Birth Story
Vijaya & Saran, a birth to remember.
Vijaya was one of the very first patients who attended our childbirth education workshop. If I have to describe her in 3 words – those would be honest, fearless and experimental. She was so malleable to information, embarked on this beautiful easy breezy pregnancy journey, got done with almost 8 months continuing to work. All these years into actively practicing gynaecology I met two categories of patients – One with a prefixed notion of knowledge is power, other is the sub group who felt ‘the less they know, the better they are at peace
Vijaya proudly belonged to the second one. And thats not wrong at all. She felt powerful in not going to the depths/ details of anything. One step at a time, one surge at a time, let me take it as it comes. And I think it worked out well for her.
Getting into her birth story – for a gynaecologist it is always nice when a term mom comes in labour progresses all by herself without active interventions! I believe it needs a bit of patience and expertise. The expertise to NOT DO ANYTHING.
I would hereby also take a moment to reinforce on the fact that, interventions sometimes can be life saving. And we are trained to handle them. But it breaks my heart to see the increased amount of interventions these days.
With vijaya, around her due date, she was in latent labour for a short while, about a week or so. Those ineffective nagging contractions, pretty much not doing anything to push her into early or active labour. She was always in touch, reporting over the phone what is going on with her in the body and mind. My only criteria to call a patient who is laboring at home, well informed to the hospital is the slightest doubt of fetal movements. And ofcourse certain obstetric incidents!
Her first sign into early labour – pain in due course of time leading to spontaneous membrane rupture. Her go to for coping up with pain was hot shower. She spent almost the whole of early labour multiple trips to the rest room, taking hot showers. Rested for a bit. In about 12 hours, she progressed to active labour, transition stage and second stage of labour! Her husband most definitely gave up in between, seeing her in pain, but let me tell you – not once, not once in those 16+ hours of early and active labour and 7+ days of latent labour did she ever doubt herself. She pushed a 3.5kg little champ with ease. Her husband got to cut the cord, baby directly placed on the breast for latch! Thanks to my wonderful team of Pediatricians, who have been nothing by accommodative of my girl’s wishes!
Honest – she was completely honest with her wishes, wanting a positive birthing experience. About time when no one hardly ever spoke! She met me only during the fag end of pregnancy, we got very little time when compared to solid 9 months of the usual gestation. She made it very clear to the family as to what can and what cant be done. Sometimes women in labour are influenced by the family members getting impatient, and it kinda silently puts a lot of pressure on their body to perform and eventually give up.
Fearless – I must say, it all worked out well for her. As a first time mom, she handled the contractions fairly well, with utmost certainty. I know how uncertain labour could get. Her mantra has been – ‘what can happen? I am going to deliver my child in a way it decides to come!’
Experimental – when was the last time you’ve actually heard of someone laboring at home? well, im not saying it is the way to go for everyone. As long as your thoughts are in alignment with your gynaecologist, you belong to the low risk category without co morbidities, it’s alright to spend a few hours of your labour at home. This culture is pretty popular in the Unites states and United Kingdom, where mothers have the choice to go through the OB wing or the midwife wing. Since we dont have the midwifery care here in India, obstetrics is purely driven by gynaecologists, pretty strong I must say. i’m pretty sure by now you know why I called her fearless!
Sweetest, little yaazhan is here to sweep us all off our feet. To a fabulous breast feeding journey! Thats for another day.
