Childbirth in 'Field Conditions': What You Need to Know and Have With You If Things Don’t Go as Planned

Preparing for childbirth in Ukraine during the full-scale war requires special attention.

Worst-case scenarios, such as giving birth in a basement, cannot be ruled out. This is warned by Ukrainian Daria Vlasenko, as reported by TSN.

The woman is in her eighth month of pregnancy. Despite her relatives' pleas, she has no plans to go abroad. She says she decided to give birth in Ukraine as early as the first month of her pregnancy.

'When I finally got pregnant, we realized we needed to prepare for childbirth very thoroughly. Because there is war in the country, and you never know what to expect tomorrow. You can arrange things with the maternity hospital, the doctor, but giving birth in a basement during shelling without light, heat, and communication,' Vlasenko said.

She discussed with her doctor a list of things needed for childbirth in 'field conditions,' in case giving birth is necessary outside a medical facility.

Here is the list:

1. Water. Clean and preferably warm (in a thermos), at least 5 liters.

2. Clean cotton diapers. You can never have too many.

3. Sterile gloves, three to five pairs.

4. Scissors, treated with antiseptic (for cutting the umbilical cord).

5. Alcohol, cotton wool, bandage, hydrogen peroxide. Important! Alcohol should not be used for treating genitalia, as it can cause burns. Only for hands.

6. Umbilical clamps, two pieces.

7. Oxytocin in ampoules and a syringe. May be needed for injections if labor is weak.

8. Saline solution. For administering in case of dehydration, it can replace antiseptic for treating genitalia.

9. Warm clothing for the baby and the woman.

10. Eye drops with antibiotics. For preventing inflammatory infections, treat the baby's eyes and additionally the genitalia for girls.

11. Aspirator. For suctioning mucus from the baby's mouth and nose if there are difficulties with breathing.

12. Diapers.

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If things don’t go as planned and you have to give birth under uncomfortable conditions, it can be hard to stay calm. But this is the main condition for safe childbirth. Both the woman and her surroundings should be calm and confident, said sexologist-psychologist Tiara.

According to her, a woman should practice correct breathing in advance.

'There are different techniques available to the public. Proper breathing during labor acts as a calming, pain-relieving, and oxygenating agent for both mother and child. If it’s very scary and painful, try to shift your focus from yourself to the baby. Just realize, your child is experiencing the most challenging moment of their life... It’s important to support your child, to calm them down,' Tiara advised.

During the war, every adult Ukrainian should know how to assist a woman giving birth. This concerns pregnant women and their loved ones directly, emphasized midwife and author of a course on easy childbirth, Olga Yudina.

'Of course, you should try to get to the maternity hospital. If that's not possible, at least stay in phone contact with a midwife,' she added.

The medic advises all pregnant women and their relatives to take a condensed course in obstetrics. At the very least, this will help them understand: in real life, 'everything happens quite differently than it is shown in movies.'

1. Contractions

In extreme conditions, when medical examination of the woman is impossible, the main indicator during contractions is their frequency, Yudina says.

'Record the time of each contraction. When there are four to five contractions in ten minutes, it means the baby will be born soon. At this time, it’s crucial not to disturb the woman and provide her maximum comfort. Just make sure she doesn’t sit on a hard surface and drinks enough water. If she wants to eat, she should be allowed to eat. She will need strength for the pushing stage,' she advises.

2. Pushing

When the pushing begins, help the woman to find a position that is comfortable for her. If she is more comfortable standing or squatting, do not hesitate to allow her; the baby will not just fall out suddenly. Be prepared to catch the baby on a clean diaper.

'When the baby’s head is delivered, do not pull or twist, just support lightly. The baby will come back on its own; this is the biomechanics of childbirth. After a few pushes, the whole baby will be born. Place the baby on the mother and cover both of them. After five minutes, you can cut the umbilical cord,' Yudina added.

3. How to cut the umbilical cord

Before cutting the umbilical cord, clamp it on both sides. One clamp 1 cm from the baby’s navel, the other a few centimeters away. Cut between the clamps to avoid possible bleeding, the midwife noted.

4. Final stage of childbirth: placenta

Giving birth to a baby does not mean the end of labor. Now the woman needs to deliver the placenta the place where the baby lived. It’s important not to pull on the umbilical cord, as this may provoke uterine inversion and the woman’s death, warns the midwife.

'The placenta should separate on its own. Life hack: the clamp left after cutting the umbilical cord will serve as a marker for you. When the placenta separates, the cord will sag a bit; you will notice this by the marker. Now ask the woman to push, and the placenta will come out on its own. That’s it, the childbirth is over,' she added.

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If you find yourself in field conditions, you may have trouble accessing infant formula for feeding. Therefore, establishing breastfeeding can become a matter of life and death for your baby.

'In Mariupol (a temporarily occupied city in Donetsk region, Gazeta.ua), during shelling, when babies were born in basements, infants died precisely from hunger. It is horrifying when a mother begs for a spoonful of formula from another, but she refuses because then her baby will die too. But this can be avoided,' the midwife added.

She assures that breastfeeding can be established 'almost always.'

'Yes, in wartime this is significantly more challenging. But it is a myth that stress can 'burn out' the milk. Due to the action of stress hormones, milk flow is simply blocked. Therefore, it is crucial for the woman to be in close 'skin-to-skin' contact with the infant 24 hours a day. This will stimulate the production of oxytocin, the motherhood hormone, and facilitate the release of milk,' the medic clarified.

The production of oxytocin is essential not only in the postpartum period. This is the main childbirth hormone; it helps the woman give birth faster and easier. When this hormone is 'suppressed' by stress hormones, it is important to know the rules of the three 'T's.

'The natural condition for the production of oxytocin is the observance of the three 'T' rule: dark, quiet, warm. In a bomb shelter, it’s not difficult to make it dark and quiet. However, keeping warm is important for at least the hands and feet, prepare hot water bottles for this, for example,' psychologist Tiara advised.

Despite Russian aggression, Ukrainians fall in love, get married, and have children. In eight months of war, stars have managed to become parents as well. Some Ukrainian celebrities have joined the ranks of large families, while others have welcomed their first child.

In this article, you will learn about the stars whose families have welcomed new additions during the war.