March 2021 – The Birthing Book

Birthing with Love and Joy:
Anshu and Abhik’s heart-warming birth story

March 26, 2021February 8, 2023 fernandez_admin Leave a comment

Anshu heard a lot of negative stories about birth. Nearly all her friends had a C-Section, and she was keen on enjoying an unmedicated vaginal birth. She travelled from Kolkata to book with us at 29 wks of her pregnancy.

At 33 weeks, Anshu came for a routine check and complained of a fluid leak. On examination the cervix was found to be 3 cm dilated, but the bag of water seemed to be intact. Anshu had not experienced any waves or discomfort. She was admitted for observation and was administered steroid injections to help her baby’s lungs to function in the event of Anshu birthing prematurely. However, Anshu remained stable so went home.

At 35 wks of pregnancy, Anshu’s waters started to go. Anshu and Abhik remained calm despite the anxiety expressed by her family. The childbirth preparation classes had empowered her with knowledge and confidence. She had a hot water shower, ate her breakfast, packed her bag and came to the hospital.

On examination, the cervix was found 3 cm dilated. Her waves were irregular. A decision was made to augment her labour. Soon she began experiencing stronger waves at a regular pace. Anshu remained calm, sipping on fluids, and enjoying her fruit. She had a hot shower and sat on the birth ball while she read the birth affirmations she had chosen for her labour. She continued with her exercises and her smile!

The midwife was meticulously monitoring Anshu and her baby’s well-being. Anshu was given antibiotics as she developed fever midway through her labour. 3 hours later, Anshu was exhausted and found it difficult to cope with the waves which by now had further increased in intensity. But the love and support of her midwife and doula kept Anshu going. She found comfort in talking to her baby in between her waves while gently rubbing her belly. Soon Anshu felt the urge to bear down and was fully dilated. At this point she was close to giving up. But the obstetrician, midwife and her doula encouraged her with each wave. Four hours later, Anshu birthed her baby girl into this world. She had tears in her eyes as she tenderly hugged her little baby.

Anshu was on cloud nine having achieved the birth she wanted.

The Magic of Life:
Shaila and Pradeep’s natural birthing story

March 19, 2021February 16, 2023 fernandez_admin Leave a comment

At 39 weeks, Shaila started having irregular waves. After 24 hours, her waves became more regular. They came to the hospital and Shaila was seen by the midwife. She was already 2 cms dilated and felt reassured that the process of labour had indeed begun. Shaila and Pradeep decided to go home and return to the hospital once the waves got more intense. A couple of hours later, they came back as the waves had picked up. Shaila was 4 cms opened. Her doula soon joined them. Shaila wanted a pain relief option, and after discussing with her midwife and doula, decided to try the pool for hydrotherapy. While the midwife was getting the pool ready, her doula helped her with some visualizations. Once Shaila entered the pool, she slowly began to relax and follow her instincts. Within an hour and a half in the pool, she began feeling a lot of pressure and instinctively started bearing down. She was so beautifully supported by Pradeep who gave her the space she required on this journey yet letting her know he was walking beside her, available in case she needed him.

Shaila was not comfortable staying in the pool and decided to come out. She was found to be fully dilated. She soon felt the urge to bear down and spontaneously began to push. Shaila was physically exhausted and her blood pressure was rising. She was given the specific medication. Her birth team helped her adopt different upright positions and soon her baby’s head was visible. With a little help and support, Shaila gently birthed her little boy.

If only every woman going through pregnancy and birth feels she is heard, her choices are respected, she is cared for and treated with love and empathy, we would have more women enjoying their birthing experience and motherhood. This would certainly help a woman birth with love rather than with fear.

Moment of a Miracle:
Harshita and Namit’s birthing story

March 12, 2021February 8, 2023 fernandez_admin Leave a comment

Harshita was booked with us and was under collaborative obstetric and midwifery care. Her pregnancy was uneventful and she was keen to have a waterbirth.

