Gajwel is a small town in the Siddipet district of Telangana with a population of about 70,000 people. The Area Hospital at the centre of Gajwel caters to the healthcare needs of people living in the town and those living in nearby villages. The hospital website claims that it offers a range of healthcare services, but the ‘midwife-led normal birthing’ is what makes it famous.
Srilatha Kandukuri is a midwife at the Area Hospital at Gajwel. Srilatha’s journey into midwifery began in 2017 when she qualified to be a professional midwife. Midwives are health professionals trained to support and care for women during pregnancy, labour, and birth. Midwives work with low-risk mothers to help them have normal physiological births. The Fernandez Foundation offered rigorous training as per international standards in partnership with UNICEF and the Government of Telangana.
Srilatha experienced a paradigm shift in how she thinks about women and birthing now. She says, “Training at Fernandez was not just about midwifery care but really about respectful midwifery care. We learned how to respect women’s choices which is unheard of in any public health facility. We learned how to empower women with the right knowledge about birthing and reproductive rights. This training also ensured that we have the right skills to manage obstetrics emergencies like breech births or shoulder dystocia.”
After the course, Srilatha began working in Gajwel. Ever since Srilatha and her fellow midwives started working with pregnant women in the Area Hospital, the hospital became known for letting women have births of their choice. “Only a 1000 mothers per month would come to the hospital before the midwifery model of care was introduced. Now, close to 3000 women birth here,” says Srilatha. Once Srilatha started working with pregnant women, the word began to spread that midwives respect women’s choices and help them birth normally.
“We gather a group of pregnant women who visit the hospital for antenatal check-ups and explain to them about the advantages of normal birthing. At each visit, we share all the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about birthing,” she adds. These antenatal classes include information about different birthing positions, nutritious diets, and the advantages and disadvantages of normal births v/s c-sections. Antenatal classes plus the time and attention midwives give to mothers make a real difference in ensuring birthing remains a positive experience for mothers.
Srilatha recalls one incident when a mother birthed a baby weighing 4.2 kgs. “Even though the baby was big, I was prepared to support the mother birth normally. I knew this birth would take time, and the mother may not have the energy and patience to give birth. I was there to cheer and encourage her. She had a beautiful experience. Along with her family, the mother blessed me for helping her have that experience. What else can I ask for!” says Srilatha.
“I am grateful to the Fernandez Foundation, Government of Telangana, and my family for their support in allowing me to be a midwife,” adds Srilatha. She believes that all women deserve a midwifery model of care, irrespective of which strata of society they come from.
