Yesterday I had my second ultra scanning at the hospital and there are always joy and excitement to see your baby inside your stomach. I bet every mother and pregnant woman cherish those moments like I do. I could see those tiny fingers, tiny toes and even the cute nose and lips. I saw my baby is getting bigger from the last ultra sound check. Thankfully, he's doing okay and the organ works normal according to the midwife.
Normally in Denmark, you only get ultra sound scanning on weeks 13 and 20. However since my first ultra sound scan (in week 25) resulted in the baby's weight is below standard of Danes, they asked me to do another scan. Apparently based on yesterday's scanning, the baby's weight still below standard by 27%. However after consultation with the doctor, he said that it may due to Asian's standard is below than the Denmark's standard. Therefore I don't have to do anything as the graphic shows that the baby's growth is normal. Nonetheless, they need to regularly check my baby's growth, thus I should have another ultra scanning within 2 weeks.
I took the positive side, it means I could have another ultra scan to ensure my baby is in good condition and have early awareness if there is anything wrong with the baby, for example the umbilical cord being around the baby's neck, etc. Since normally here they don't do ultra scanning after 20 weeks, many parents are worry that any problem cannot be detected earlier before birth. While in Indonesia, we have ultra scanning check in every regular visit until before labor. Then, I just be grateful of it.
I noticed several differences between the process of pregnancy check in Denmark and in Indonesia. In here, they do thoroughly check since early pregnancy, such as blood test, urine test, down syndrome risk assessment and TORCH test. While in Indonesia, the test is optional, even not considered necessary by my previous obgyn. I think as a parent, we feel more comfortable if the test is ran since early pregnancy, hence we could be more prepared during the pregnancy, what to avoid and what to consume to support the baby's nutrition.
Moreover, the birth labor here is not conducted by obgyn, but with a midwive and the treatment here is totally different. Having C-section is the latest option, which can only be done if normal birth is appear impossible. Even if your water broke down, you can't directly come to the hospital, they will ask you to wait at home until several hours, unless the water has turned color. Hence, when everything is normal, you come to the hospital only few hours before labor will take place. It sounds scary perhaps for us foreigners, however the relax attitude is pretty common here.
I heard a story from a friend of mine who gave birth last December, she was more than 1 week late from the due date and no action was given by the midwive. Even after she had contraction and she came to the hospital to be checked, the midwive sent her home again as it was only small dilating. She was so stressed about it, which makes the process got worse.
Well, I just wish when it is my time to labor, everything would go smoothly and timely, therefore I won't feel stress out or worry and could enjoy the process of welcoming my baby boy.
Cheers,
Indispensable Lady
A lot of my friends are freaking out at the thought of giving birth here since in Asia we're quite spoiled with the available service from the hospitals (that we're paying). Here, despite you're being taxed up to your neck, the service is minimal (if one tries to call that "free")
ReplyDeleteAbout TORCH test, I recently read article in local paper on how Danish women chose to abort their fetuses for even small deformity that wouldn't affect the baby's mental & physical health, not only for major cause like Down Syndrome
one of the primary cause was the kind of genetic alteration that makes girls can't grow more than 160 cm or something - but they wouldn't be retarded or anything. There's a trend that Danish women are wanting "designer babies"
Here, you have to stress to the nurse if you want certain things - such as epidurals. I know some of my friends who have given birth here have all asked for it, but weren't given any due to many (stupid) reasons, and yes, I have a friend who was sent home hours before her giving birth because it wasn't her time yet.
Another choice is obviously to go to private hospital where they can provide better care and service.