As a Gynaecologist with a passion for normal delivery, I was observing the rising rates of Caesarean section with concern. The frequent causes for (emergency) C- Sections are varying heartbeats of the baby in the womb and cervical dystocia i.e., The cervix (the opening of the uterus) is firm, unyielding, and stubborn- in not opening completely. The reason for cervical dystocia is purely the anxiety of the laboring mother.
I was trying many methods to allay the anxiety but in vain. One day the grandmother of a patient, caught me unawares by asking “Amma, why these days are women finding it difficult to deliver a baby with all the advancements in the medical field, whereas we could deliver easily without any medical aid?” I remained speechless. Later the power of truth in her words hit me hard and made me realize that people of yesteryears must have definitely followed certain methods for normal delivery. After enquiring many people I came to know that elders in the past took up responsibility and prepared the expecting mother physically and mentally.
Physical preparation: Doing household work
Mental preparation:
1) Acceptance of enduring labor pain.
2) Reassurance about normal delivery saying “ By, doing all household work you will deliver normally”
3) Offering moral support and making the expecting mother feel secure – by being with her during labour pains at home.
Acceptance of labor pain: The mental preparation for acceptance of bearing labour pain starts even at a very young age. Wherever a girl child had a minor injury, elders used to say, “Girl must endure pain”. If you can’t bear this pain, how will you bear labour pain, when you grow up.
I understood the ancient wisdom and decided to give the old wine in a new bottle.
I started telling antenatal mothers during pregnancy about the importance of exercise which is equivalent to the household work of the past.
1) Understanding the process of labour and accepting labour pain. There are only two important events in normal delivery.
Any object will come down easily in vertical position (standing or sitting position rather than lying position) so during delivery and, most of the early labour, if the expecting mother keeps walking, sitting, squatting, doing exercises, the chances of head descending is more, in a short period of time.
We made our antenatal mothers to be ambulant during early labour and our staff continuously was with them giving moral support and explaining the progress of labour. This made her feel at ease and secure making cervix open up easily and head descending.
I tell them that
1) Labour pains are not harmful like the pain of appendicitis which is due to disease.
2) Labour pain is a natural function and we need not be afraid of it.
3) All deliveries are not unbearable. If the cervix (uterus opening) is made soft by exercise and a relaxed mind, there is less pressure and less pain. So making delivery bearable or unbearable is in our hands. We have medicines to hasten delivery.
4) We are capable of bearing pains if we know the benefit. We all know that we willingly bear the pain of ear piercing, eyebrow shaping, tattoos, high heels, tight clothes, etc.
We need to know that the real two gifts a mother can give to her baby are
1) Giving birth
2) Giving breastfeeding
So we can bear labour pains willingly and effortlessly and even enjoy it if we know and feel the purpose.
5) Acceptance of C-Section, whenever it becomes necessary also relaxes the mind of the antenatal (pregnant) mother helping in having normal delivery.
Thus with adequate physical and mental preparation of the mother during pregnancy, easy normal delivery is very much possible. Dr. Andal Fertility Clinic in Nellore is the best hospital for normal delivery.
For more information regarding normal delivery you can go through our book “TALKING TO THE BABY IN THE WOMB – GARBHA VIDYA” which is available in different languages on our website https://drandalslakshmifertilityclinic.com/books.php
The aim of this book is to allay the anxiety and fear of the pregnant mother and to aim at bringing a great personality on to this earth by virtue of her thoughts and talking to the baby in the womb.
Let us try to bring in a society, just by passing this information to every pregnant mother such that in the time to come, we may have an evolved and peaceful society.
You can also go through our videos on Youtube: ANDAL FERTILITY CHANNEL where most of the videos are having English subtitles. Click on this link for videos https://bit.ly/35c65BP
For online consultation contact 9440278177, 9908854316
