She describes the difficult conditions she endured, giving her a new life in an unexpected and extremely dangerous world.
“I had a complicated pregnancy, and I went to the maternity hospital early so the baby and I were under medical observation.
When I woke up on February 24th, my phone screen was full of texts from loved ones. Even before reading them, I realized something had happened.
The same morning, I had mild contractions, and in the afternoon we were evacuated to the bunker for the first time. It’s so scrary. Some nights, I don’t sleep.
The contractions were intensifying, and the news did not bring peace.
Early in the morning of February 25, a doctor examined me and told me that I would give birth that day. I called my husband at home to come.
A trip that usually takes 20 minutes takes almost 4 hours because of long queues at gas stations, stores and pharmacies.
I was lucky with the delivery – it didn’t happen in the basement although some women gave birth in a room set up for this purpose.
I started in the delivery room but had to move to the operating room for a cesarean section. Then, when the air raid sirens sounded, the paramedics wanted to evacuate me to the basement, but I refused.
Because of the pain, I couldn’t even speak let alone where to go. The rest of the time I was disconnected from the outside world, which was probably the only time I forgot about war.
© Mariia Shostak via UNFPA
Mariia Shostak’s baby son, Arthur, in the basement of a maternity hospital in Kyiv, where Mariia and other new mothers and their families take refuge.
Fear, fatigue and pain
After the operation, I was in intensive care for a few hours, no longer under anesthesia. I’m very worried because I don’t know where the baby and my husband are.
Meanwhile, another air raid siren sounded, and I decided to go down to the basement. I’m wearing a disposable shirt, no shoes, in a wheelchair, holding a urinary catheter.
I was covered with a blanket and taken to the shelter, where I saw my son for the first time. We named him Arthur.
I felt scared, tired and in pain. The day after surgery, I went up to the delivery room and down to the basement several times a day. Once again, the sirens of the air raid sounded.
I try to sleep an hour or two a day. We spent most of our time in the basement sitting in chairs. I have back pain when sitting, and my legs are still swollen as a complication of pregnancy.
Exhaustion eased our fear until a bullet hit a tall building that we could see from our windows.
My husband, Yurii, helped and took care of me and the newborn. The medical staff organized the dining in the bunker and then provided the bed.
They help put the baby to the breast, give the baby medicine, hold my hand when I have difficulty walking.
I feel safe in the capital – there are enough shelters and timely information coming from the authorities. My husband arranged a corner for us to stay in the basement of our house.
I was born and raised here, Kyiv, I have no other home. We will not leave. “
© Mariia Shostak via UNFPA
Ms. Shostak’s husband, Yurii, holds his newborn son at the hospital. They plan to be in the basement of their house right now.
This account is based on an article that first appeared on the website of our colleagues at UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA.
