Happy Birthing, new concept of pregnancy introduced

Principal Correspondent :

Only the expecting woman does not bear the pain, her relatives also undergo the stress

Over the years the concept of pregnancy has changed. Previously, it was just all-woman affair. The delivery was to take place in a room with the help of neighborhood women. Entry of midwifery brought some relief for the expecting woman. Following advancements in medical science, the age-old practice of delivery at homes was taken over by proper and more successful methods at maternity homes. Still, till now, painful pregnancy period along with labour existed.

There is no pleasant experience for the expecting women. She used to forget the labour pain post delivery. To make the entire process more woman-friendly, a new concept of ‘Happy Birthing’ has emerged. Explaining the concept, Dr Anuradha Ridhorkar, a well-known Gynecologist, former President of Nagpur Obstetric and Gynaecological Society (NOGS) told ‘The Hitavada’, “Once you enter in the hospital, you get all kind of scientific care, there are advanced equipment and all. But there is nobody from our home at hospital. She has to bear her own pain.

Now, Labour Delivery Recovery and Post Partum concept has emerged.” Dr Ridhorkar, now a leading gyanecologist in Kingsway Hospital has introduced the concept at the hospital. During delivery, the pregnant woman has to be kept in a room, for delivery she is shifted to another room, for cesarean she is taken into Operation Theatre (OT), after delivery she goes in the fourth room. Sometimes the newborn is kept in other room. No relative is allowed in the room of the patient as other women are there to take care. “Now there is a single room where her family member accompany her. She will get all the comfort of home and specialty aid, scientific aid making her pregnancy period a pleasurable and memorable and safe delivery for her. We will take care of the pain part. We will try her to have less pain. In her room, her mother, mother-in-law or any other member can stay.

If husband wants to accompany her he too can. There are coaching classes which is a new concept,” elaborated Dr Ridhorkar. “The expecting woman would not be alone in the whole process. It is called preconception care. The couple is advised to prevent problem like thalessemia, sickle cell, congenital birth defects which take place because of deficiency of folic acid. We can advice the woman that previous one month you should be geared up for the baby and folic acid supplementation should be started earlier. This will make baby not to be deprived of the folic acid,” added Dr Ridhorkar. Dr Ridhorkar also said, “Prevention is better than cure is the concept influencing more.

We will avoid maximum problems. Counseling of the couple before the pregnancy, planning the pregnancy like designer baby etc will be held. During pre-pregnancy period, we will not give them mere medicine or performing sonography will not be enough. We will tell them which exercise they should do. It will not be told only to her. It will be told to the patient’s mother-in-law or other family members who would be advised to guide her, they would monitor her, they would teach her. There are audio-visual aides to explain what is delivery, what should she do, etc.” The whole family will be counselled about her dos and dont’s, myths and facts.

During labour, either husband or mother can accompany the patient. After delivery, the newborn stays with her, not to be kept at other place. It is called Kangaroo mother care. It increases bonding of mother and baby. The mother will also be helped for breast-feeding. The happy birthing is one part. The woman will be kept well informed about the care of baby should be taken, the details of immunisation, etc. She will be advised contraception. “Baby should be born by choice not by chance. Labour process was painful and traumatic. We are trying to make it Happy Birthing, memorable and safe experience for her. Family should be geared up for it,” stated Dr Ridhorkar.