Blog Category: Birth Stories

I started having mild contractions around 4am in the morning. I called the Aastrika helpline, and was asked to monitor and take a warm water bath, and to come to the hospital if it doesn’t stop as this was my second pregnancy and I lived far away. 

One thing to call out here – they knew my name and a brief history when I called itself. That was something I did not expect and I was pleasantly surprised. 

I took a shower, meditated for a bit, and then woke my family up to go to the hospital. Everyone was excited and my husband, mom and I left. Once I reached, they did an internal examination and said I hadn’t started dilating yet and that the contractions were very mild. It could go either way so they advised me to wait nearby and watch. 

I went to a relative’s house nearby and around 3, I felt the contractions were coming in more frequently but it still wasn’t too regular (like once in 8 to 13 min) so I was doubtful but Salomi Chechi called to check on me and suggested to anyway come to the hospital to get it checked. We came and I was told I was 4cm dilated and to get admitted. 

Chechi then got me comfortable in the room and suggested some positions that would help during contractions. In some time I felt the contractions were starting to get intense and I told my husband I wasn’t sure how much longer I could cope without some relief. Salomi chechi then asked me to take a few rounds around the nurse station post which I could get into the water. After 4-5 rounds of walking with my husband where he was trying to distract me and keep me motivated, I was like, ok this is like my limit, and when we checked I was 9cm dilated by then! 

I then got into the water and Chechi was very encouraging and supportive. The water was also a natural pain relief. My water broke sometime later and about 10-15 minutes post that I felt a strong urge to push. I had managed to get through so much without shouting but those final 2 contractions where I got the strong urge to push and pushed I screamed so loud that I saw some 3-4 others in the room looking at me with concern 😅 I also understood why they call it a ring of fire. It literally felt like that! I could hear them saying the baby was crowning and my husband was holding my hand tightly saying just a little bit more. 

The next contraction I pushed hard thinking I can’t take another contraction with this much pain and my baby was born! All this happened in less than 3 hours from when I got admitted! 

They gave the baby to me immediately for skin to skin care and it was the best feeling. They wanted to check if it was a boy or girl but I just didn’t care. After my husband and I held the baby for some time , it was time for cord cutting. 

My husband let them know of my preference to cut the cord and the team was surprised and speculating if I was the first mom to. My husband was hesitant to and thought we should let the doctor do it – “it’s a baby, this is not some cake cutting” were his exact words when I had asked him earlier 🤣 so I decided I would if he didn’t. It was honestly surreal. Everyone was so friendly and the doctor was also making jokes post the delivery and the atmosphere was just so nice.  She even asked if I wanted a picture and clicked one! Something that had completely slipped my mind. When they took the baby for newborn checks they let us know it was a girl! 

For my first delivery which was at a major maternity hospital I had to literally ask to hold my son for skin to skin (they did newborn checks, put their hospital onsie and kept him in the baby trolley and left after stitching me up) and I had to insist for breastfeeding in the golden hour 😓 The doctor also broke my water and informed me after the fact on what she had done when I asked. So when they waited in Aastrika literally till just before birth for the water breaking to happen naturally, I felt so overwhelmed. 

The entire experience was amazing and I am so happy to have chosen Aastrika for my birthing centre.

I made the decision to deliver at Aastrika Midwifery Centre, and I can confidently say it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. My pregnancy was the smoothest to the extent that I used to forget I was pregnant most times. But my labour was the most painful and was not progressing at all for almost 24 hours. Despite that, I gave birth to a healthy 3.24kg baby girl vaginally, and that is only because it was Aastrika.

I am immensely grateful to the entire team, especially Dr. Janhavi, for creating such a nurturing environment for expecting mothers. Her meticulous attention to detail and care is truly beyond praiseworthy. I also want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Anupama for her exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication, which served as a genuine inspiration. I aspire to cultivate the same warmth in my life as Dr. Anupama.

Throughout my labour, Tintu, my attending midwife, was a compassionate presence, guiding me with remarkable patience. If the concept of God and angels is true, then she was sent specifically to assist me that day. I am sincerely grateful for everything she allowed me to do, because she chose what is right over what is easy. Every medication and every choice was thoroughly explained in detail, and only after receiving confirmation were they provided. My gratitude to her knows no bounds.

