Ms. Aishwarya Birth Story and Review of Utsav Classes

I’m a working woman and I went office till 2 weeks before my due date. I had been doing all exercises especially breathing since 6th month and I stayed active at home doing all possible household chores till the day before I got admitted to hospital.

Ya, just the day before, in the afternoon, I felt that the mucus plug came out and I started getting very mild cramps. I stayed cool and little excited. Actually 3 days before that, the doc told that the baby's head hasn't come to position so she may induce after 5 days. When I told that to Amba, she asked me to make slowly duck walks but without straining much. I think it helped my little one to march ahead.

So, after the mucus plug exit, my mom in law and her mom kept giving jeera water in intervals. Till night there was rhythmic contractions.

I was still able to move around and managing my work myself. I didn’t rush to hospital night itself and got validated on that with Amba. Night I couldn't sleep at all, with the pain slowly increasing and even had vomiting once. When I used wash room past midnight, thick blood was extending out slightly. So did not want to panic myself or others, started early morning 4.30 am to hospital. The nurse checked and told that it doesn't looks like dilated. But she asked us to stay in hospital itself for safer side also because I had an abortion earlier.

Doctor came by 9 am and she confirmed it as labor pain. But by the time she came, I felt like the pain has been reduced a bit. Doc told that we can wait for sometime and induce. They gave enema to clear bowels. So nothing was in my stomach.

After 2 hours of observation, they gave induction along with fluids intravenously, but after that also I was happily conversing with doctor and the doc said, “Keep smiling like this to deliver soon a smiling baby”.

To increase the intensity of contractions, I started walking and did breathing exercises. Had liquid food in the afternoon as I was vomiting but that too came out as vomit. I started getting dehydrated and the contractions got intense after intake. I have been struggling and moving my body one side. My in-law and her mom conveyed nurses about increase in pain and my husband was on his way. Even in the normal ward, when the nurse came and checked, she gave expression like I haven't dilated enough to move to labor room.

Still they took me there and may be the added excitement enhanced the dilation after reaching labor room, I think. After moving in there, 5 minutes later, they prepared me to set well in pushing position, by that time I tried to push, remembering Amba mam's instructions.

The nurses were looking at me as though am doing gymnastics but mentioned in an understanding tone that I have been trained professionally to push. They kept encouraging me saying that the baby's head was visible and it was small and cute. Just few effortful pushes should bring her out, they were uttering. My husband came by that time and was telling from my head-side that the special moment is just few minutes away.

Before the nurses were to bring the doctor, I suddenly felt alone in labor room for few seconds as the staffs were busy and I was shouting 'please all of you, be here'. One of the nurses came and said, it is all in your push and doctor is just coming. Because I had been vomiting from that morning, I was sort of dehydrated and lost energy to push. The nurse there understanding that, just applied water to moisturize my mouth and again I felt like got some energy to push. By that time nurses and doctor were there.

The doctor was telling 'no much sounds from here', it will just create tension. She was doing incision with warm instrument but that pain became bearable for me. It is highly by the effect of kegel exercises taught by Amba, which endured the vaginal tissues.

After episiotomy, the supporting staff pushed properly from upside, I just added my effort and the small baby with cute little head came out herself by 6.30 pm. The doctor was wiping baby's mouth and taking her out and was telling me that the baby was beautiful as her mom. I felt heavenly and just relaxed. The doc was slowly removing the cord and within few minutes stitched the incision. I murmured just once during the procedure. The doctor after finishing the stitching told me, 'Aishwarya, you really managed well, very chweet mother'.

Even after 16 hours of dehydration and vomiting, I had got some energy to push means, it is by the confidence derived from Amba’s classes and the inherent optimism given by the almighty.

It was my 1st pregnancy and my mom couldn't be there with me due to my dad's health condition. No such emotional shutters blocked me because I kept moving with the positive vibes given by my husband, in-laws, husband's granny and more specifically by the acute knowledge rendered by Amba.

After episiotomy stitching was done and the doctor moved, I asked nurse whether I can walk to normal ward. They looked puzzled. “We haven't seen many moms with such energy, they told. Though you could, we will take you in wheel chair”, they said. They brought the baby after weighing and wrapping in birth kit towel. I was just admiring herself for a while and asked nurse to be there for initiating breastfeeding. She put the little angel on my breasts and I was feeding her within 20 minutes of her birth.

The nurse mentioned that the baby is sucking so nicely and 'you are lucky'. Of course, she would have listened Amba's breastfeeding classes while she was in the womb, right. Ya the journey thus started there.

And not to miss, her post-natal baby caring tips. Out of her sessions, 1 class was exclusively for that. Every moment of that class needs to be minuted in thoughts and notes. Right from day 12, I was bathing baby slowly by recalling Amba’s suggestions. I didn’t face any problem in breastfeeding. In fact there was no problem in supply, as was following nutritional recommendations from Amba. Did EBF for 6 months and my cutie pie continued it with other foods till she self-weaned at 10 months.

My purpose of attending Amba's classes was to be well aware of the changes happening in me, across pregnancy and definitely for vaginal birth. It may look greedy but still wanted to prove to my grandparent generation that I'm equally health conscious and I could deliver baby naturally.

If Amba is like a tree, her student clients are her fruits. Her efforts are uttered by such birth stories. Amba keeps saying and even many of her clients, that irrespective of type of birth(vaginal/c-sec), the birth journey must be positive and healthy for mother and baby for their life throughout. So, if you are looking forward to make your pregnancy and birth experience more healthy, thoughtful and admirable for life, please attend pre-natal birth classes as taught by Dr.Amba.