jeg ikke blev træt, og når jeg mærkede efter, så var jeg jo træt i benene, utroligt som hun kunne læse mine behov). Så kom jeg over i sengen og lå på alle mulige måder. Jeg tror det var fint at tage veerne i forskellige stillinger, så barnet ikke kom skævt ned. I min journal kan jeg se at jordmoderen har siddet ovre i hjørnet, og set at jeg ligger på siden, på knæ, stående, you name it…. Hun sad meget og observerede og lod os køre løbet. Tilbød kl. 02:45 steriltvandspapler, som jeg sagde ja tak til. De var ikke smertedækkende, men udover smerten ved at få dem lagt, så generede de heller ikke.

Efter en times tid talte vi om badekarret, jeg kom i karret 10 min efter. Det var mærkeligt at komme ned i vandet, først var jeg lige ved at flyve op igen, men så vænnede jeg mig heldigvis til det. Jeg tvang også mig selv til at huske på, hvor godt det havde fungeret under min anden fødsel. Og hurtigt vænnede kroppen sig til varmen og den nye lette fornemmelse i vandet.

Der var stadig masser af omsorg, hjælp når vejrtrækningen pludselig gled for mig, og så var der til stadighed de her brand varme klude, som Thomas og doula Kristina hele tiden gjorde klar og pressede hårdt på min lænd hver gang en ve startede. Den sku væk igen når den sluttede, så havde den bedst effekt. Jeg kan se på et foto at jeg har et stort rødt mærke nederst på ryggen efter alle de pres og varmen, men det var sådan en stor hjælp. Fantastisk smertelindrende.

Efter ca ½ time i karret ku jeg mærke pressetrangen og vi stod nu kort foran målet. I starten lå jeg stadig på maven, men jeg skulle skifte stilling og kom over i en hugstilling eller noget der ligner – godt oppebåret af vandets opdrift, en hovedpude i nakken og med en hånd til Thomas og en til Kristina, som holdt og masserede. Jordemoderen holdt der hvor jeg skulle presse (efter anbefaling fra doula Kristina forinden, det gjorde det nemmere at vide hvor presset skulle lægges). Jeg kunne mærke et lille smæld da vandet gik, kl. 04:35 og jeg fik lattergas. Jeg skal lige lære masken at kende, men så pludselig kørte det, og jeg kom til kræfter. Et lille gispekursus blev det også til. (”Du skal bare lyde som en lille hund”, sagde Kristina, og det virkede faktisk, så jeg gispede mig videre mod målet.)

Jeg pressede i starten, kun når jeg ikke kunne lade være, og det betød at hun kom meget forsigtigt ud – hver gang har jeg oplevet, at jeg gik en lille smule i stykker, men denne gang var det virkelig minimalt, to små rifter, hvoraf kun en ene skulle syes. Hun kom ud i en presseve, men meget langsomt – og pludselig var hun der bare, min lille pige. Hun var helt fyldt med fosterfedt, på ryggen så det så vildt ud, det var milimeter tykt. Men det var et meget roligt barn – det er vandbørn ofte, lidt fortumlet og havde måske også slugt lidt badevand, i hvert fald så lå vi bare dér og nød hende.

Thomas klippede navlesnoren efter en del minutter, og fik hende over. Jeg blev bruset af og kom op og fødte moderkagen oppe på fødelejet. Godt at jeg ikke lå der hele forløbet! Efter et lille korssting kom jeg over i sengen og vi kunne slappe af. Jordemoderen og sosuen forlod stuen, og pludselig var vi bare det her lille trekløver-team som beundrede vores lille pige. Vi var glade, trætte, lykkelige – det var en rigtig stor dag der var begyndt!

Maria and Thomas are pregnant with their 3rd child, and choose to use Doula Kristina Svensson, through pregnancy and childbirth. Maria talks to Smallwalk about the experience:

I think it’s enormously important that more women are aware that it is actually possible to get help to get a safer birth and thus a greater chance of getting a good birth experience. I will never forget the night Barbara was born. Having a Doula with me meant confidence and that the birth was shorter because I was working with contractions and felt there was a lot of opportunities to relieve the pain. It was not a birth in suffering – it was a birth in which the pain had a goal and I came nearer the goal for every contraction! I felt very confident as there was someone who could get my husband Thomas to be there 100%. He got a lot out of the meetings we had with prenatal, acupressure and rebozo. We used it actively during labor – a great joy and relief / pain relief for me. Thomas helped me and it gave us a more intimate experience of giving birth together.

Here is my report on giving birth using a Doula. As it was my 3rd born child, I do have somewhat experience with childbirth:

Some people believe it is easier to give birth, when you’ve done it before. I do not know if it’s easier, but I did have a little experience. I have experienced how it is to give birth during 3 midwife shifts. First birth began with water braking the day before due date, Max was born 25 hours later. The best time during the birth (apart from when I got him in my arms), was the 10 minutes when my midwife came to me. Took some time to comfort me, praise me, put the quilt around me and got me to relax. It was unfortunately the end of her watch so she was off, and I had a new midwife. It was not a good birth, but I did not know better.

My second birth was a little better. It started with contractions, the water broke spontaneously shortly before press contractions. From the first contraction till my baby Gloria was out it took approximately 15 hours. Thomas needed a nap at the beginning of the birth and I was very scared at the thought of being left alone. When I asked him to find a replacement (who could help me with the breathing), we were greeted by 2 busy midwives who thought that we would call a friend … Boo hoo, it was 3 am, I had no one to call and Thomas had to drop the idea of a power nap. It was actually not so much his need for sleep that was bad. It was the feeling that I was alone and scared, which was bad. There was no professionals who had time to help me.

