Hi friends, sorry for been away this long .But I was busy in a wonderful way. I am thrilled to update that I have got my angel from heaven…a wonderful daughter who is 12 weeks old now and finally I have got the time and energy required to start writing again. So I’m a mom now and to tell you guys I just love motherhood. It has opened a complete new side of me which even I didn’t knew about. I feel a new person altogether. The biggest positive change I have got is patience. I’m sure all mums will agree to this. And suddenly I’m not only mother to my baby but I feel mother to everyone around me which is ,my heart is surely got bigger and I have so much love inside me to give. I have definitely got more sensitive towards others and I have started feeling proud of other people’s children’s achievements too. It is really amazing how motherhood changes you and nothing believe me nothing and no amount of research can prepare you for being a mother.
So I just wanted to tell you guys my wonderful experience of having a child in a foreign country. To begin with I had a the most amazing pregnancy and birth in Sweden . It was a dream come true when I realised I’m going to be a mother which I had been waiting for. Initially I was scared how I’m going to manage pregnancy in a foreign country without family support. But it became relatively easy once I met my midwife here.Yes here midwives do all necessary check ups and support you till your last day before delivery. First day I met my midwife, she told me “ live your normal life and keep doing what you are used to doing” and I relaxed completely. These people believe pregnancy and childbirth is the most natural thing in the world since ages and there is no need to make all the fuss and cry about it by taking bed rest or by being less aactive. Theybelieve God has designed women’s bodies to endure childbirth and our body knows what to do. As days went by I started enjoying my pregnancy. I enjoyed all the festivals and activities with my friends and my husband was there to support me throughout all this.I never missed any event due to my condition.I cooked and did all household chores till the end without any worry.
I just loved swedish medical system here and the way they took care of me.My baby decided to come one month early and I had the privilege ….yes I will call it privilege to stay in hospital for 6 days .The nurses and midwives took utmost care of me and my baby.I had perfectly natural birth here.
Here midvives are there on a 8 hour shift basis who motivate and encourage you to manage the pain and give natural birth.They promote natural birth in sweden in comparison to the c section wave in India and after experiencing natural child birth I am completely for it. The experience of natural child birth is amazing and beautiful.It makes you believe the power within you which God has bestowed on women and it is a miracle that inspite of being in excruciating pain and without sleep and food for more than 72 hours, still you are alive and pushing to bring a human being in this world. There is a huge adrenaline rush post natural delivery which gives you the strength to have sleepless nights to take care of your baby.Also the recovery after natural child birth has been relatively easy and fast.I was in labor for 3 days but with everyone’s support I could do it successfully.I had heard so many negative stories about birth in sweden earlier but luckily Everything was good in my case and I am really thankful to God for this.
After getting stitches the midwife made me stand right up and made sure I was fine.The process is completely different here in comparison to india.Midvives encouraged me to take a walk the next day to relieve all the soreness and Swelling I had.There is a red button in your room and everywhere else so that if you need anything at anytime of the day or night you just press it and a nurse will come and help you with whatever problem you might be facing.Even if you press the button numerous times every nurse who walks in will be smiling with such a relaxed face that half your problem is solved just by watching their face.
These nurses helped me with breastfeeding, with my health, with my baby’s health.They came in every morn to check baby’s weight and took a blood test to make sure that baby was fine. Baby was given bath the second day. And the way they handle your baby with so much passion and love is really commendable. They are always polite and talk with such soothing voice that you feel completely relaxed inspite of being in hospital.
Third day a doctor checks your baby’s all body parts and whether all functions of the body are working.There were constant tests undertaken in the 6 days to make sure my baby is doing well as she was premature. Since I am a first time mom everything was new to me and I feel glad that I had to stay in the hospital because I learnt my first important lessons of how to handle a baby right there.
Pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood is being taken so much for granted in India.But here it’s a celebration of love and a mother is respected. Every small thing about birthing is been made so beautiful here that you feel like having another baby without any fear or hesitation.
In India we have our parents plus several other relatives to take care of the mother and baby. But here only the husband and wife take care of baby. So mother feeds the baby and father takes care of baby post delivery. Fathers are very much hands on with babies here as there is no external help for them.I really admire and have found new respect towards swedish parents for having so much patience to manage a new born with sleepless nights plus carry on with household chores and go to work as well.
I have tons and tons of differences which I have found between India and Sweden and I want to share with you all but right now I think this is enough. All in all I had a wonderful birth experience and I feel proud to be a mom.
Stay tuned for more experiences.