Diyana Kamaruza's Journal

I’ve been at Neuvola Olari on 7.45am and there is no one there. Maybe it’s too early, since the operating hour is start on 8am. The door is open, so I just got in to the waiting area and take a sit. Later, there is one lady greeting us and I told her that I have an appointment on 8.00am. She’s asked me to take a urine test first and at the same time I give her a letter from my previous doctor about my pregnancy. After I done the urine test, I waited at the waiting area since I don’t know where to go or what to do after that. I really have no idea how is the process of maternity check-up here at Finland. I waited about 15 minutes and she’s not called me. Then, I go to searched for her; but she’s not in her room. After the 3^rd times of searching, I found her walking to her room and she asked me to come in to her room.   

Her name is Lisa and she is midwifes. She asked me to fill in some form and asked me some question about pregnancy. She told me that she’s not good in English and every time there’s a word in Finnish that she don’t know in English, she will translated it using a Google translate. If she’s not understand the word that I talked in English she will asked me to type the word in the Google translate. The process might be slow but she does her best to communicate with me.

She explains about the process of maternity check-up in Finland and gives me a new book that record all about my pregnancy. Then, she will measure my amniotic fluid on my stomach and hears a heartbeat of my baby using this machine. This is my first time I heard my baby heart beat and I’m so excited. She’s say everything is fine and writes all the record in the record book and explains what is written in the book since the book was in Finnish. She even explains to me what to do when I came for maternity check-up at Neuvola. I have to do weight scales and urine test by myself when I arrived for the maternity check-up before start the session at the room.

Later, she asked me about my delivery plan. I asked her, “Is it possible if I want to deliver my baby at Helsinki since I’m living at Espoo?” She said, I can give birth anywhere I want and she will make the arrangement for me. She gives me 3 options about the nearest Hospital from my house, one of it was at Jorvi Hospital, Espoo and 2 of it were at Helsinki. Jorvi Hospital is about 13km from my house and the other hospital is Naistenklinikka, Helsinki is about 15km from my house. I choose Naistenklinikka, Helsinki because it was nearest to my husband’s office even though it is a bit far from my house compare to Jorvi Hospital. The 3rd options, I forgot the name of the hospital and its so far from my house.

After I made my decision about where to deliver my baby, she explains to me about my next appointment which is will be on 18 July 2012 at Neuvola Matinkylan. She said that during summer, Neuvola Olari will be closed. Then she told me that I have to make an appointment at laboratory for Glukose Tolerance Test as soon as possible. She even prints an article about Glukose Tolerance Test in English for me to read. To make an appointment with the laboratory, she gives me the website link to do an online appointment and also a phone number if I want to make an appointment by phone.

Then, she makes an arrangement for me to do an ultrasound at Naistenklinikka, Helsinki. She said that the hospital will call me to give me an available date for the ultrasound appointment. Before we end our session, she gives me this paper about Collection of urine sample at home and asked me to come again tomorrow to get the sampling kit since the kit was not available on that day. Overall, the first check-up was about gathering the information and the process about pregnancy. The staffs were friendly and the place was very cosy and comfortable. I can’t wait for the next appointment especially the ultrasound. I want to meet n see my baby inside me.

Finnish to English translation:

Neuvola = Maternity Clinic
Naistenklinikka = Women's Clinic
Naisten = Women
Klinikka = Clinic