Baby Birth in Basel - Labor & Delivery

Well, we are officially a family of 4! Since little Celia joined us in April, many people have asked if giving birth in Switzerland was different than the US. Granted, I only have n = 2, but happy to share my experience. First, I need to split it into 2 chapters: Labor & Delivery vs. Postpartum Care.

This post will be about actually giving birth in Basel. I don't plan on going into intimate detail but I will mention some specifics. Reader beware. 

I'll start by saying, I knew what I wanted and I knew it wasn't the path necessarily encouraged by the health system here. I wanted an epidural. Plain & simple. No problem in the good ole US of A. I'd had an epidural with Big E and it was wonderful. I could feel everything but not excruciatingly painful and I remember happy moments throughout the process and being very much in the know of the situation. However, here in Basel the midwives are strong advocates for medication-free birth. I knew this going into the process, so it was the first question I asked my OBGYN, I got advice from other moms and I selected our hospital based on the stories that they were "more likely" to comply. 

... I think you can see where this is going...

With little lady's due date coming and going, we were scheduled for our 2nd post date check in at the hospital to determine if I should be induced. We arrived at the hospital and I let the team know that I'd been having contractions all day (finally!) and they were currently about 10-15min apart. They suggested we head home and "try to relax and not think about it" (?!?!?!????!??). Matt & I thought that was a horrific idea so instead we decided to grab something to eat nearby (which turned out to be the restaurant at the football/soccer stadium even though there wasn't a game going on. Yeah. It was weird). My contractions became progressively stronger & closer together but still not "5minutes apart" as per the suggestion on when to return. We decided to head back to the hospital anyway in fear of them saying "you're too late for an epidural". 

We arrived back at the hospital and they checked us in. Our assigned midwife was super sweet but she just kept saying things like "are you sure you want an epidural?" "I can tell you're strong enough to do it without" "I don't want to give you one too early" "would you like to get in the bath?" Me: "no I don't want to get in a bath tub. Not now. Not ever."

Anyways, this went on for about 1.5 hours at which point Matt kept telling her he thought I needed an epidural. (Which I did!) but finally she said "I think she'll tell us if she's ready for that" that's when I realized as much as Matt was being my advocate, like a fabulous husband, she needed me to say it yet again. So in excruciating pain I screamed "he's right!!!! I want the epidural NOW!!" ... And I was politely informed that they were going on a shift change so a new midwife would be in shortly to check on me and decide. 

Within those 15min, my contractions went from 7 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart and when the poor, sweet, new midwife arrived I was absolutely screaming. She checked me and said "I think it's too late. Your baby is coming." To which I responded (in what I'm sure was the most polite way possible) "No, no, no, no .... I will hold this baby in until you give me what I want!!" (Along with a few other choice phrases, screams and tears) So she said "do you want me give you something to slow down labor so you can get the epidural?" Me: "yes!!!!" 

By this point it was 10:45pm. She immediately gave me something to "slow down labor." The anesthesiologist arrived at 11:10, I received the epidural at 11:35, I had our little girl at 12:03am and the epidural started working around 12:10. I did not enjoy the process and there was definitely more screaming. Not exactly how I envisioned welcoming our little lady into the world. After delivery, the midwife commented, "Wow, that medicine & epidural didn't slow down your labor at all." ... no, kidding.

A couple other differences... My OBGYN arrived to the hospital about 15min(?) before I delivered. The midwife actually delivered our baby while our dr was more of a consultant. There were no stirrups or anything. Just lying on a regular hospital bed (in green pic below) and when I was having trouble getting situated I ended up with one leg on the midwives lap and the dr holding my other leg on his hip. 

Also, once little lady was born, there was not a team of nurses streaming in the room as there was in the US, but rather just the midwife who checked out our lady to make sure all was good and then left the 3 of us: Matt, Celia & myself, alone for a little while. Not sure if this would be the same as the public hospital, but our private hospital is specifically for low risk births. There is not a neonatal unit onsite (but there is always one pediatrician) so if there are any baby complications we would've been rushed over to the kid's hospital (about a 10min drive)

All in all, obviously completely worth it since we now have our beautiful little lady with us. However, this was just not the (probably romanticized) evening of memories I had in mind. I think every mommy should get to choose how they bring their baby into the world (assuming safely) and I just didn't like that my choices weren't being respected.

Anywho, all over now, but I get the pleasure of reliving it with these beautiful snapshots Matt took during the evening.

Having contractions holding on to the railing outside the closed FC Basel soccer stadium where we had dinner. Weird.

The incredibly green birthing rooms. Supposedly, relaxing???

Finally!! Yay!!! All worth it!