I was told that I wouldn’t be able to take the pain of delivering normally. My family and friends didn’t care about being blunt when they told me that I was fat, short and not mentally strong enough to take the stress of a normal delivery. I could hear their words over and over again. I was pregnant, but instead of comforting me and providing the support that I needed, they made me feel inadequate.
They didn’t have confidence in me… and so I lost confidence in myself too.
Understanding the value of trusting relationships
While I had started my pregnancy on a positive note, I was becoming more apprehensive as time went by. My doctor noticed this change and asked me to discuss my concerns with her. She assured me that my pregnancy was progressing normally, and that the regular walks and yoga that I had started were preparing me for labour.
She motivated me to do my best for a normal delivery by educating me about its advantages – my baby would have a lower risk of respiratory problems among other benefits, and I would also recover faster and be able to breastfeed sooner. And she told me that she and her team were there to support me.
“You have to believe in yourself, Natasha. Trust yourself. If you doubt yourself, others will too.” Those words made an impact.
If I hadn’t found a great doctor and hospital, in my case Dr. Anita Sabherwal Anand of Sitaram Bhartia Institute in Delhi, I would have most likely had a planned cesarean.
My experience taught me the importance of finding the right guide and then trusting them with your care.
Becoming closer to my husband
“Find someone who can be with you throughout your time in the labour room” said Dr. Anita as I started my third trimester. “It has to be someone who understands you and someone in who you have complete trust”
For me it had to be my husband. My labour lasted over 12 hours… and Anuj was there with me holding my hand, encouraging me, helping me with labour exercises, and massaging my back. I don’t think I would have been able to get through labour without him.
Going through labour with my husband’s support deepened my bond with him.
Becoming Confident
As I held my baby in my arms right after delivery, I felt an exhilaration unlike any I had experienced before. Here was a baby that I had carried in my womb for the last nine months and had brought into the world myself – as nature had intended. Having birthed my own child, I felt like I could do anything.
Ever since, I have felt more empowered to take up challenges – be it in my personal or professional life.
I never knew that a normal delivery can be a life changing experience – it definitely was for me.
Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research is a hospital located in Delhi that is committed to helping every woman have a positive birth experience and avoiding unnecessary cesarean section. In 2016, Sitaram Bhartia’s staff gynecologists achieved an 88% normal delivery rate for first-birth low-risk women.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Anita Sabherwal Anand
MBBS, Lady Hardinge Medical College, University of Delhi (1992); MD (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), Lady Hardinge Medical College, University of Delhi (1997); DNB Secondary (Obstetrics & Gynaecology), National Board of Medical Education, New Delhi (1999)
Experience: 24 years