The very first question I’ve heard when I called to make an appointment to a doctor, was did I want to keep a child. Just after my confirmation congratulations arrived. If pregnancy is going well you won’t see your gynecologist. You will have few meetings with a midwife and few with your doctor (who is specialized in many fields). You won’t be examined on the first visit, just asked for symptoms.
Do you want to ride a bike? No problem! Just rest if you’re tired after cycling 15 kilometers. Your back hurts cause you’re standing too long at work? Discuss possible solutions with your employer. Some lifting limits? Maybe it would be wise to ask for help with 20 kilos… In short – pregnancy is a normal state of being, not an illness. Sure, you should take care of yourself, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke cigarettes, do eat healthily and maybe limit yourself to one cup of coffee daily.
I do not drink coffee regularly, so it wasn’t an issue for me. I consider my eating habits healthy. I took vitamins during pregnancy. I was super healthy! (Except two times when I had a fewer. Garlic and ginger with honey helped me a lot). I would cycle if my workplace was closer. I preferred not to lift things heavier than 5 kilos. I was working til the end of 7th month. (It was winter time so it wasn’t very busy in hotel – restaurant business. But then it became harder and harder for me and my coworkers didn’t hurry to help, so I went on sick leave).
I went to Poland in December. It was my 4th month. And I returned by plane. My friends suggested some medical examinations in Poland as they were worried I had so little of them. So I turned on the computer and started to read. And after the twentieth article, I just shut it off. Why plant anxiety where the peace was growing? I decided to trust in Danish healthcare. If there was anything wrong, they would make additional checkup. Period.
I had a possibility to attend a birth school, which consists of two two-hour meetings in English. (In Danish there were three). The midwife was talking about important things before, during and after giving a birth to a child. There was time for asking the questions. That’s it. Classes with breathing technics were paid extra. But it was enough for me. Anyway, I’ve already known a lot. Still, I’ve learned few new things about painkillers and breastfeeding. Speaking of which there is only one nutricial recommendation. Eat whatever you’ve been eating til now. Celery, onion, strawberries. Everything.
I really like the Danes’ natural approach. Don’t seek problems if there is none. Trust your own intuition and your body. They will tell you what you need. Maybe, if you feel like eating tomatoes it is exactly what you and your baby need!
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