Unlike normal pregnancy/birthing, my hubby wanted to avoid ‘unnecessary’ medical interventions. He did solid research (secretly) and decided to go 100% natural.! i.e. no supplements, no unwanted medicines – essentially, he do not wanted me to have a feel of being a ‘patient’ (Yes, pregnancy is not a disease). Key success elements in that approach are good/balanced food, proper work out (2 hrs./day, 4day/week), strong fluid levels (3.5L water/day) and most importantly an active body &happy mind!
THE BIRTHING CENTER:
Later, we had to finalize a birthing center. Surprisingly, we found that there are very few such institutions, which promotes 100% natural pregnancy management. But wait, the best part is yet to come – Though there are only a few such centers, the best one was located in our home town – Cochin! It’s called, the Birth Village.
DEEP REVIEWS:
‘Detective’ Hubby, then started his cyber investigation on Birth Village and found a lot of good reviews. We were very happy to read all those birth stories of many super moms who decided to go for ‘real birth’! Out of which two persons have really helped us in taking a good decision – Mrs. Anuradha Dileep and Mrs. Meera Balakrishnan. To our surprise, they both have spent hours over phone and clarified even the dumbest doubt we had.! And they were always approachable though out the journey. Thanks a ton to both checheees.
HANGING OUT WITH FUNNIEST MOM TO BE’S IN TOWN:
On the day of Vishu (April 15th), at my 28th week of pregnancy, I came back to Cochin from Kuwait and joined Birth Village. That is when I met the three angels midwives for the first time ! They actually made me feel like I am going to have a 9 month long celebration. The work out sessions were really energy boosting – We all have jumped, crawled, danced, shouted, sweated, breathed and what not! (Oh, I miss those days). Our workout midwife was our magical coach! My other two midwives had eyes deeper than a CT scan and that gave me good confidence and courage.
Normally when you are consulting in a hospital you see pregnant ladies, walking very carefully, in total silence, that smell of medicines, pathetic look you get from all around! (I am also a professionally qualified nurse and I know the pros and cons of all choices wrt medical care which made me appreciate the human based touch with evidence based care even more)Sorry to say, we don’t have it here! 😉 We have a bunch of super charged mom to be’s who sing, run, jumps, dances and make great friends! Thanks all my dears for coming into my life and making my pregnancy a great experience! Love you all.
NOW, THE BIRTH STORY:
Well, you must have read n number of birth stories by now. Ours is not so different and hence, let me not bombard you with details of what I ate, drank, thought, did etc during the whole journey. In fact, I wish to take you to the last lap of this adventurous race. I saw my hubby very excited while he narrates our birth story to our friends and family. So I am going to give you his story –
By last week of June, he came to Cochin for my delivery. We have hang out together as a couple almost every day since then. My due date was July 7th. On July 3rd Morning, we were supposed to go for a maternity photo shoot with the best photography couple we have (Rohit Rajan & Reshma Rohit). I had some pain since morning 3.30AM but didn’t told anyone at home! It was coming on and off so I just managed by drinking some water and by taking mild walk with in the room. Thought it’s not time and hence, pain will eventually fade away. When he woke up at 7.30 in the morning I told him about my pain. He quickly started applying his learning from Birthvillage – comforting me and asking for what exactly I felt and all.
07.35AM – He called my midwife to inform about my pain and she said, Don’t worry;it’s normal. Take Saranya for an outing after a good sleep.
(And I did manage to get my 40 winks)
08.30AM –Started getting ready for photo-shoot trip.
09.00AM – Read Ramayana (the best I did).
09.15AM – I had breakfast (but soon I threw up).
In between, Syamettan (hubby) send Achan and Sarath (brother) to buy tender coconut. But it was a psychological move to buy time so that I could consistently move up in the pain graph 😉
09.20AM – Pain became more intense and lasted for a minute (I was trying not to scream) and it quickly fall to the right pattern of 1 minute pain per 5 minute.
Hubby thought – OK, now as per learning from BV, it will last for a few hours and then pain will be like, 1 minute pain in every 1 minute interval.
09.45AM – But it seems, my baby was not in a mood to wait any more! I started having 1 minute pain per minute. I was screaming “Syametta I can’t” and both my Ammas were desperately telling him, what calculations are you making? She is in pain – go, run! (He was applying his Lamaze lessons of pain characterization… 😉 ….)
09.50AM –Syamettan called Achan and Sarath to rush back.Then called Priyanka and she said to start to the birth center.
The race!
10.20AM – Our adventures race started. Sarath was driving. Achan and Syamettan was supporting me. He drove like F1, crossed red signals – a roller coaster ride. My man did a great job and we crossed Vytilla signal by 10.30AM
10.35AM – We reached BV and yes the angels were ready to do my examinations and to comfort me. But they didn’t knew my baby was working hard to come out and I had to run up.! (Hubby says, I was getting undressed while taking stairs itself). I knew, that my baby was not going to stick to standard calculations )
Pain meter hit 100 in seconds! I was screaming to my midwife “chechi I can’t” she said “Mone just relax and take a comfortable position and I began to squatt near the bed side and asked Syamettan to support me.
He held my hands from behind and said “Muthe you can do it”
Hubby had big plans wrt birth photography and one of my midwives knew it (she wanted to help him while my other two midwives were helping me). Now, here starts the fun–
Midwife 2: Syam, where is camera?
Midwife 1: Your baby is here,Saranya, just a bit more you can do this!
Syam: What…!!! (He gave camera to midwife 2.)
Midwife 2: oof, which switch! (It was a bit complicated DSLR. Hubby thought to use tripod and all but, my baby didn’t gave him time)
Syam: This switch!
Midwife 1: One more push and babys here!
Midwife 2: This is very complicated, lets have a baby!
Me: In birth trance
10.46AM – Yes, we got a new world to live. Our tiny little princess cried for the first time and I screamed out of happiness. I could hear Syamettan whispering to me “muthe – our daughter”. Later he said, you were too quick, I couldn’t lit the candles. We laughed!
BACK STORY – A MOTIVATIONAL NOTE:
At the time of my birth for my mother, I was small for gestational age and that genetical pattern has followed in case of our daughter also. Priyanka and team knew it earlier and they have hinted us. In normal cases, if I gave birth at a hospital, she would have immediately detached from me and put in an NICU! (Can’t imagine). My midwives didn’t want that to happen and did proper home work for our kids post-partum care (knew it, later only). We were told to ensure skin to skin contact, complete kangaroo mother care zero loss of warmth and least disturbances to baby. We were given clear guidelines on special breast feeding pattern and prevention of weight loss. My baby too joined the challenge – she was very adamant on frequent feeding. Reached home next day morning after the most crucial first 24 Hrs. – Thanks to Sis.Bincy and my midwives for their support throughout night! BV had initiated an exclusive WhatsApp group for monitoring her progress and to clarify our queries. We followed BV’s instructions, exactly. She demonstrated steady progress, her graph started going up. Finally, she reached the safe zone, in the natural way – the best way. Yes, she had a fantastic start and thanks to her BV aunties for being her angels!
Well, she is the answer to our prayers and we call her PRARTHANA
Bv notes
This is a very hardworking couple who did their research well ahead of their time. Both of knew what they exactly wanted and worked hard to achieve their goals. We are amazed at the work they put in postpartum… they have done so well and followed all instructions to a T,that baby went to gain weight exceedingly well and didn’t drop weight even by 0.01 grams. Such has been their postpartum follow up. Their team work, love and understanding will take them and their daughter way ahead in life. We are wishing them a fantastic journey.Love to you all!