Feb 133 min read

Aparna's story of labour stalling at a birth centre !!

In the intricate dance of life, sometimes the most profound stories unfold in unexpected ways. Today, we bring you the captivating birth story of Aparna Ajayan—a former architect turned yoga trainer—whose choice of a birth center defied expectations from family especially when the center was 1.5 hours away but ultimately helped her naturally birth her beautiful daughter.

The Decision to Choose Differently: A center 1.5 hours away from her place:

Aparna's narrative begins with a courageous decision to opt for a birthing center located 1.5 hours away from her residence. The initial segment of her story unfolds the hurdles she encountered in gaining her family's support for this unconventional choice and underscores the transformative influence of midwifery care. Throughout her pregnancy preparations, her mother actively participated by taking classes alongside her. Together, they (midwife and she ) addressed queries from both her husband and mother, fostering a supportive environment for the unique birthing experience ahead.

Embracing the Unpredictable Dance of Birth:

Her journey challenges the prevailing notion of linear planning that dominates our product-driven world. Contrary to the conventional belief that labor follows a linear progression, where any deviation signifies a problem, Aparna's personal experience enlightened her to the non-linear nature of the labor process. She discovered that numerous factors, including hunger and fatigue, can significantly influence one's laboring journey, defying the simplistic idea of a straightforward progression. Yes labour can start, stop and slow down and all of this is a process of progression. She encourages us to trust the innate power of our bodies.

Stalling of Labour Effect and Flow:

In the second part of Aparna's story, she explores the importance of staying home during labor to aid progress. Drawing from personal experiences, she emphasizes on the crucial role of the mind. While acknowledging that fear can hinder progress, Aparna asserts that this doesn't rule out the possibility of a normal birth. The narrative highlights the delicate dance between the mind and body during the miraculous process of bringing life into the world.

Finale: A triumphant natural birth:

Aparna advocates for embracing the present moment as a way of life, paralleling this philosophy with the birthing process. She shares her triumphant experience of giving birth vaginally without the use of drugs, followed by a thoughtful postpartum care routine incorporating herbs and traditional massage. In doing so, Aparna highlights the power of surrender in both the birthing journey and the broader context of living life to its fullest.

Listen to part I of this episode to learn about

1. How Aparna convinced the family with her decision of a birth center?

2. What midwifery care made her realise about birth?

3. Experience of early labor and what she learnt through it?

And in part II we discuss,

1. The wisdom of staying home and how it helps birth progress

2. The events leading up to stalling of labor , the role of mind over body in birth

3. The events that aid progress

4. How Aparna felt in this journey as she made it to the other side.

Link to full podcast episode:

YouTube:

Part 1 (https://youtu.be/4ZInJNWodvw?si=r_vL21jzwbdpxYLb)

Part 2 (https://youtu.be/Y96omO5NFtE?si=J8nZXx20huvFWAXt)

Spotify:

Part 1 (https://open.spotify.com/episode/6OeWdPrmYHISizdL5PFPmk?si=cTUHcbacTzaD5eTS_-WS8Q)

Part 2 (https://open.spotify.com/episode/2V1UJ1fmvsU2uZjNbTmupq?si=zmKen8cMRmOvbqbkTx23dw)

Apple:

Part 1 (https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/90-part-i-aparnas-birth-story-choosing-a-birth/id1507595600?i=1000639668073)

Part 2 (https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/91-part-ii-can-active-labor-stall-at-10-cms-aparnas/id1507595600?i=1000640645668)

JioSaavn:

Part 1 (https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/90-part-i-aparnas-birth-story-%7c-choosing-a-birth-center-%7c-transitioning-through-early-labor-%7c-internal-exams-%7c-midwifery-care/S,3FD4OZ0mo_)

Part 2 (https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/91-part-ii-can-active-labor-stall-at-10-cms-aparnas-birth-story/tYU0y6XZwRo_)

Gaana:

Part 1 (https://gaana.com/song/90-part-i-aparnas-birth-story-choosing-a-birth-center-transitioning-through-early-labor-internal-exams-midwifery-care)

Part 2 (https://gaana.com/song/91-part-ii-can-active-labor-stall-at-10-cms-aparnas-birth-story)

Wishing you love, empowerment, and the joy of new beginnings.

Reach out to guest: Aparna Ajayan(https://www.instagram.com/aparnaajayan/) a former Architect, is a yoga practitioner turned yoga trainer. She has undergone several training programs to specialise in Pre and Postnatal Yoga and is a certified Prenatal & Postnatal Trainer under Yoga Alliance, USA (100 Hrs) and World Yoga Organization (50 Hrs). She is also a Childbirth Educator (Lamaze International), currently passionate about making Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga accessible to as many pregnant women and new moms as possible.