Georgia's Birth at Hospital Hospital San Francisco de Asis
Georgia is originally from the UK and she chose to give birth to her first baby at Hospital San Francisco de Asis in Madrid in 2021.
Georgia's Story:
On 29th September, at 40+4 days, we went to see my doctor and he did an exam. As there was no change he explained we could either book an induction for the next day or come back in two days for another check and then an induction the next day. We decided to wait!
He must have done something during the exam (legend!) because that night at 4 am my waters broke! I casually washed my hair and my boyfriend did the washing up and off we went in an Uber (with a lovely Colombian driver) to the hospital.
We checked in at reception then went up to the maternity ward. A midwife did an exam and explained I was about 2cm. We were shown to our room, which was beautiful: clean and calm with a gorgeous en suite bathroom and a sofa bed for my boyfriend. I was having some contractions but not regular ones so the midwife discussed it with us and I had a pitocin drip for about an hour. Then the fun really started!
After under an hour of strong contractions, I was ready for an epidural. This had always been in my plan but I was glad to experience the contractions to see what they were like. My boyfriend called the midwife and literally minutes later the anesthetist came. He talked me through every step of the epidural and I felt super safe and cared for. I couldn't believe the difference after! He also popped back a little later to give me an extra shot as I had a part of me it hadn't reached.
By this time I was feeling great! The midwife checked me again and I was 8cm ... then before I knew it we were off to the birthing suite. Our usual doctor was attending another more complex birth so we had his amazing colleague. Long story short, I delivered our baby really fast, with the help of a Kiwi suction device and the super encouragement of my boyfriend, the midwife and the doctor. Some students came in to see the birth which was cool! I felt really informed and supported throughout and the doctor did an incredible job with my aftercare. I felt really confident during and post birth that they were doing everything perfectly for both me and my baby.
All in all, my experience at San Francis de Assisi was everything I could have wanted: the staff were professional, friendly and respectful and throughout the days following the birth, gave us tons of advice and demonstrations on how to care for our beautiful baby girl. I honestly would say I had the perfect birth (for me!) and would recommend the hospital extremely highly to anyone looking for a 'light touch' medical / pain-free experience.
She also shared these images of what the hospital is like:
Thank you for sharing your story, Georgia!
If you gave birth in Spain and would like to share your birth story in Spain (hospital or home birth!), please do so here.
Giving birth in Madrid (or anywhere in Spain) or a new mom in Madrid? Looking for support on the wild ride called parenthood?
Look no further - book a free discovery call with me (Madison - doula in Madrid) today and let's chat about how together we can make your experience a positive one! And be sure to check out the Madoula homepage. If you're looking for doula support during your pregnancy, birth, or postpartum please be sure to contact me for a free consultation!
Giving birth is one of the most vulnerable moments in a person's life. There are many factors to consider at all times. The support of a doula from home to hospital adds an additional layer of support for both the birthing person and partner. Continuous care and individualized support both increase the likelihood of satisfaction with one's birth experience, regardless of the birth outcome (C-section, instrumental birth, etc).