When Ananya was nearing her delivery date, she was bombarded with advice from her mother, who had undergone a Caesarean section, about the benefits of the procedure. However, Ananya was adamant about water birth, preceded by hypnobirthing. Dr Jayshree Jayakrishnan, of Happy Mom.in, who had counselled Ananya’s mother and spouse, says, “After a string of antenatal classes, women are totally taken by surprise in the labour room, where everyone else except her hold the key to decisions about her delivery. However, if they know and understand what are the options available for them, they can make an informed choice.”

         The classes being offered by hospitals and birthing centres begin after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

            Hypnobirthing involves reprogramming the mind for relaxation rather than fear and pain. This process reduces the amount of adrenaline that is produced, addressing one of the primary causes of dysfunction in labour. A hypno-birth also reduces the need for unnecessary interventions.

In Ananya’s case, water birth offered greater comfort and mobility because the mother could move around with ease to help the baby descend down the birth canal.

Another popular method is Lamaze, developed by a French specialist in the 1950s. It involves breathing exercises, concentrating on bending postures and relaxing pelvic muscles, says Dr NS Kanimozhi, senior

obstetrician and gynaecologist, Cloudnine Hospital.

She adds that the classes help mothers understand what to expect during labour. “A tense mother finds it difficult to grasp instructions in the labour ward. Through Lamaze classes, conducted a few months before the delivery, we can counsel them on the pain and how they have to breathe, allowing the flow of oxygen to the baby.

There are six practice sessions for healthy birth experience. Husbands are also part of the coaching sessions. Most importantly, we encourage them to get into natural labour and wait for it till around 40 weeks,” she says.

Lamaze: Concentrates on breathing exercise, bending postures and relaxes pelvic muscles.

Hypnobirth: The mind can be reprogrammed to expect relaxation and pressure rather than fear and pain. This process reduces the amount of adrenaline that is produced.

The Alexander Technique: Helps release muscular tension, focus during the birth, help open the cervix during dilation and prepare for effective pushing as the baby comes.