In 1975, in a small house in a small town in North India, an overdue baby refused to budge from its mother's womb....The mother had been writhing in labour pain for some time, exhausted (but not sweating as it was the last week of December)...The mid wife or 'dai' was trying to push the baby out but the stubborn child decided to take a little more time.. Surrounding the pregnant woman were 8-10 women of all ages and sizes, giving varied instructions to her and continuously talking among themselves, discussing what had happened at the time of their respective deliveries...(while the pregnant woman was screaming silently at them- 'hello- I am the one having a baby...will you all FOCUS!!').When nothing happened for 5-6 hours and ten more neighbours had gathered around, they started discussing options...while the preggie woman just looked on, wishing that they would take a decision before the millennium ends. Finally, somebody had a brainwave and suggested that they call a doctor. Though this was very unusual for their family as all babies were born at home, they still agreed and called the doctor (or a 'doctorani' as told to me) and as soon as she came, this baby literally jumped out into her arms...Yes, obviously- it was a boy!! The doctor was paid Rs. 100 for her visit and for many many months to come, whenever the family talked about the boy- they said 'bada mehnga bachcha hai...doctorani ko sau rupye dene pade iske liye!' (meaning...a very costly baby...the doctor had to be given 100 rupees for him!)
A baby delivered for 100 rupees!! Nowadays, there is not even a single blood test that costs less than 100 rupees....a single delivery in a decent hospital costs several grands....arre even 1 kg good rice costs more than Rs. 100.....
Also, one wonders, how dependent we have become on westernized concepts of medical care in the current times. While most of us are in the race for delivering in hospitals (despite uncomplicated pregnancies), in the West most people are now opting for home births assisted by trained mid-wives.
You must be wondering how this story is about me...Don't worry I was not born a boy...nor did I undergo a sex-change operation....just read on.........
In the first week of January,1977, with her teeth chattering in the cold, a pregnant doctor arrived in a small nursing home in a small town in central India on her due date. She knew that the baby will be born on that date as it was also her lucky number (pregnant women get a lot of these ideas). She waited patiently for the baby to turn who was in 'transverse lie' position (meaning if the mother is standing, the baby is perpendicular to her making the sign of a +). Of course, this baby was as stubborn as the one in the first story and refused to budge...Labour pains were in full bloom and the tired mother told the doctor to conduct a C-Section....But, that was not to happen because the Nani (grandmother) put her foot down and refused to sign the approval form for a Cesarean birth. She believed that the baby will turn and told her daughter to have some patience (something that should never be told to women in labour!!). Nani's 'guru' had told her that she'll have a grand daughter - a rebirth of 'Laxmibai' (he had ultrasonic as well as supersonic vision it seems). So, this Nani was convinced that the baby will be born normally and there was no need for her daughter to cut up her body...The baby was probably enjoying the loud argument between the mom and grand mom as it still refused to budge.... 5-6 hours passed in grueling labour. The grandfather outside realized that holes had appeared in the soles of his sandals with so much walking and shuffling around the nursing home (literally!!) and wondered what had happened to the women inside. Finally, the mother had had enough of this madness and told the doctor to get the form so that she could sign it herself and just then........, the baby turned and was born in the next instant! The proud glow of satisfaction that people usually exhibit on being proved right was visible on the Nani's face who stood beaming over the baby, her grand daughter!!
At least there was a strong Nani over here, nowadays, people (like me) are so paranoid about the safety of the baby etc that we decide about having a C-section at the drop of a hat. In addition to this, most private hospitals and doctors in India are infamous for not wanting to wait/try for a normal delivery but earn huge packets by conducting C-sections..
To go on with the story of these two stubborn and individualistic children....
Born in different cultures/situations/ very different families, who would have thought that these two would ever meet......They themselves had no idea that their lives would be intertwined with each other in the future.....The baby boy grew up in a number of towns in the northern most part of the country and then went to college in South India before coming to the capital of the country. The baby girl went from central India to grow up in a city in North India, went to college in Western India and then landed in the capital city.
It was here that they met each other in 2001 and 10 years after their paths crossed, they decided to make a baby together in 2011 (of course a lot happened in between!! but don't forget this is supposed to be a short story).....so this is the shortest story of how I got this baby bump........... and right now it feels like a football being kicked from all sides (in sides I mean)!!
P.S. First story: heard from Mom-in-law;
Second story: heard at least a million times from my Nani
A baby delivered for 100 rupees!! Nowadays, there is not even a single blood test that costs less than 100 rupees....a single delivery in a decent hospital costs several grands....arre even 1 kg good rice costs more than Rs. 100.....
Also, one wonders, how dependent we have become on westernized concepts of medical care in the current times. While most of us are in the race for delivering in hospitals (despite uncomplicated pregnancies), in the West most people are now opting for home births assisted by trained mid-wives.
You must be wondering how this story is about me...Don't worry I was not born a boy...nor did I undergo a sex-change operation....just read on.........
In the first week of January,1977, with her teeth chattering in the cold, a pregnant doctor arrived in a small nursing home in a small town in central India on her due date. She knew that the baby will be born on that date as it was also her lucky number (pregnant women get a lot of these ideas). She waited patiently for the baby to turn who was in 'transverse lie' position (meaning if the mother is standing, the baby is perpendicular to her making the sign of a +). Of course, this baby was as stubborn as the one in the first story and refused to budge...Labour pains were in full bloom and the tired mother told the doctor to conduct a C-Section....But, that was not to happen because the Nani (grandmother) put her foot down and refused to sign the approval form for a Cesarean birth. She believed that the baby will turn and told her daughter to have some patience (something that should never be told to women in labour!!). Nani's 'guru' had told her that she'll have a grand daughter - a rebirth of 'Laxmibai' (he had ultrasonic as well as supersonic vision it seems). So, this Nani was convinced that the baby will be born normally and there was no need for her daughter to cut up her body...The baby was probably enjoying the loud argument between the mom and grand mom as it still refused to budge.... 5-6 hours passed in grueling labour. The grandfather outside realized that holes had appeared in the soles of his sandals with so much walking and shuffling around the nursing home (literally!!) and wondered what had happened to the women inside. Finally, the mother had had enough of this madness and told the doctor to get the form so that she could sign it herself and just then........, the baby turned and was born in the next instant! The proud glow of satisfaction that people usually exhibit on being proved right was visible on the Nani's face who stood beaming over the baby, her grand daughter!!
At least there was a strong Nani over here, nowadays, people (like me) are so paranoid about the safety of the baby etc that we decide about having a C-section at the drop of a hat. In addition to this, most private hospitals and doctors in India are infamous for not wanting to wait/try for a normal delivery but earn huge packets by conducting C-sections..
To go on with the story of these two stubborn and individualistic children....
Born in different cultures/situations/ very different families, who would have thought that these two would ever meet......They themselves had no idea that their lives would be intertwined with each other in the future.....The baby boy grew up in a number of towns in the northern most part of the country and then went to college in South India before coming to the capital of the country. The baby girl went from central India to grow up in a city in North India, went to college in Western India and then landed in the capital city.
It was here that they met each other in 2001 and 10 years after their paths crossed, they decided to make a baby together in 2011 (of course a lot happened in between!! but don't forget this is supposed to be a short story).....so this is the shortest story of how I got this baby bump........... and right now it feels like a football being kicked from all sides (in sides I mean)!!
P.S. First story: heard from Mom-in-law;
Second story: heard at least a million times from my Nani
