A few sentences I should learn before my wife gives birth

Hi All,

My wife is due in July. She will be having the baby in Wroclaw. My Polish is not too good thus far. Can anyone who has been in a polish delivery room give me some sentences that the doctors might say? I dont want to be in there and understand nothing. Im worried that if something went wrong, touch wood, I wont be able to understand whats going on.

Thanks.

I'm sure nothing will go wrong. I would strongly suggest getting an interpreter or Polish speaking family friend to be there with you. I don't know what words you would need to know since I've never experienced issues with my labors and haven't had any friends or family experience any (I know, we are lucky). Also, you can be in the labor room in many hospitals now. Good luck to your wife and new child!

I haven't given birth in Poland but here are some words that could possibly be used if necessary,

Próbka krwi - blood sample

Dziecka tętno - Child's heart rate

Awaryjne - Emergency

Sala operacyjna - Operating theatre

Cesarskie cięcie - Caesarean section

Nacięcie krocza - Episiotomy

If neither of you speak enough Polish to understand/be understood in the delivery room then I agree with what Polishmama said, maybe an interpreter would be too impersonal but I think in the same situation, I would need someone to translate, a friend or family member or even an English speaking Doula. You can find out more here and at the bottom of the page, check if there are any in your area.

shantala.pl/mama/doula

Good luck to you and your wife x

Drzyj prześcieradła! - Tear sheets!

Maybe if you ask it is very possible that many of the staff speak excellent English and would be willing to speak to you in English.

Best of luck.

How come nobody mentioned the most important:

PRZYJ!

:)

means "push!"

oddychaj - breathe

skurcze - cramps

skurcze co 5 minut/sekund - cramps every 5 minutes/seconds

wody odeszły - waters have gone

(Englsh is not my first language so I'm not sure if the translations are correct but I believe you will know what phrases I meant)

I will cross my fingers for you, good luck!

Another set of words:

rozwarcie (szyjki macicy) - width (of the cervix)
główka - head
widać główkę - I see head
pępowina - umbilical cord
proszę tu przeciąć pępowinę - please cut the cord here (in this point)
zacisk - a clasp
to chłopiec/dziewczynka - it's a boy/girl
gratuluję!/gratulacje! - conratulations
X w skali Apgar - X points in Apgar's scale

Finally a nurse will say to you:

Proszę przeciąć pępowinę.

You can cut the umbillical cord now.

PS. I cut it three times. Incredible experience.

lekarz - doctor
położna/położnik - birth assistant
pielęgniarka - nurse
znieczulenie zewnątrzoponowe - epidural anesthesia?

Yeah you're right, Oops I stuck to the emergency ones.

Scolari-ire, you might want to get your wife to remember these names...

Petydyna (pethidine) or Diamorfina (diamorphine) depending on what they offer at the hospital.
gazu rozweselającego / podtlenku azotu (laughing gas/nitrous oxide)
YOUR survival in the delivery room will depend on the availability of the above :) Only joking.

Another thing I found while looking for translations was that apparently, not all hospitals in Poland have 24hr access of an anaesthetist to give a spinal epidural. So if your wife really wants to have one for her pain relief then its worth double checking at the hospital.

I need a Polish native to translate these ones for you as I can't find a reliable translation.

Your wife may very well need her waters broken for her after she has gone into labour, the midwife will do so manually with what looks like a knitting needle.

Also she may be asked if she has "had a show" which is English for the mucous membrane plug coming out.

Mogę uśiąść? Can I sit?
-le się czuję. I don't feel well.
Poproszę wodę. Can I have water please?

I am going to faint. Zaraz zemdleję.

Ha! I told my husband that if he was going to feel faint while I was in labour (and therefore doing all the work and suffering), that I would throw him out of the labour room. He didn't, luckily for his welfare.

Wow guys thats amazing, exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you for all the tips and extra tips other than polish words. This is all great stuff.

My wife is Polish but the thing is she is not going to be able to or in the mood to translate for me in the delivery room so I want to have a few words learnt before I go in, that way I will have an idea of what is going on.

Im hoping that the nurses will have some English but if they don't im going to be prepared.

scolari_ire--


:) I was thinking about how scary it would be to give birth and not understand what was going on around me. I'm sure your wife will inform you when she can but better you have some understanding now.

Maybe these will be of some help to you (possibly from your wife's mouth)

Nigdy nie dotykaj mnie ponownie- along the lines of NEVER TOUCH ME AGAIN
Jesteś diabłem- You are the devil
Będę cię wykastrować- I'll castrate
:) :)

Good luck to you and your wife.