“Hello Coimbatore, neenga epdi irukeenga naan Kalki paesuraen ,” Kalki Koechlin greets her viewers in a promo video on Facebook on Heart in the Tummy event on May 9 and May 10. “The event is about being pregnant, wanting to become pregnant, parenting, how to stay fit during pregnancy, lactation,and much more….since I am a new mother and this is happening on Mother’s Day I want to give a big shout out to the parenting fraternity in Coimbatore,” says the actor in the video.
The Coimbatore Parenting Network (CPN), an NGO that works with parents and parents- to-be on topics related to natural birthing, post-partum depression, breast feeding, and babywearing, brings the event to the city for the third time. “Only this time, it is completely online. It is spread over two days and we have international experts on board. Pregnant women and anyone can participate from the comforts of their homes,” says Swati Jagdish, one of the founding members of CPN and a lactation counsellor.
Your body, your right
Swati says they approached actor Kalki as the latter had recently had a natural birth with doula support. “She readily agreed as she understands the importance of making an informed birthing choice. That is exactly the our goal. Every woman and her partner has to understand the changes a woman’s body goes through once she conceives, and then during pregnancy, labour and postpartum. A list of dos and don'ts, women’s rights over their body, techniques to manage pain, diet, breathing exercises….the speakers will also share scientific and updated information on various birthing practices.”
Some of the highlights of the event include a trauma relief session for pregnant mothers by Effath Yasmin, a Craniosacral Therapist from Mumbai. She serves on the national board of Birth India and is also the co-founder & advisory board of ICAP (International Consortium of Oral Ankylofrenula Professionals). Effath has produced and directed an award-winning international documentary Untying Breastfeeding screened across countries. “This session helps pregnant women maintain their pregnancy, more so those who have gone through miscarriages, bad relationships, and sexual abuse in the past,” explains Swati.
Heart in the Tummy poster
Divya Deswal who has worked with expectant families as a childbirth educator, hypno birthing practitioner and doula refers to pregnancy as a spiritual motherhood journey in her session ‘Coming into being - The sentient baby’. “This session will bring together the science and the vedas,” says Swati.
Midwifery model
The session, ‘What happens when a midwife and gynec join hands’gives a glimpse into this evolving model. Dr Vijaya Krishnan, a pioneer in hospital midwifery programme in India and co-founder of The Sanctum, Natural Birth Center, and Dr. L. Jayanthi Reddy, a well known obstetrician/ gynaecologist in Hyderabad will take this session forward.
On day one, other topics that will be discussed include ‘Own your birth- debunking myths around labour' by Arpitha Shankar followed by a panel discussion on ‘What I wish pregnant parents knew’ conducted by experts in child birth education like Neha Misra Mutluru, Adhunika Prakash, founder of Breastfeeding Support for Indian Mothers (BSIM), paediatrician Aruna Savur and Ruth Malik, an Australian who founded Birth India.
The last session for the day is by Reba Danial, a journalist and an independent natural health researcher for 18 years who currently works with Birth Village in Kerala. She will talk about the power of a pregnant woman.
On day two, Donna Mitchell, a mother of nine, all home birthed-with-midwives, will take you through prenatal fitness; Priyanka Idicula, director of Birth Village, The Natural Birthing Centre in Kochi will throw light on Midwifery in India: By women, for women, of women... and there’s more.
To participate, register at www.cpnevents.in or call 9840324029. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram to know more.