This was when the dream of giving birth in a secure environment began. I took contact to Doula Kristina Svensson very early in my 3rd pregnancy. We agreed to meet for preparatory talks 2 times when I would be 8 months in my pregnancy. Kristina booked 14 days before and 14 days after my due date. During this time my Doula would be ready to come to me 24 hours a day to support me and Thomas during childbirth.

My first contractions started on Friday morning. Again. For they had already been frequent over the last 5 weeks, but this time it was real labor pains and the feeling was different. I had passed the 41st weeks, so it was about time that the baby would come out. We got the kids off and I went to work to clear the last things – knowing that I would not return to work for quite a while.

We went to pick up the children at 15 o’clock. By this time the contractions came with 3 minutes between them and lasted only 20-35 seconds, and they didn’t really hurt yet as they would later. Thomas drove off to purchase the biggest butcher steaks so we would have lots of  proteins to handle the challenges of the night!

There contractions had a strange pattern. Once I relaxed and just sat down, they stopped and when I went to the bathroom, stood or walked they would come up again. We had dinner, but I had to stand up from the table  and  we quickly agreed that the kids should get babysitters so we could find peace.

We called our Doula Kristina at half past seven,  and shortly after she came with a bag full of painkiller things, ideas and opportunities. It was both pleasant and a little like Christmas when you are waiting for a happy event. I was very confident because I felt that there was a huge toolbox of options for my disposition. Kristina showed Thomas some different kick-acupressure points and pain relief acupressure points – and rebozo (Mexican scarf). We had not tried it before, and it was completely wild how a Mexican scarf can be used to nudge the baby into the right birth way – and even more wild how a rebozo exercise can provoke a contraction!

Thomas was a little taken by all the things he could do, but he had not been present at our last meeting – so it was really nice to spend the time to show him the possibilities. At 23 o’clock we still didn’t think the contractions were bad enough, and we figured it would be better to get some sleep. Kristina went home again and we went to bed. Thomas fell asleep almost immediately.

I lay there and knew that it was not over but I tried to get some rest and finally I had a little nap. When midnight came the contractions suddenly came quite often within 4 minutes, then 3 min with only a half-minute pause between them. We called Kristina and agreed to set off to the hospital. The trip seemed long, but luckily our car has an automatic, so Thomas could press the samll of my bag every time a contraction came. I think I had 8-10 contractions on the way to the hospital. Oh, but thank you Doula Kristina for showing Thomas how to press the small of my bag to relief my pain…

In the reception room we were greeted by a midwife who could see that I was 3 cm dilated – but there was a long way to go. I had a tablet to go to the toilet and could hereafter go into the cozy lounge to relaxe. It was a nice place with a real bed and a bath and subdued lighting. I think I tried out all the possible birth positions there was to try out in there. First I hung over the couch. The couch could rise and be lowered in height so I could relieve my legs a bit. But I was tired (or: Kristina asked if I was tired, and I noticed I actually was – she could really read my needs). So I was put in bed and lay on all sorts of ways. I think it was fine to take contractions in different positions so the child did not come down crooked. In my journal I can see that the midwife had been sitting in the corner. I was lying on the side, on my knees, I was standing, you name it – I tried it all …. She sat in the corner and observed us much, and let us do our thing. At 02:45 she offered me  pain killers which I agreed to have. They didn’t take all of the pain, but they helped soothing the pain.

After an hour we talked about the bathtub, and 10 minutes after I went in the tank. It was strange to get into the water, I was about to fly out of it again, but I became used to it, fortunately. I also forced myself to remember how well it had worked during my second birth. And I quickly became used to the heat for the body and it became a light sensation for the body.

There was still plenty of care for me, I got help when I couldn’t find the right way to breathe, and Thomas and Doula Kristina always made the warm cloths ready for me to press hard on my lower back every time the contractions started. They took away the cloths when ever the contractions ended, this had the best effect. When I look at the photographs from the birth I have a big red mark at the bottom of the back after all the pressure and heat from the cloths, but it was such a great help – a great pain relief.

After about a half hour in the tub I could feel the urge to push and I knew I was near the goal. In the beginning I was still on my stomach, but I had to change position and turned to be on my knees. This went well also being carried by the water, a pillow in the neck and with one hand to Thomas and one to Kristina, who at the same time massaged me. The midwife showed me were to press (as recommended by Doula Kristina earlier, it made it easier to know where the pressure should be). I could feel a small crack when the water went, at. 04:35 I got laughing gas. Once I got to know the mask, it was a great help. Kristina gave me a small gasp course: “You just have to sound like a little dog,” Doula Kristina said, and it actually worked, so I gasped my way towards the goal.

I pressed only very gentle – when I could not help it, and it meant that the baby came out very gently. Every time I’ve given birth in the past I have experienced that I broke, but this time it was really minimal, two small cracks, where only one of them had to be sewed. She came out in a contraction, but very slowly – and suddenly she was just there, my little girl. She was completely filled with fetal fat, it was millimeters thick. She was very quiet – apparently children who gets born in water can be more quiet – they can be a little dazed as they can swallow water so we had peace to just enjoy her.

Thomas cut the umbilical cord after some minutes, and got her in his arms. I was showered and gave birth to the placenta on the birth bed. I am happy I did not lay in the water for the entire process! After a small cross-stitch, I was put in a real bed and we could relax. The midwife left the room, and suddenly we were just this little threesome team who admired our little girl. We were happy, tired, excited – a really great day had begun!