Pregnancy is the most wonderful phase of a woman's life which glorifies the essence of womanhood. The birth of a child not only brings joy to a mother's life, it bestows on her the biggest responsibility of the world: to raise a good human being.
However, though proper care is a prerequisite during pregnancy, many women are deprived of it, due to several factors including lack of awareness.
An expectant mother requires mental, physical, and emotional support. A mother's mental and physical well being is vital for the foetus' holistic growth.
We at ETimes spoke to Sanam Motwani, labour doula and lactation support specialist, on every aspect of pregnancy, childbirth and baby care.
ETimes: Who is a doula?
Sanam Motwani: A doula is a trained professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after the childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.
ETimes: Why is it important having a doula during pregnancy?
Sanam Motwani: A doula educates about pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum with the help of ante and post natal classes, supports them during the most difficult phase of labor and extensively guides them to initiate breastfeeding post birth in a positive manner.
Just knowing there is someone there with you who understands the process of childbirth and whom you can rely on emotionally is of utmost comfort to the new mother to be. With the support of doula, one can understand all the ups and downs, pros and cons of the birth process and remain well informed.
Scientific research shows that having a doula present at birth reduces the need for many interventions and increases the chance of a beautiful birth experience with parents having higher self esteem and confidence.
When is the right time to hire a doula?ETimes:
Sanam Motwani: One can start the antenatal classes as early as 8 weeks. These classes will guide you in diet and nutrition, baby bump, labor coping and newborn baby care.
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For the doula service, the earlier you sign up the better. Mothers can sign up for doula service in the first trimester, so that they can feel a level of comfort with the doula and reach out to her for any queries or clarity she may need on the birthing process throughout her pregnancy
Another advantage with signing up early is that your doula and you have enough time to bond with and understand one another thereby creating an enriching and nurturing relationship
Does having a doula mean going for non-hospital births?ETimes:
Sanam Motwani: As a doula, I have been a part of all different kinds of births: Home Births, Hospital Births, Gentle Births, Water Births and Cesareans too.
The support given during pregnancy and labor is what is of the utmost importance to the new parents and their families .
Proper support during this time improves a mothers chance to have a gentle non-invasive birth with fewer interventions.
Apart from the mother, how does a birth doula work with the father of the child or the partner of the mother?
Fathers / partners remain an integral part of the birth. Doulas and daddies work together at all times, to keep the mother as comfortable as possible. So while a husband holds his partner from the front by hugging her and motivating her - the doula will massage the mothers back easing her discomfort and constantly encouraging her to deal with the contractions and follow the breathing techniques taught to her earlier
During pregnancy, through my classes, daddies learn all the different labor coping techniques that will be used, like breathing, massages, labor positions etc. The most important thing that husbands learn during this pregnancy process is to suddenly see their wives / partners through new eyes , to experience a new life entering this world and to treat their wives / partners with a new found respect
When birth partners know what they can do to ease the labouring woman’s discomfort, it increases their confidence levels too.
How would Doula be helpful to an experienced parent?ETimes:
Sanam Motwani: Each labor and birth experience is unique to itself. If a woman has had an earlier birth experience that may or may not have been intervention led - when a doula is with the mother, the chance of having a positive birthing experience this time around increases as she will be better prepared, and will be handling her labor in a more positive manner with the support of her doula
There have been instances where mothers have had a prior cesarean, and then had beautiful natural water-births with me.
What kind of births do doulas support?ETimes:
Sanam Motwani: Doulas support all kinds of births - Vaginal and Cesarean, Home and Hospital.
We are trained in coping techniques for all types of experiences.
What is water birth?ETimes:
Sanam Motwani: A water birth is when a mother is able to labor and birth her child in a tub filled with warm water.
Nature has created a woman’s body to do something that is the most special in the world - Give Birth to a new life
However in today’s day and age, globally, there has been a massive increase in medical interventions like inductions, vacuum, forceps, epidurals etc. While these interventions could be essential and life saving; they are also extremely risky if done unnecessarily without reason.
Having a birth free of interventions gives a mother the opportunity to heal a lot faster not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well.
The main motive for all mothers is to have a birth filled with love, peace and positivity and water births are the best way to achieve this not only for the mother but also for her unborn child
Contrary to all lingering misconceptions, water births are not just a fad among celebrities, however, they are growing in popularity mainly due to the benefits they offer
What are the benefits of water birth?ETimes:
Sanam Motwani: Water birth facilitates a gentler transition for the baby from womb to life. A baby lives in amniotic fluid in the womb, so entering the world through water gives them an opportunity for a gentle experience.
They are born in a beautifully decorated dim lit room and are directly placed on their mothers chest rather than being born in a brightly lit labor room and being taken by the medical team to be checked immediately at birth. Which one sounds better?
During water birth, the warm water lapping at a mothers back actually works as a natural pain reliever. Once women enter the birthing pool you can usually see a peaceful and relaxed smile on their faces. The need for episiotomies and the risk of tearing also reduces considerably while birthing in the water.
It also ensures immediate skin to skin bonding for the parents and baby which is the most important thing that should be done at every birth.
A baby recognises a mothers heartbeat and smell and it’s essential for them to remain at their mothers chest immediately after being born instead of being taken away by the hospital staff.
Is water birth recommendable for women of all age groups?ETimes:
Sanam Motwani: Yes, water birthing is recommended for all birthing mothers who have a low risk pregnancy.
Any mothers suffering from blood pressure issues, pregnancy induced hypertension, or other medical issues may not be able to birth in the pool as they may require certain medical interventions.
However, that does not mean they cannot take the benefit of labouring in the water, and then birthing outside.
