Friday, May 3, 2013

After childbirth



Sleepless nights!
Too much responsibilities and too little physical strength!
Life that whirls ONLY around your child!
Joy, happiness, boredom, paranoia!
Post-partum depression!
Welcome to motherhood.

As a child, I learnt that mother is a candle who melts to keep the light glowing. Now as a new-born’s mother I feel it is true.

Motherhood is the hardest journey any women can experience. Just recovering from labour, a women is often not given any time to recover or rest and expected  to be the perfect mother for her child, immediately right after labor. This can be very stressful. Especially on First-time Mom’s who have no clue or experience to care for a newborn.  As new mother, women are bound to have a bit of crankiness, if not post-partum depression.  Playing with thoughts of harming oneself or the child, can occur and it is normal as long as one resumes her sanity in minutes. But, the journey of motherhood cannot be enjoyed, if you as a mother do not take care of yourself. Your child grows each day and the first two years is the best period they say. For you, as a mother to enjoy your child, it is vital that you stay healthy and emotionally stable. I recommend Mothers of newborn child to arrange and practice the following suggestions, for it can be of great support, during your recovery and parenthood.

1.       Arrange for post-partum support, for a minimum of 40 days but if possible upto 3 months. It could be your mothers house, In-laws or a paid caretaker. Outsource as much as household work like cooking, cleaning the house, doing the utensils, shopping or other administrative tasks. First month, is for you to make-up for the lost calcium, muscle strength, energy and health during labour. So allow first month, for just to care for your new born and  to take basic care for yourself.

2.       Do not miss on your calcium and iron supplements post pregnancy. It important, that your regain your previous health.

3.       Do the exercises advised for your recovery, in the little time available to you. Exercise not just for cosmetic toning but more so, for regaining your bone and muscle strength.

4.       Have the father of new-born, go through counseling before your labor. The father needs to be advised that  a new mother is cranky not because she has changed or that you have marital problems, but she is under tremendous stress and very  little physical strength.

5.       New mothers need to know that newborns cry for various reasons (Which I will cover In the next post). Do your best but if it is not consoling your baby, don’t loose your cool. Continue to be patient, firm and reassuring. The Crying comes in phases of time and it will stop. It is a great test of patience, so don’t get frustrated and loose your cool. Whatever the stress, Smile at your baby and talk in a calm reassuring voice. Most of all DO NOT LOOSE YOUR HAPPY STATE OF MIND. Your happiness matters, both for you and your Child.

6.       Once in a day, take a short-break to be just by yourself. Give your newborn in care of your partner or extended family say for 30 minutes or an hour and do something that can help your connect to your inner self. This will help in balancing  your emotional sanity.

7.       We as women have looked for love from people all along. Now, here your new born who is  doing just that.  Looking right into your eyes, with all their love and hope in you. It is too long a attention that is demanded of you. But, in this phase of growing up, you are their love, inspiration, home and world indeed.  So, whatever be the demand, just hit the pause button of your life’s other happenings. Take care of your partner and new born. That’s natures responsibility on womenhood and doing it full time for couple of months will give you a new perspective towards your life.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Natural Child Birth


Many expecting mothers of this generation, thrive on this question “how to have a normal delivery?”. Natural Child birth cannot be promised by a Gynecologist, because the chances of it to happens, when the physiological health of both mother and baby are in good synergy.  In my knowledge, the physiological health includes:
1.       Position of baby’s head during labor
2.       Size of Dilation of Cervix muscle
3.       Fetal Heart Rate (FHR)
4.       Mother’s Vitals (BP, Sugar, Thyroid levels,…)

However, if all the medical reasons for physiological health is fine, a mom-to-be can increase her possibility of having a normal delivery or natural childbirth.
Here is the key:

1.       Have  a mind STRONGLY determined for a normal delivery!!!
 – This may sound non-scientific or philosophical. However, from the country that I come from, this has been the sage advice that has worked over generations. Have a cool open minded attitude which sways with confidence, that you are going to have a natural childbirth and I can assure you that even in odds of physiological health, your determination will work for you to have a normal delivery.

2.       Choose a good Gynecologist and labor Partner
-          The Gynecologist with their medical team should work their best to provide you with expert medical support. Thoroughly learn about the medical team, before deciding on your practitioner. Even with best of medical support, the key for successful natural childbirth, is emotional comfort provided to the mom-to-be, during labor. Choose your laboring partner wisely. It can be your husband, sibling,  mom or even a best friend. Just make sure you labour partner is someone who you enjoy your life with. Avoid laboring partners who just throw sympathy encouragement “to withstand pain”. The pain is beyond words during labour and words of empty encouragement will only irk you more.

3.       Say No to Epidural or C-section
-          Many Mom’s-to-be, not being able to bear the pain during labour, request doctors to go for C-Section or Epidural. Doctors also happily give-in to the requests of their labour patients, in interest of money.  Pain is not the word that can contain the trauma of labour. It very very painful urge, that one feels like pelvic bones, thighs and legs are breaking away,…. But in all this trauma, just do not rush to have a epidural or C-section. Epidural takes away the pain of labour and the mother looses the urge to push the baby out. Result, Forceps or vaccum to take the baby out of mothers womb. This can be causing distress to baby. Have a mind that says come what may, even death, I will have a natural birth. For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain J so I was not scared of death, and such a mind set really helped.

4.       Practice of concentrated Breathing technique for labor.
-          There are many breathing techniques to manage labour pain. Try to close your eyes and listen to your body’s rhythm of movements and breathe hard. Focus your Mind of pushing the baby out!!!

5.       Practice Kegel Exercise
-          Kegel Exercise from third trimester of pregnancy helps cervix dilation.  A mom-to-be, who has control over cervix muscle through kegel exercise, is also better empowered to push the baby out during labour.

6.       Practice Squating exercises from 37th week of pregnancy
-          Squats helps opening up pelvic muscle and bones. 10 sets of squats in reps of 2 each day, induces labour. Make sure you do not over do it, for there is a risk of water bag being ruptured pre-partum.

7.       Stay active throughout pregnancy
-          Walking and staying active during pregnancy, helps your body to gear up for labour (Apart, from giving increased oxygen supply to your baby in womb). Make sure not to lazy around during pregnancy. 

DR Nalini T, Obstetrics & Gynaecologist in Velachery


It’s time to write a detailed post of “My Gynecologist” cited on my previous two write-ups. Dr. Nalini.T, practicing from Xcellent Care Hospital and Appolo Family Clinic, is a doctor who knows her practice really well. Many doctors in India, at least who we have met so far, have a aura of superiority and dominance around, that they make friendly approach-ability a privilege limited to the certain patients. The first thing that attracted us to Dr. Nalini.T was absence of this superiority and Dominance. We found her to be approachable, someone with great expertise in her occupation and specifically someone who provided every patient a detailed examination and counsel during consultation time. There have been days, were our wait exceeded three hours, but end of it was a fruitful consultation time and satisfaction of being in safe hands. Dr. Nalini.T is also a believer in natural medication, providing counsel to treat health problems with supplemental fruits and vegetables in parallel to alopathy medication. During my Partum, when I went iron deficient she suggested I have dates, sappota, green leaves. Another instance when I had E-coli in my micturition sample, she suggested I drink cranberry juice everyday and in the final hour when I wanted to have a natural childbirth, she taught me “Squats” exercises and positive mind slogans to be recited. We did not know her personally nor were we in great influential terms, for a doctor to suggest her patients natural treatments without medications.  Our initial intent was to have final delivery with JKH, but later with no confidence and only with good hope (since we did not know the doctor, well enough yet), we decided to continue with her. It turned out to be the best decision we made ever!!!! She waited for me to have a natural birth, inspite of my Baby’s unengaged head and umbilical cord turned once around the head. Through the labour we found her hands-on-surgical expertise, both in handing the delivery and epistomy. We are really happy with our experience with Dr. Nalini.T. Thank God for helping us get to her.


Edsley’s Comments: You can never forget a person for how they make you feel! This doctor was very helpful. Must recommend for any person in South Chennai! Meet her just to feel positive atleast and to see how un-assuming someone can be!