A woman with long brown hair, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, sits in a grey armchair. She gestures while discussing topics such as hydration. Behind her are colourful rainbows and children's products. The text reads: ‘INTERVIEW WITH MIDWIFE MARIA LEPUCKA’.

Everything you want to know about giving birth but are afraid to ask

At Baby&Travel, we met with Maria Lepucka, a midwife and lactation specialist, who answered a few of our ‘awkward’ questions. What should you do when contractions become regular, when should you pack your hospital bag, and is ‘poo’ an embarrassing subject in the delivery room?

When should you pack your hospital bag, and what should go in it? How can you avoid perineal tearing, and do you need to… shave before giving birth? We put these questions to midwife Maria Lepucka, who shared her recipe for getting ready, without stress, for the most important day of your life.

Your hospital bag — what to take and when to pack

Getting your hospital bag ready too late or too early creates unnecessary stress. ‘People often start packing when their due date is approaching, or even when labour has already begun. That is why I always say that, as you enter the third trimester of pregnancy, it is worth having your basic bag ready,’ Maria Lepucka emphasises, adding that it should contain the essentials. ‘So you can grab it and leave for the hospital, rather than asking your husband, for example, to pack it for you, because that usually ends badly,’ the midwife jokes.

So what should go in that bag? ‘It depends,’ the specialist replies. ‘Among other things, it matters which hospital you are going to and what that hospital requires you to bring. Usually, the hospital’s website has a list of things to take for the birth. Naturally, the basics are the personal items you always need: changes of nightwear and underwear, breast pads, toiletries, and the essentials for your baby. Just the basics,’ Maria Lepucka stresses. ‘Clothes, nappies, and care products such as nappy cream or wet wipes suitable for use from the first day of a baby’s life.’

Signs of labour. Don't panic!

When can we really say that labour has begun? The midwife advises going to hospital when:

  • you are having regular contractions that have continued for some time
  • you have had at least 10 contractions in a row
  • the contractions are coming approximately every 5 minutes

‘A lot depends on how far you live from the hospital and whether it is rush hour, for example,’ Maria Lepucka adds. The midwife advises against going to hospital after the first three contractions, as you will probably be sent home.

Unexpected incidents during birth. Above all, don't feel embarrassed

Some pregnant women worry about an involuntary bowel movement or perineal tearing during birth. Maria Lepucka reassures them that, although these things can happen, nobody in the delivery room is surprised by them.

‘When a woman is well prepared and labour is managed properly, the risk of perineal tearing is low,’ the midwife says.

Find more intriguing questions and useful information here: