The trip before everything changed

During my second trimester, my gynaecologist mentioned that this is usually the best time to travel, if everything looks fine and the doctor gives permission. So when she said I could travel to a nearby place by short flight or road trip, my husband and I immediately thought — why not?

It felt like a golden opportunity to spend some time together as husband and wife before becoming mom and dad. We both love travelling, and our new car had been delivered just a few months earlier, so it felt like the perfect time.

We decided to go on a road trip from the Czech Republic to Slovenia, and then from Slovenia to Trieste in Italy. It was around 750 km one way. We packed food, snacks, water, and all the little essentials for the long drive.

It was the last week of October 2025, autumn was in full beauty, and my birthday was just one day away. I was so excited. I imagined how beautiful the scenic views would be, and honestly, it turned out to be such a lovely trip.

During the trip, everything felt fine. We stopped every 1.5 hours at gas stations, stretched our legs, ate snacks, and continued the journey slowly and carefully. Overall, it was a beautiful time together.

But during this trip, I started feeling my baby kicking very low, almost in my pelvic region. The kicks felt strong and uncomfortable at times, but I simply thought my baby was active. I never imagined what I would hear at my next gynaecologist visit.

Hearing the words “short cervix”

At week 29, I found out that I had a short cervix. My cervix was around 1.5 cm, and my pregnancy was flagged as “high risk”. I was also made aware of medical situations like funneling and the risk of preterm labour. Thankfully, in my case, funneling did not happen.

I was honestly very scared. I was told not to stand too much, not to move around unnecessarily, not to bend, and not to squat. I was advised to take rest and lie down as much as possible. I was also prescribed progesterone suppositories.

I was checked to make sure my amniotic fluid was not leaking, and thankfully the result was negative. That gave me a little relief.

After that, I started reading a lot about short cervix, funneling, cerclage, progesterone, bed rest, and preterm labour fears. I came across many women’s stories. Some had cervical stitches, some continued with progesterone, and some made it to full term with rest and close monitoring.

Slowly, I realised something important: having a short cervix does not mean you did anything wrong. Some women’s bodies are simply built that way. It is scary, but it is not your fault.

In my follow-up appointments, my cervix stayed the same week after week. It did not shorten further, and funneling never developed in my case. That gave me hope, and I kept praying to reach full term.

Reaching full term and my birth experience

I will be very honest — I was careful, but I was not completely inactive. I still did some light household work like cooking, basic cleaning, and small chores. I avoided bending, and if I needed to pick something up, I tried to do it very carefully. Emotionally, I was always aware that I had to slow down and listen to my body.

By God’s grace, despite all the fear around short cervix, I reached full term. I got admitted to the hospital at 39 weeks and 5 days for induced labour, as my doctor suggested admission based on medical considerations and possible risks of waiting longer due to gestational diabetes.

Honestly, this was the part where I felt emotionally conflicted. I had hoped to go into labour naturally because I was nervous about artificial induction. As a first-time mom, I wondered if my body would start labour on its own if I waited a few more days.

Every pregnancy is different, and doctors make recommendations based on each individual situation. But from my experience, I would say — ask questions. If induction is being suggested before your due date, ask your doctor whether waiting a little longer is possible in your case, what the risks are, and what your options are.

In my case, labour was very painful and intense. My baby was not progressing as expected. The doctors first tried vacuum-assisted delivery, but it did not help. Eventually, my daughter was born with forceps.

I also experienced a severe third-to-fourth degree perineal tear during delivery, which made the early postpartum period quite uncomfortable. Thankfully, the stitches had healed by around three months postpartum. Even so, I can honestly say it was one of the most challenging experiences I have ever gone through.

But despite everything, my baby girl was born healthy, weighing 3.06 kg. Touchwood. Hearing her cry and seeing her safe made every difficult moment worth it.

Finding calm while waiting

During that slower and more cautious phase of pregnancy, I tried to keep myself emotionally calm. I spent time with my indoor plants, listened to music, watched movies, rested, and slowly started decorating my baby’s nursery.

My husband and I also love Lego, so we bought Lego bricks and made little Lego cars together. Those small memories became very special to us.

One of my favourite things we did was putting an animal-themed wallpaper near the corner where her crib is now placed. It instantly made the space feel cozy, colourful, and so sweet.

These days, my baby keeps staring at that wall. She loves looking at the colourful animals, and I teach her about them every day. This is how that little corner turned out.