Anusha R Birth Story

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.