Image: Shutterstock
I’m an American, New Yorker, to be specific. And to me, the United Kingdom, this far away land across the globe, seemed to have it all. It left me enthralled — the royalty, the culture, the food, the accent, the full English breakfast! I could go on! So when I moved to the UK to pursue my further education, I was on top of the world. Every day opened up new possibilities, the people were lovely, the buildings were straight out of a postcard, and I have to mention this: the railway system was so neat! I loved every minute of it, and then I got pregnant.
Don’t get me wrong, I was extremely excited and happy about being a mother, but what worried me was this — I was on a student visa, with no job, so how was I supposed to get the necessary funds? I had completed my degree, was on the lookout for a job when I got the news of my pregnancy. It was only natural to be apprehensive about how I’d run the show! New Yorkers will agree with me; the healthcare system in the United States can burn a hole in your pocket. Knowing this fact made me extremely anxious and worried.
That is when I learned something so shocking, I was sure I was dreaming. The medical care system in the UK was a stark contrast when compared to the States. For one, you had to go for an ultrasound or scan several times during your pregnancy in the US. Well, in the UK, it wasn’t so — if your pregnancy is smooth with no complications, the chances are that you might not even see a doctor throughout your pregnancy! Speaking of doctors, the moms in the UK make do with midwives during pregnancy and sometimes during delivery too! Also, it seemed to me that the expectant mothers here were made of steel. I say so because epidurals are usually not encouraged — and mamas here go with it. Do you know what all this means for a pregnant woman in the UK living on her student visa? It meant that I barely had to cash out for my pregnancy!
My First Pregnancy: One Hell Of A Ride
Image: Shutterstock
My friends in the UK helped in my search for a hospital, and I landed on one with two birth centers. The first birth center dealt with mothers who opted for unassisted births with the help of midwives. The other birth center involved a few doctors, and this wing was for moms who wanted or needed a cesarean section, epidurals, or forceps delivery.
There were different birth plans to choose from, and since mine was an uncomplicated pregnancy, I chose a birth plan that used the hospital’s hydrotherapy pool. The pregnancy went by like a breeze, and by the time my due date arrived and my water broke, I was dilated by around nine centimeters. This meant I was ready to have my baby; it also meant that I wasn’t alone. My midwife showed up the very minute I called her and informed her that my water had broken.
I’m not going to downplay the pain associated with childbirth; it was terrible. We’ve all seen visuals of women screaming when they’re giving birth, and I knew then that they scream for good reason! As soon as I got to the hospital, I was transported to the hydrotherapy pool, ready to give birth. I had opted for unassisted birth without an epidural (yes, in hindsight, I do question how sane I was to make that decision), so all I was given was Entonox. Now Entonox is more commonly called gas and air in the medical community (1). It is essentially a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen, and I loved it. It made me feel like I was in outer space — the Entonox felt good, and being in the water almost felt like I was floating. Soon enough, my baby had arrived, and I found myself in the recovery room.
The recovery room felt like a vacation in itself. I was in pain, but I had the view of London’s skyline, and with my baby in my arms, I couldn’t have asked for more. The midwives did everything they could to reassure and help me. They taught me how to hold my baby, feed her, and clean after her and myself. Twelve hours after I had delivered my first child, I was given the green signal to go home.
Image: Shutterstock
The midwife would show up and do a routine check on the baby and me for the next few weeks. This lasted until I was officially discharged from care.
Today, I am a mother of four healthy babies delivered with the help of the UK’s midwives. In the UK, you’re left alone if your pregnancy is low-risk — and this worked for me because it is a lot less overwhelming than America’s interventionist system. Again, to each their own. At weeks twelve and twenty-five, I had all of two scans and only seven midwife appointments throughout the pregnancy. I must admit that the care given was incredible, despite not having to shell out large sums of money!
I guess what I’m trying to say is that pregnancy is different for each woman. We all have different experiences, but no matter what our experiences, we should not have to worry about money and funds during this crucial time. We’re already putting ourselves through so much pain and trauma, and a system that makes pregnancy easy rather than challenging, one that is inexpensive, is what we need. What are your thoughts on this? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments below!
