30/05/2025
Remembering Our Previous Mom's:
My 2nd Chance
During my 1st pregnancy, I was damn sure that I will have normal delivery but unexpectedly & unfortunately my labor ended in C- Section. It was a big shock for me because being an ayurvedic doctor, I strictly followed Garbhini Paricharya, & still I landed up in C-SECTION. It was horrible experience. Then I decided that if I would ever take a 2nd chance, I will definitely try for a natural birth.
Fast forward 3 yrs, in March 2019 my UPT came positive and immediately I began my search for VBAC (Vaginal Birth after C-SECTION). I consulted many gynecologists, but no one supported my wish for VBAC. They all told me how it's risky & C-Section is the only safest option for me. But I didn't give up. I continued my search and Finally during my 7th month, I came to know about Dr. Veda's Daimaas Natural Birth Centre.
I remember the day I visited her for the 1st time. I went alone to meet her. The hospital ambience was so nice and soothing. Dr. Veda's aura was warm & positive. She explained everything about natural birth & how nature has given a woman the power to birth naturally. She was so determined about her work. She gave me hope & confidence. All that I have to do is follow her instructions & meet her every 15 days.
After coming home that day, I told my husband about Dr. Veda & her natural birthing center. At first he was doubtful but during my next visit he accompanied me and talked with Dr. Veda. She cleared every single doubt of his very patiently. All the next follow ups with Dr. Veda was further motivating, informative & with many exciting things. In between the visits, she always used to text me asking about my health & progress. No other doctor will give so much attention to an individual patient. She even helped me with my negative thoughts & mood swings.
I continued doing all the prescribed exercises at home. As a routine, we used to have a 10 minute session before I slept. During all this, my 4 year old elder son and husband used to talk to my baby and my baby was responding to their talks. Even, I had established a good communique with baby by then. We can say, it's kind of mind mapping. When I asked my baby to move in some direction, my baby would actually move. Dr. Veda told me to have command on the moves. Initially, I found it very difficult as my mind was not concentrating on the baby. I lacked visualization of baby in the start but slowly and steadily, I got good control over moves and this helped a lot during delivery.
I realized one thing during these few days that birth is a natural process and the more our mind interferes in it, the more difficult it gets. I started working on my mind.
As my 9th month started, Dr. Veda advised me to do a scar thickness scan. In this scan, a sonography is done to measure the previous C-Section scar thickness. I got it done on 7th November 2019 and got the report the next day. The report was quite depressing. My scar thickness was 2.1 mm. ideally for VBAC it should be at least 2.5 mm & more. I got tensed & started to lose my hope. I send the report to Dr. Veda, she replied lets meet & talk because my routine follow up was after 2 days.
But on the same day i.e. 8th November, at around 9 pm, I started to feel mild cramping pain in my abdomen. I tracked the contractions & informed Dr Veda. It was definitely early labor and I had to endure it. My husband, however did not want to take any chance as the baby seemed to have descended a bit. We took a cab and reached Ghatkopar at my mom's place. From here, Dr. Veda's hospital was just 20 mins away. I could not sleep that night due to frequent pains. She asked us to come to the hospital by morning and till then told me to keep informing her every 2 hrly.
Next morning, i.e. on 9th November, we went to the hospital at 10 am. Dr. Veda examined me. I was only 2 cms dilated. I expressed my concern about the scar thickness. She was quietly thinking and going through the report. I was getting restless as she was busy checking reports. All my hopes were on Dr. Veda and what she says. Will she be still ok for VBAC or she will change her stand? Why on earth would she carry this risk on her shoulder... it's a definite no no for natural birth. To my surprise, with a broad smile on her face, she said "Do not worry Pratibha, we are going for it". Her logic was; though we are carrying a risk of rupture, it still is worth to try for natural birth and give it a shot. Anyways, she would be having all the arrangements of C-section ready in advance so there was absolutely no need to worry. I was kind of relieved.
She assured me that everything will be fine, told us to go back home and come in the evening at 8 pm. As per her suggestion, we came home. But after coming home, my contractions got stronger. At 2 pm we called up Dr. Veda and she asked us to come to hospital asap.
At 5 pm, she examined me again, I was 6 cms dilated. My contractions got even more intense. Breathing exercise & birthing relaxation audios helped a lot to bear the pain. Meanwhile Dr. Veda started doing arrangements for C-Section in her operation theatre just to have plan B in place. Within an hour I started having heavy active labor and I started losing my mind. I forgot all the mind workings, breathing exercises and everything and started screaming loudly. Yes, I was in pain....horrible pain. That's when Dr. Veda came in, held my hand and passed onto me those words..."Pratibha, what are you doing? Don't scream beta...focus on breathing..focus on your baby" ..."You can do it, you were doing this since last many days..now the time has come, give your best shot".
I was in no mood of listening to her, I continued screaming more n more. And then she started giving me a massage on my lower back. I must say, her hands were doing magic. Then around 6.30 pm she told me to enter the birthing pool, my husband sat beside me. The warm water was so soothing. It killed the pain by 40-50%. But still the pain was so intense that I don't recollect much of what happened during this time but as per my husband's account, every 5 mins or so, he would feel that I can't take it anymore. It was Veda who would bring me back, reinstate my mental energy with her continuous pushing.
At around 7 pm, my bag of water ruptured. Soon after crowning happened and now there was no going back. I started pushing more n more and finally at 7:42 pm, I delivered a baby boy. I must say, it was Dr. Veda whose mere presence made it a lot easier. She knows her job very well, that's what Daimaas Natural Birth Centre strives to do. I wish, every woman shall get such assistance. Her fees are priced a little higher but she says it's on purpose. She doesn't want to create a business out of it. Moreover less people means more attention to the patient and she doesn't want to dilute the quality of her work.
When she started doing this, she got many threatening calls from reputed hospitals. But she stood right there proving her commitment to the cause. I wish all the very best to her in her future endeavours.
Thanks once again Dr. Veda.
Dr Pratibha & Shailesh
