Naturally

Among the celebs, British Royal Kate Middleton, Mira Rajput, Aishwarya Rai, Raveena Tandon, Jessica Alba, Demi Moore, and so many more have all opted for natural births. Supermodel and mother of two, Gisele Bundchen is one of the most outspoken all-natural celebrity birth advocates. She gave birth naturally, and at her home both times. Apart from criticising hospital births, she is reported to have claimed that her water birth “didn't hurt in the slightest.”

Priyanka Idicula, a certified professional midwife and cofounder of BirthVillage Natural Birthing Centre at Kochi elaborates on this reclaiming of a natural process, “When we look at history, women have been giving birth naturally. It was probably the norm till our grandmothers’ time. But there’s been a radical change in the past 60 years in the way women approach childbirth. Modern medicine is great, but we also face overuse of antibiotics, over medicalisation of childbirth. WHO says the ideal rate for caesarean births should be between 10 to 15 per cent in any geographical region. However, India’s private hospitals stand between 50 to 80 percent. More women want to reclaim their power to natural birth now. They are looking at how their grandmothers gave birth and how they can give birth without intervention, and on their terms.” In Europe, one can have a baby with only a midwife present, and no doctor. While India has taken great strides in making medicine a corporate profit making giant, there are those that believe in ancient wisdom.

Priyanka Idicula explains, “Midwives have been helping women give birth for centuries. The difference is that earlier, they were all wise women helping, a skill handed down from generations, while we are college-trained after a four year course. A midwife is thus, a specialist for natural birth, not for intervention.” She adds, “In countries like the Netherlands, Norway and Germany, women see only midwives and they have excellent outcomes. These are things India is slowly awakening to. While it may not be for everyone, it is the right choice for someone who has a healthy pregnancy. If someone has health issues — diabetes, hypertension etc — you look for advanced medical care. In the olden days, women worked till the end, that is why childbirth was simple, short and uncomplicated.”

Natural birth depends entirely on the health and fitness of the mother. With an incidence of late pregnancies, IVFs etc, the dangers outweigh the positives of natural birth.

Dr Kedar M Padte, gynaecologist and infertility specialist from Goa feels, “It’s a great trend that more and more ladies are opting for natural birth. Monitoring is vital, and safe delivery of the mother and child should be kept in mind. In nature though, let’s say 10,000 years ago, deliveries happened in the wild, but in the normal air/ weather... not in the warm water bath tub... we need to define what is natural and correct for the mother and child and thus a confinement may happen without the interference of a biased obstetrician. Keep in mind that maternal morbidity and mortality is profoundly high, as well as perinatal morbidity and mortality, and hence, having a good rescue hospital close by is not a bad idea! If humanity has survived thus far without active Obstetric intervention... May it continue to do so..”

Various institutions offer workshops for a pregnant mother. One of Isha Foundation’s initiatives is designed to prepare pregnant mothers for childbirth. Even your friendly neighbourhood gynaecologist’s yoga or meditation or Lamaze class can go a long way. Kavitha Datta, a volunteer for Isha Foundation, says, “Isha Thaimai is an initiative that is designed for expectant mothers to bring more awareness about the pregnancy, teach them how to keep their body, mind and emotion pleasant and make pregnancy a joyful experience. It is an eight day programme where expectant mothers are taught various asanas to strengthen the pelvis, spine, back etc. Pranayamas help in breathing and meditation.” They see about 15 to 20 expectant mothers every batch.

Delhi-based Nutan Pandit has been running her Lamaze Programme for Childbirth since 1978 and has penned two books on pregnancy and one on parenting. She conducts sessions on how to handle the pain of labour. The regime includes breathing techniques, relaxations and positions for labour.

“The body is designed to prepare itself to deliver naturally. Recent research shows the advantages of a normal delivery — the baby’s immunity is better and it’s physiologically better for the baby,” she says, adding, “A baby should come when it’s time and naturally.”

Rohini Idicula of Birthvillage also agrees, “Pregnancy is a natural process — it has always been. Turn to page 3