Four days past her due date, Harshita noticed that her waters had started to go. She contacted her Doula and visited the hospital. By the time the midwife checked her, Harshita had already begun her waves. She was given an option of returning home and waiting for 24 hours for her body to develop its own rhythm and set into labour. She returned 24 hours later. On examination, she was 1 cm open. A decision to augment the labour was made.

Harshita was informed by her obstetrician that now she may not be able to have a waterbirth as she did not meet the safety criteria for hydrotherapy (immersing in the warm water pool). She opted for the other non-pharmacological comfort measures.

Her doula joined her at this point and helped her with the light touch massage on her back, alternating with a hot water bag, which seemed to help her as her waves kept waxing and waning. Six hours later, Harshita was assessed and was found to have the same findings – 1 cm open. Tired by now, Harshita and Namit were disappointed. The midwife and the doula reassured them that Harshita’s body was doing all that it could at this point of time and they just needed to stay positive and go with the flow. They helped her continue with her rhythm of breathing with each wave, gently holding her hand while reading her birth affirmations that she so connected with.

By the afternoon, Harshita was 3 cms open and her waves had clearly picked up, but she was exhausted. She took an epidural and slept for 2 hours and woke up energised. Harshita was given different upright positions using the peanut ball and soon she was fully dilated. Her baby’s head was short of rotation, so the midwife and her doula helped her with some rebozo exercises. Harshita was exhilarated hearing her body was completely opened and she would soon meet her baby. She began feeling a lot of pressure and instinctively got on to the squatting position. She felt the urge to bear down with every wave. The midwife applied a warm compress at the perineum and over the next few minutes, silently encouraged Harshita to work with her body and her baby. Finally, more than 40 hours after releasing her waters, Harshita welcomed her baby boy into the world. A proud daddy, Namit beaming with joy was excited to cut the cord. Harshita had a first-degree tear and the Midwife put a few sutures. Harshita and Namit were left to enjoy and connect with the little angel they had created.

Harshita’s birth proved that when pregnant women and their care-providers share a relationship based on trust; when women are not coerced into making decisions out of fear, when women are provided with unbiased evidence-based information, then every woman feels confident and empowered as she enters a new phase in her life, a new journey called “Motherhood”.

Birthing with Confidence:
Kavya and Eshwar’s experience with an induced labour

March 4, 2021February 8, 2023 fernandez_admin Leave a comment

Kavya had a waterbirth with us a year and a half ago and was very motivated to have another one this time too. With her pregnancy being low risk, she was put under midwifery care. During her routine antenatal check with the midwife at 37 weeks, the fundal height seemed lesser than the period of gestation, so a scan was suggested which revealed a low fluid level. Kavya was advised to get admitted for induction of labour. She was a little apprehensive as she was not mentally prepared for this. After a lot of counselling and reassurance, Kavya and Eshwar understood the need to get induced but they wished to go home and return in a few hours. Kavya got admitted later in the day and was induced. Within half an hour she started with her waves. She had a shower, caught up on some rest, had her dinner and did her exercises. She was quietly breathing with each wave. The baby was carefully monitored throughout, and both Kavya and her baby were doing well.

6 hours later, Kavya was assessed and she was already 3 cms open. With her permission, her waters were released. Just like the first time around, Kavya was calm and relaxed, surrendering to the experience, just breathing for herself and her baby… slowly and steadily one wave at a time. The calmness of the dimly lit room filled with the fragrance of lavender added to Kavya’s relaxation.

The midwife was keeping a close watch on the baby’s heart rate and they waited patiently. All that Eshwar had to do was gently hold her hand. She sat on the birth ball and kept having lots of juices. Kavya soon started bearing down and declared that she could feel the baby coming and in the gentlest of ways, she breathed her baby down. Congratulations Kavya and Eshwar for achieving the birth you wanted, the birth you so dedicatedly worked towards.

What a beautiful birth…a baby boy, 3.06 kgs with an intact perineum. Six minutes later, after the cord pulsations ceased, Eshwar cut the cord and Kavya hugged her baby tight. She indulged in lots of skin-to-skin with her baby and the first breastfeeding was initiated.

Birth has always empowered you Kavya. You always believed that you could do it, and you did it. You rock!!