I felt more secure and cared for here than I did in my own home. The conscientious efforts of every team member to ensure the comfort of mothers are incredibly heartwarming. To be candid, if they had an in-house postpartum care centre like those in other countries, I would have gladly stayed without a second thought. Every detail, no matter how small, was meticulously attended to. The facility is impeccably designed. I felt as though I could arrive empty-handed, knowing that the team had anticipated my every need.

My experience at Aastrika has filled me with nothing but love, gratitude, and profound admiration for both the facility and its exceptional staff as well as the founder. I extend my sincerest thanks to Team Aastrika; my successful normal delivery would not have been possible without your exceptional care and support.

Once again I am eternally grateful from the depths of my heart. Every glimpse of my baby girl fills me with boundless gratitude towards Aastrika.

My VBAC Birth Story: A Journey from Trauma to Triumph

I had always wanted to write about my birth experience since the time I found out I was pregnant for the first time back in 2021. But those were the COVID times, and unfortunately, my experience was deeply traumatic. My first pregnancy ended in a c-section — the reasons were unclear, and I was left with more questions than answers.

During that same time, a friend of mine was facing challenges with breastfeeding, and I connected her with a doctor I had previously consulted. That doctor was working at Aastrika, and that’s how I discovered this beautiful midwifery centre in Bangalore. It officially started in 2022, and right then, I decided that if I ever had a second child, I wanted my delivery to happen at Aastrika.

Fast forward to 2024. I was thrilled to see Aastrika’s glowing Google reviews. So many happy mothers, many of whom had successful VBACs (vaginal birth after caesarean). Reading those stories gave me hope — something every pregnant woman needs more than anything else. It’s so disheartening when women are labeled with, “You had a c-section earlier, so this time too it will be the same.” That mindset needed to change, and Aastrika gave me the reassurance that it could.

When I met Dr. Anupama, the very first thing she told me was that my first pregnancy had spontaneous labour and could have been a normal delivery. No one knew why it ended in a c-section. Her words echoed what I’d been wondering for years. But this time, I was determined. No matter how much pain it brought, I wanted to experience a normal delivery. The trauma from the first time had left a deep imprint, and I was ready to reclaim my power.

The Birth of My Second Little One

At around 37 weeks, my water broke at 2:30 AM. Within half an hour, contractions started — initially 10 minutes apart, and by 3:30 AM, they were just 5 minutes apart. We had been briefed by Dr. Jahnavi that with 5:1:1 contractions, we should head to the hospital. So, I called the midwife station, and Anju chechi suggested we come in by 8 AM after breakfast. But I was anxious, so we reached Aastrika by 6:30 AM.

The staff were incredibly calm and welcoming. They suggested we come back by 2 PM since antibiotics are typically administered 12 hours after water breaks. But since we lived far, we requested to stay. I was admitted at 12:30 PM. Tintu chechi was with me, guiding me through exercises and tips to help my cervix dilate.

At 2 PM, I was just 1.5 cm dilated. By 7:30 PM, I was 5–6 cm dilated, and by 9:30 PM, I was taken to the labour ward — active labour had begun. At 8 cm, the pain was overwhelming. I requested an epidural and eventually got some rest. When I woke, I was fully dilated. It was time to push.

They reduced the epidural effect so I could feel the urge to push. From 1 AM onwards, Dr. Dhwany, the midwives, and the nurses were all there with me — constantly motivating, encouraging, and helping me change positions to support the baby’s descent and rotation.

At 3:09 AM, with every ounce of strength and using the breathing techniques I had learned in my labour management classes, I gave birth to my baby boy.

Gratitude and Empowerment

Words cannot express my gratitude to Dr. Dhwany, who had been my greatest motivator in those final weeks. She kept reassuring me that I could have a normal delivery — and she was right. Thanks to the incredible team of doctors, midwives, nurses, and support staff at Aastrika, this birth was not just safe and respectful, but deeply healing.

Most of all, thank you for honouring the mother’s voice and respecting her birth plan. This experience has empowered me, and I will forever cherish the memory.