Giving Birth in Spain
What you'll say and hear from the first contractions at home to the maternity ward in a Spanish public hospital.
In Spain most births happen in a public hospital: you go to urgencias de maternidad when labour starts, a matrona (midwife) leads the birth, one partner can stay with you and the epidural is free and widely used. Birth registration is usually done straight from the hospital. These cards follow one night from the first contractions to the morning after.
- 1
Las contracciones me empezaron hace unas dos horas.
My contractions started about two hours ago.
- 2
¿Cada cuánto las tienes ahora?
How far apart are they now?
- 3
Cada cinco minutos, más o menos.
Every five minutes, more or less.
- 4
Creo que he roto aguas.
I think my waters have broken.
- 5
Coge la bolsa del hospital, que está en la entrada.
Grab the hospital bag, it's by the front door.
- 6
Vamos de camino al hospital.
We're on our way to the hospital.
- 7
¿Puede entrar mi pareja conmigo?
Can my partner come in with me?
- 8
Quiero la epidural, por favor.
I'd like the epidural, please.
- 9
Ya estás de siete centímetros.
You're already seven centimetres dilated.
- 10
Respira, lo estás haciendo muy bien.
Breathe, you're doing really well.
- 11
No puedo más, de verdad.
I can't do this anymore, I really can't.
- 12
Empuja cuando notes la siguiente contracción.
Push when you feel the next contraction.
- 13
¡Es una niña!
It's a girl!
- 14
¿Me la ponéis piel con piel?
Can you put her on me skin to skin?
- 15
¿Cuánto ha pesado?
How much did she weigh?
- 16
Tres kilos doscientos.
Three kilos two hundred.
- 17
¿Está todo bien con la niña?
Is everything OK with the baby?
- 18
¿Cuándo nos podemos ir a casa?
When can we go home?
- 19
La matrona pasará dentro de un rato.
The midwife will pop in shortly.
- 20
¿La inscripción en el registro se hace desde el hospital?
Is the birth registered from the hospital?