#vrikshambirthstory Hello Anu, Hi Anu aka. I am your early pregnancy and labor management student from Malaysia. Here goes my birth experience.

I distinctly remembered that during my pregnancy, relatives or those around me always underestimated that vaginal or natural birth preparation requires a lot of strength and stamina that you can only get from meat, eggs, or a non-vegetarian diet. There was also the misconception that those who do not eat meat and eggs are deficient in important nutrients that can lead to anemia. This made me very demotivated and caused me to be afraid of labor and normal birth ever since I was pregnant. But after attending Anu akka’s early pregnancy class it became an eye opener to me that a vegetarian diet is safe from any risk complications and has important health benefits. You have also emphasized that a varied and balanced vegan diet contains all the adequate nutrients the baby needs during pregnancy.

From that moment on, from the 2nd trimester until the last day of labor, I was constantly preparing my body for labor by doing exercises such as squats, butterfly, duck walk, and ball exercises that you taught me while paying attention to a well-planned diet. When I followed these exercises, my baby’s head was able to descend downwards at 32 weeks itself but it was still in the posterior position. I was anxious as the doctor mentioned that a baby with an occiput posterior (OP) position can be delivered vaginally, but will have to push longer since it will be harder to get through the pelvis during vaginal birth and end up will have a more complicated delivery.

At that moment, I wondered if I could manage to deliver vaginally, if I could bear the pain, or if an epidural would be necessary to bear the pain. There was a lot of confusion and fear in my head.

As time progressed to the 3rd trimester, my due date (EDD) was approaching, July 14, 2023. At 39 weeks, on July 7, 2023, around 9 p.m., my amniotic fluid was broken. At first, I was not aware that it was an amniotic fluid break because I was confused by the monitoring of the urine and remained calm.

 In the meantime, I made the necessary preparations to go to the hospital while waiting for the contractions to become more intense. We were not panicking and my hospital bag was ready in time for us to leave for the hospital around 10:30 pm.

When I arrived at the hospital, I was asked to undergo a PV examination. The nurses confirmed that I was in labor as I was already 3 cm dilated. The contractions came every 3 minutes and were so intense that I couldn’t stand the pain anymore. At that moment, the breathing techniques and birth affirmations I had learned in my labor management class came in handy. The nurses were so helpful and helped me manage the pain as it was unbearable.

My husband supported me during labor by holding my hands and reminding me again and again of the breathing technique I should perform continuously. He also made sure I stayed hydrated by offering me water whenever needed.

The nurses checked on me again and continuously monitored the baby’s heartbeat. In less than 3 hours, around 3 a.m., I had dilated from 3 cm dilation to 7 cm. They were surprised that the development was so calm and fast, so they immediately called the doctor. The doctor performed an episiotomy. After only a few pushes, my angel arrived safely. We made skin-to-skin contact and clamped the umbilical cord. After that, the doctor performed a suture. I was in seventh heaven and blessed to deliver a baby girl vaginally.

Special kudos to my doctor and all the nursing staff at the hospital who supported me throughout the birthing process. A big praise to my parents and my husband, who were an important support for me during the whole pregnancy journey to ensure I had sufficient nutrients despite a vegetarian diet. They made sure I always stayed positive, which made me push negativity aside.

My husband personally took me to every checkup and made sure that I followed the diet and exercise routine without fail. He made sure he was with me at all check-ups.

Pregnancy was a wild adventure from which I learned a lot. It taught me to prioritize my mental and physical health, not to put too much pressure on myself, and to rest when needed. Focus on those, keep your mind strong, and try not to put pressure on yourself. You know yourself best, believe in yourself. Most importantly there is no necessary for an epidural if you believe in the “Trust your body” mantra. Thank you aka for this valuable mantra and your guidance. I am truly grateful.

Loves and Hugs,

Shangita, Vimmal and Baby Sahaanaah