Welcome your little one to this world with confidence

There is a wealth of information on how to maintain a healthy pregnancy. But, for many first-time mothers, the act of childbirth remains a mystery. Have you ever thought of attending a childbirth class?

A childbirth class can give you information on the entire birthing process and prepare you for your childbirth.

Why you should opt for a childbirth class?

The main goal of a childbirth class is to provide you with information to prepare for childbirth, help you make informed decisions and minimize your fears.

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Dr. Lourdes C. Fernandez Birthing Suite

Fernandez Foundation is committed to taking forward its legacy of leadership in healthcare through excellence and compassionate service, to ensure that every mother and newborn receive high-quality, respectful and appropriate care.

Every pregnancy is special and for every expectant mother, childbirth is a crucial phase. Keeping this in mind, Fernandez Hospital has introduced individual birthing suites where expectant mothers can have pleasant birthing experiences.

A unique birthing suite

The new Dr. Lourdes C. Fernandez Birthing Suite is located at Fernandez Hospital, Bogulkunta, Hyderabad which was inaugurated on 9th June 2019. It’s a first-of-its-kind birthing suite in India, marking an important milestone in our 70-year journey, creating a new pathway of care.

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Commonly Cited Myths of Water-Birth

Water-birth is becoming an increasingly popular birthing option. There are, of course, many safety questions that might bother you. From concerns about infection to worries about your baby drowning or ingesting water, you could hear many myths about water-birthing. But you shouldn’t worry as long as you have the right guidance from trained professionals who will care for you.

It’s safe for you and your little one to labour in water if you’re healthy and if your pregnancy is going well. However, there isn’t enough evidence yet to say whether giving birth in water is safer as compared to giving birth out of the water.

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Experiencing Natural Birth in Water

You might be aware that your little one is floating for nine months in your womb. How about welcoming your little one in the same soothing environment? Yes, it’s possible!

Water-birthing is a safe and natural option in which you can birth your baby in a warm birthing tub. It’s a wonderful experience as it is less stressful for you and is very gentle for your baby. Your baby makes its way from a water-filled womb into a similar environment.

If you’re interested in a water-birth, it’s best to talk to your midwife or inform your obstetrician to meet the midwifery team to discuss this option. Selecting water-birth is an informed choice that the mother makes. But, the expectant mother has to be in optimal health before choosing water-birth.

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Why should women share their birthing experiences?

Dr.EvitaPregnancy, birthing and bonding with the newborn baby are significant phases in a woman’s journey to motherhood.  Women when given the right knowledge as part of the preparation, enjoy a positive birthing experience. This essentially means she has been given the freedom to make choices during labour, assured of a birth companion of her choice, encouraged to birth in the position she feels comfortable and finally enjoys holding her baby to her chest (skin-to-skin).  This kind of a birth where there has been no medical intervention is termed a natural birth.  Women who experience this, feel confident, empowered and fulfilled.  They are indeed happy mothers with happy babies.  Their stories must be told and shared with other mothers / parents-to-be.

Birthing stories when shared can help an expectant mother in the following ways:

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  • Provides information and knowledge

Expectant mothers who hear birth stories get enlightened / educated and are encouraged to seek care givers who will help them enjoy similar positive births. These stories help women to have confidence in their own bodies and in their ability to birth. Read More

Dr. Evita’s response on the article “Midwives back: Women opt for intimate home settings to give birth”

Original Article “Midwives back: Women opt for intimate home settings to give birth” 

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Kolkata: When Meenakshi sensed the hormonal orchestra of labour inside her, she ambled into the kitchen, brought out her baking trays and started whipping up carrot muffins. As the surge arrived in waves she walked over to the windowsill, crouched on the bed and eventually leaned back against her midwife inside an inflatable wading pool in the living room until her baby floated out.

Read complete article at :  

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Midwives-back-Women-opt-for-intimate-home-settings-to-give-birth/articleshow/53250264.cms 

Dr. Evita’s response on the article “Midwives back: Women opt for intimate home settings to give birth”: 

Dr.Evita.jpgIn response to this article I agree that women should be given the opportunity to choose and have control in their birth journeys. There are several studies supporting continuity of care by midwives, which result in better outcomes for both mother and her newborn.

While home births offer women the much-wanted privacy, intimacy and comfort of personalized care, I strongly support the collaborative hospital model (especially for India) where midwives and obstetricians work together as a team – respecting each other’s roles. C Section if required can be performed without wasting time driving the laboring mother through narrow roads and horrendous traffic.

I am convinced of the vital role professional midwives play in a woman’s journey through pregnancy, labour, birthing of her baby and in the care of her newborn. It is time India promotes and supports Professional Midwifery.

All pregnant women who do not have medical/obstetric complications (otherwise termed as low risk) should be offered midwifery care. The midwife is trained for normality and works within a strict safety framework of rules. Stand alone birthing units in the UK is a good example where clear guidelines and defined protocols exist for midwifery led units. It is important that we in India focus on the quality of training to help produce a cadre of competent and confident midwives. It is equally important to define her role and responsibilities. Most importantly, is the attitude of the obstetric community – to accept, understand, respect and take delight in working with midwives as professional colleagues.

My own epiphany happened only a few years ago. Today as an enlightened obstetrician, I champion the cause of Professional Midwifery.

I am convinced that we obstetricians need to step back and stop interfering. We have medicalized and dehumanized birth. Our training focuses on making pregnancy a journey of complications and emergencies. Our own fears are often transferred to the woman. Most of us have a very poor understanding of “natural” birth and unfortunately an even poorer understanding of a woman’s needs during her labour and birth of her baby. We obstetricians need to get involved only when there is a medical or an obstetric complication, which demands our expertise.

At Fernandez Hospital we launched a two year in-house Professional Midwifery Education and Training Programme in August 2011. More than 4000 mothers have been supported through their labours and have enjoyed our professional midwives assisting them with their births. This journey has changed our own understanding of birthing issues and woman centered care. Our team of 40 ObsGyn doctors has had to unlearn a lot while simultaneously opening our minds to new thinking. It has been an enriching learning experience. PROMISE (Professional Midwifery Services) is the campaign we launched – out of conviction and belief that professional midwives are urgently needed. The campaign has four objectives.

  1. To make pregnancy safe
  2. Humanize birthing
  3. Train a workforce
  4. Promote midwifery by raising awareness among women and obstetricians

In India, where role models for professional midwifery exist, it is even more important that we encourage professional midwives (ensuring they are certified and have impeccable credentials) from countries that produce them i.e. UK, Australia, Sweden, Netherlands to register with the Indian Nursing Council. This will give them the license and medico legal protection to offer their services without fear. Besides, they could also partner with local hospitals/state Government in teaching and training a similar workforce for our country. The Indian Government and the Indian Nursing Council should open its doors to such well trained and competent professionals from other countries.

So while I STRONGLY support woman centered care, work towards reducing our interventions, help train a professional midwifery workforce, I do not (presently) support home births especially in a climate where there is no medico-legal protection for the professional midwife and with the Indian Government mandating institutional births.

I reiterate the fact that Professional Midwifery is the most urgent need of the hour. ALL laboring women MUST be offered midwifery support and care.