I started having contractions in the evening, I was sitting on the ball and doing some stretches to feel better. I had dinner, and then it got worse. I timed my contractions, and it was recurring, so I knew I was in labor. We went to the hospital at 11Pm, they sent me back home saying I wasn't dilated at all. From midnight to 8 am, I had back to back contractions. It was really paintul

After my 35 weeks of pregnancy, doctor advised me to try natural ways of labour induction like eating papaya, pineapple, nipple massage etc. Around 38 weeks, internal examination was done and cervix was not favourable as it didn't start to soften to pertorm membrane sweep. so doctor advised to increase the exercises and eating dates as only 2 weeks were left.

First of all, thank you Aura family and Shree for being a part of my pregnancy journey, It has definitely made the journey more positive. Here comes the birth story of our baby 'Arshya Falag: The pregnancy was so smooth and I didn't even have false contractions till end of 9 months. On the last day of my 9th month on 23.1.23 at 9.30 pm, I started having mild contractions. The contractions progressively increased in frequency throughout the night. That was my early phase of Labor.

On 12th November Saturday, at 37 week 5 days, My partner and I went for a regular weekly checkup. The doctor said that my cervix was 1 cm dilated, and She asked me to wait for a couple of days for the labor to start or else get admitted on my due date which was 23rd November. On Sunday, 13th November, I started getting mild contractions and by evening the contractions got increased rapidly. We went to the hospital and they told me my cervix was 2.5 cm dilated and they advised us to get admitted by 7PM.

I'm Shruthy Suresh Aggarwal, 31F, a First Time Mother and my baby was due June 24th. We had a low risk pregnancy for the most part and were looking forward to meet our baby. However, at my 36th week apt, I reported loss of appetite and chronic itching. I got tested for liver function and got diagnosed with Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy. This was at the moment a little heart-breaking because I knew that ICP moms get induced by 38w, which meant less chances of going into spontaneous labor and a possible induction turned C section as happens in many cases. I was put on medsto control my symptoms and baby was monitored via biweekly NST.

On Friday, at 37 weeks 3 days, I went for routine check up when my doctor asked me to get admitted on Sunday night for induced labour. I was happy. I knew my baby's weight was 3.2kgs, AFI 12.5 and cervix was 2cm dilated. On Sunday, at 10pm I was subjected to cervical membrane stripping after which I was asked to sleep. I asked if doing exercises will help increase the pain and on confirmation did 100 full squats. I asked my doctor if she would do stripping one more time at 2am so that I don't have to go for medicines.

I was doing butterfly, squats, climbed stairs. Within 2 hrs I was 9cm dilated and was moved to the labour ward with strong contractions, FHR was normal, water levels were ok, but baby's head wasn't descending well. I was given 2 shots to increase the contractions but no use, the pain was simply unbearable I could withstand the pain for 12 hrs only because of the breathing techniques.

Yes I made it! I am a Mother Well, to start with, it was not an easy journey like how we see in movies, internet and so on. We struggled to have a baby for more than a year with 2 miscarriages and multiple tests to both me and my husband, everything seemed to fine and there is no reason the doctors could detect for the miscarriages we faced.

Two days before the birth of my baby, I hardly had any signs of labor and attended Shree's classes. I used to do squats and pelvic exercises on a daily basis. A day before I gave birth, I started to feel slight contractions in the evening which started increasing at 12:45am and I reached hospital at 2:30am and by that time I was 5cm dilated post which the contractions started increasing around 7:30am and each contraction lasted for 30-45 seconds (breathing practices helped ALOT) I tried walking as well, it was difficult but it helped relieving the labor pain.

I feel pregnancy, labor and birthing is such an empowering moment of a woman's life. Being an obstetrician and caring for pregnant women for last few years I've had realized the medical aspect of pregnancy. Being pregnant myself and going through labor and giving birth made me more understanding of this complex phenomenon! Pregnancy journey was smooth for us. We were out of those myths and misconceptions regarding pregnancy do's and don'ts. I was physically active