 Every woman has the right to health care staff trained in
Rights of the Childbearing Women
Clarify with your caregiver the following ten points:-
 Every woman has the right to treated with respect and
dignity.
 Every citizen in India has the right to informed consent,
to receive information both positive and negative about
all antenatal and birth interventions, procedures, tests,
drugs. She must be provided evidenced based practices
proven to be beneficial, consistent with current
scientific evidence about benefits, risks and costs of
these procedures. She has the right to accept or refuse
any such interventions and have her choices honored.
 Women must have opportunities to exercise the right to
make health care decisions.
 Every woman has the right to receive continuous
support during labor and birth and to receive such
support from companions of her choice.
 Every woman has the right to freedom of movement
during labor, unencumbered by tubes, wires or other
apparatus. She has the right to give birth in the position
of her choice.
 Every woman has the right to be provided drug-free
comfort and pain relief methods during labor, including
massage and relaxation techniques.
 Every woman has the right to leave her maternity
caregiver and select another if she becomes dissatisfied
with her care.
 Every woman has the right to communicate with
caregivers and receive all care in privacy, which may
involve excluding nonessential personnel. She also has
the right to have all personal information treated
according to standards of confidentially.
 Every woman has the right to Information about the
professional identity and qualifications of those involved
with her care, and know when those involved are
trainees.
the skills to implement breastfeeding: They must inform
Birth India #8, Krishna Sadan, Sitaladevi Temple Road, Mahim, Mumbai 400016 Phone+919870207622
BIRTH INDIA
all women about the benefits and management of
breastfeeding, and help initiate breastfeeding within one
hour of birth. Food or drink other than breast milk must
not be offered to the newborn, new born to room in
with mothers 24 hours a day.
 Every woman has the right to virtually uninterrupted
contact with her newborn from the moment of birth, as
long as she and her baby are healthy and do not need
care that requires separation.
www.childbirthconnections.org
Birth India History
Birth India was established in July 2007, when five women
met in an apartment in Mumbai. These women met to
discuss their birth stories. Some shared traumatic
experiences and others beautiful ones. However they were
Birth in wellness, naturally
mostly concerned with the alarming numbers of
Caesareans occurring in the country and the effects on http://birthindia.org/
mothers, babies and families.
Natural Childbirth is..
Globally there are many success stories and birthing options
..mother, baby and family friendly.
to draw from. India's women are ready to become
empowered to feel their birth completely and to give
..birth without unnecessary medical interventions.
themselves and their babies all the benefits of the natural
process. ..belief in the natural process and a knowing that
women's bodies work!
Birth India believes that how a woman is treated in birth is
important to her and her baby, because how she feels ..honouring the creation of mothers and families.
directly impacts her ability to mother well. We have a library
of books and films. For more information and to borrow ..an empowering and spiritual life transformation.
from our library contact us.
..evidence based standards of practice.
..not about suffering. It is about being supported and
To access our books and film library contact cared for and having the freedom to find comfort in
Birth India at india.birth@gmail.com many different

This brochure is not intended to be medical advice, it is
consumer information.
Today, natural childbirth is becoming more and more
popular; people are realizing the benefits to the
woman, the baby and the entire family. Studies show
infant and maternal mortality and morbidity is lower
in natural childbirth.
"Birth is safe. Intervention is risky!"
There are risks involved with medications used
frequently in birth. Not knowing this makes it easy to
accept 'medical1 birth. We must educate ourselves!
Preliminary studies estimate that the rate of cesarean
surgery in Urban India is 50% and even as high as 80%
in some private hospitals. The World Health
Organization deems it should be no higher than 5%-
15% .
Our Mission and Goals:
Birth India aims to promote the benefits, both physical
and psychological of natural childbirth and the best
practices to achieve normal birth. We recognize the
evidence that mothers and babies fare better in
natural birth. We emphasize that birth choices are a
women's rights issue. Improve maternity services and
provide options/educate and inform/rediscover the
wellness in Natural Processes.
Benefits of Natural Childbirth to Mother..
Mother receives essential hormones. Giving birth
naturally can increase your self esteem and
confidence.
Greater bonding is established between mother, father and
baby.
Breastfeeding is more successful after a natural birth.
Less postpartum pain, recovery is faster and your entire
postnatal period healthier.
Less chance of blood clots, injury, bowl obstruction and
infection.
Reduces incidence of post natal depression. Women feel more
in control of their body's health and of their baby's health.
Significant reduction to problems with future conceptions,
pregnancies and births.
Benefits to Baby...
Without medications (epidural, medications to induce and
speed up labor, analgesic pain medications) your baby will be
alert and active.
Making eye contact and responding to mother and father.
Alert babies find it easier to breastfeed.
Natural birth reduces the likelihood of needing to separate
your baby from you after birth. Babies are less likely to need to
be resuscitated or spend time in the ICU.
Less likely to develop asthma.
Less likely to be injured, natural birth brings the baby into the
world gently.
Benefits to the entire community..
Naturally birthed baby's show higher IQ's during the early
school years and less psychological problems later in life.
Babies born without drugs in their system are less likely to
become addicted to drugs later in life.
The financial cost of natural birth is much less then medical
birth. Natural birth is environmentally friendly.
Our Birth impacts us for our entire life
I want a natural birth, how should I prepare?
Making natural childbirth happen in this modern world is
difficult; initiatives need to be taken to make it happen!
Education, education, education! Educate yourself on your
birth options and your rights there are many books and
websites available with loads of information see links
below.
Take childbirth preparation classes with your partner. You
can also take couples pre-natal yoga and or couples
HypnoBirthing. Choose independent birth teachers who
are not employed by a hospital or doctors and check
that they cover all interventions including c-section and
episiotomy risks and how to avoid.
Take the time to interview and choose a care giver that
agrees with your birth wishes, this can be difficult as
most doctors are trained for medical birth, but there are
good doctors available. Ask your birth next work who
they suggest. Make your expectations clear to your
care provider.
Hire a doula or a labor assistant. Constant, continuous
labor support has been proven to reduce the need for
medical interventions. The hard work of labor is not
meant to be accomplished alone. Women giving birth
should be supported, encouraged, and comforted by
family, friends, and when possible, professional birth
attendants.
LINKS:
 www.motherfriendly.org - Coalition For Improving Maternity
Services
 www.childbirthconnection.org - Helping Woman To Make Informed
Maternity Health Care Decisions
 www.imbci.org - International Mother Baby Childbirth Initiative