The more time passes since the birth, the more incredible it feels. I am immensely grateful that I got to experience the miracle of birth and such a beautiful, powerful delivery. I will never forget the moment I held my little one in my arms for the first time.
I had been interested in childbirth even before pregnancy. I read birth stories, listened to midwife podcasts, and devoured all possible material related to childbirth. I exercised well into late pregnancy, ate dates, drank raspberry leaf tea, and did deep squats – but with a relaxed approach. I knew that birth wasn't really dependent on any of the above.
For me, the most important thing was to prepare my mind for the intense journey of childbirth. I wrote down Bible verses that strengthened my belief that I wouldn't be alone during childbirth. I trusted that the Creator of Heaven and Earth would guide the process from beginning to end. My baby and I would be in good hands – and into those hands, we would surrender as the labor waves roared. Those hands would carry us through even the fiercest storm.
Labor begins
The day before I had practice contractions throughout the day. We visited a friend couple and went for a walk, during which I had a few stronger contractions. However, I continued my journey normally. I thought that it might still be a long time before labor started.
7:00 PM I went for an evening walk and already had to stop a few times due to contractions. As if by guidance, I found a few new songs for my birth playlist, and they became an important part of my birth bubble.
8:15 PM – 9:00 PM On the way, I stopped at Alepa to get butter, as I decided to make pancakes for dinner. I fried a big pile and ate a large plateful – my last meal before birth. I thought it was good to fuel up, just in case labor started during the night...
11:00 PM My husband was watching a World Cup football match, but I was tired. We said our evening prayers together and I crawled into bed around eleven.
1:00 AM I woke up to a strong contraction. I immediately got up, as I felt I needed to move. I stretched and moved around on the living room rug while my husband was still watching the game.
1:30 AM Contractions started coming surprisingly regularly, about every five minutes, and already lasted from one to one and a half minutes. I pulled out the Libero app's contraction timer and wondered: could labor really be starting already?
2:00 AM Contractions intensified, and I asked my husband for support. He breathed with me through each wave, which helped immensely. We moved forward one contraction at a time.
3:00 AM My husband called the hospital and asked when we could come. I took a warm shower and put on worship music. It was easy to relax in the shower and breathe space into my pelvis.
As the contractions intensified, I stopped timing them and lost track of time. I wondered how I would know when to go to the hospital? There were many things I was nervous about concerning going to the hospital, and that's why I wanted to stay home as long as possible. My wish was to be in the tub for the pushing phase, so perhaps that was my benchmark. When would it feel right to get into the tub?
5:00 AM A strong feeling grew within me that it was time to leave if I still wanted to be able to move. The contractions were already only two minutes apart.
5:20 AM My husband went to get the car. I climbed the stairs in small increments: during a contraction, I would sink to the floor on my hands and knees, and when it subsided, I would get up and walk the next section.
5:40 AM My husband handled the hospital registration while I was on the lobby floor on all fours. Luckily, I had prepared my passport and maternity card in advance. I would no longer have been able to concentrate on talking or handling ordinary matters.
5:50 AM We moved upstairs to the delivery ward. Behind a glass cube, the on-call staff instructed us to wait in the waiting area in front of us. I laughed to myself, thinking that won't work anymore... as a contraction came, I again sank to the floor on all fours, and the on-call staff's expression changed. She must have made a quick call, because just as we had reached the waiting area, the midwife rushed to get us to the delivery room.
6:00 AM Upon arriving at the delivery ward, the midwife performed an internal exam: I was already 8 cm dilated. The midwife praised how well I had managed at home and said during contractions: "You're doing really well." That gave me immense strength. Was I really already in the final stretch?
6:15 AM The midwife brought me a yoga mat for my knees and encouraged me to continue listening to music, as it helped me sink into my own bubble. The baby's heart rate was monitored with belts, which fortunately didn't interfere with my movement. The midwife left to fill the tub.
6:55 AM The tub was ready. I put on a swim top and eased into the water. The water was perfectly warm and supported me well. I sighed with relief, leaned against the tub's edge, and held my husband's hands. During intense contractions, he continued to help me breathe.
7:00 AM The midwife encouraged me: "Because you don't have medication or epidurals, your body will know what to do. You'll feel when your body starts to push the baby, and then just ring the bell, and I'll come."
7:05 AM I hadn't been in the tub long when I felt the urge to push. My husband called the midwife. My cervix was fully dilated, and the midwife said I could calmly follow my body's own sensation and let it push the baby out.
7:45 AM The morning shift changed, and a new midwife gently introduced herself at the edge of the tub. She made me feel safe.
The pushing phase lasted about an hour. It felt both short and eternal at the same time. The body's pushing reflex was incredibly strong, but the thought ran through my mind: there's no way the baby can fit out. My husband and the midwife encouraged me constantly and assured me that this would soon be over and the baby would be born. When they said the baby's head was already visible, I couldn't believe it. Already?
8:00 AM The midwife said that with the next contraction, I should just let my body push. The contraction was long, and I felt my body powerfully pushing the baby. It was the most intense moment of the entire birth – and yet so fast!
8:05 AM Suddenly, the head was born, and I had a brief moment to breathe before the baby plunged into the water with the next contraction. The midwife lifted the baby from the water into my arms, and I couldn't believe that here he was! The most amazing moment ever! I leaned against the side of the tub for a moment, admiring the new life in my arms.
8:10 AM Another midwife had also entered the room. They helped me and the baby into bed, dried us, and covered us. Afterbirth contractions came, and the placenta was delivered quickly. The midwife smiled and said, "Now the birth is over." I couldn't believe that either. The umbilical cord was allowed to pulsate completely before the father cut it. We were just left to be and marvel.
All in all, the labor lasted 7 hours and went much better than I could have ever imagined. Both midwives present during the birth were gentle and encouraging. They gave me space to give birth in peace, but at the same time, their presence brought a sense of security. It was especially wonderful after the birth, when we could just focus on the baby while the midwives handled the cleaning, emptying the tub, and other practical matters – and even brought us food.
I am immensely grateful that I experienced such a positive birth. I hope my story can encourage other women. Our bodies are designed to give birth. The waves of contractions roar until they settle, and the silence is broken by the cry of a new life. The storm is merely a memory as new life presses against your skin.
My friend encouraged me before birth: "Giving birth is wonderful."
Did I really think so? But now I agree with her words.
Giving birth is wonderful and intense.
