The Cradle, Bangalore Delivers Our Lil Bundle of Joy

May 30th 10:30pm: I go to bed just like any other day. Little did I know that I was to wake up to contractions. May 31st 5:30 am: Given that I had a textbook pregnancy up until the very end, something seems different. I wake up to cramps that come n go at 5 min intervals. Called Dr Prakash Kini who asked me to come in at 10am with my file. I wasn't sure it was labor pains as they were really mild and I was able to go about my routine tasks without much ado. Packed the remainder of my suitcase for my stay at the Cradle, took a hot shower, had a light breakfast and my dearest husband drove me to the Cradle. Dr Kini confirmed that it was indeed labor pains and he said it would be a normal delivery but forewarned us that the baby was a tad large for my petite frame (he anticipated a 7.5 to 8 pounder). Hearing that I almost fell off my chair. Didn't those books say that the baby's size is proportional to that of the mother (the example given: Asian women married to European men had babies that were proportional to the size of the former). Given the baby's size in comparison to my petite frame, I'm pretty sure, other hospitals n docs in Bangalore would have milked the opportunity to perform a C section. But thanks to Dr Kini and Cradle's professionalism and dedication to service and healthcare, I had a normal delivery.

Dr Kini also told my husband that he would be a father before 5pm that evening & boy did he deliver on that promise!!(as you shall read further) Totally Awesome work Doc!! (b/w 2 & 4 pm was Rahu Kalam : To a woman in labor, Rahu or Ketu seem immaterial, need I say more ;-)


The whole day seemed like a day on an Andersen Consulting Project I have been on. Thoroughly professional & timed execution by Dr Kini from start to finish. He also expedited my labor so I wouldn't have to suffer too long. In the consultation room, he performed a procedure called stripping (akin to 'scraping' -for lack of a better word- of the cervical area to speed up dilation). That was EXCRUCIATING!!!! I was howling in pain. However, what made things easier was the fact that I knew deep down that I was in trusted hands. He also said that the baby's head had indeed descended and rotated well and that I was already 5 cm dilated.

The Cradle staff got me admitted to my room. I was told to walk around the nursing station rather than lie down to hasten labor. At 12 pm they started the oxytocin or pitocin (I'm not sure here) drip which was increased from 5 drops to 25 over a period of 3-4 hrs. My water still hadn't broken. Dr Kini came in at around 2 and did an ARM (artificial rupture of membranes)....that was another one of those terrible ordeals...that words cannot describe. After about an hour from that time, they couldn't see my cervix as I had fully dilated by then.

Then was moved to LDR where the asst docs were helping me push through one of those internals....Luckily I didn't feel those pains as the labor pains had already sent me off into a tizzy. They didn't offer neither did I ask for an epidural. Just gave me an intramuscular shot of methergin which didn't make much of a difference. I had absolutely no success pushing. Later they called Dr Kini who said he would get the baby out in 2 pushes.

I had an episiotomy and I felt the baby's head come out and then whee the shoulders...all through I was so proud of myself for having succeeded in the pushing phase. Little did I know that there was a vacuum machine right next to my bedside that was wheeled in hours ago and was doing its job. The intervention really didn't matter. Doc knows best especially when it is Dr Kini. Don't worry about what the books say about the baby's head getting extended etc. You just can't tell the difference and it does no harm to the baby. In fact, it saves the Mother n baby from hours of distress. So there you go...my son was born at 4:51 pm @ 7.35 lbs that evening. :-) And all the pains vanished in a split second of his coming out. The doc was still suturing me (4 cat gut absorbable stitches). I didn't get to see the baby (just saw his butt n back) until they had cleaned him up and my husband cut the umbilical cord (he was only too happy to break the connection with Mommy). My first qn was what color are his eyes (my hubbie has blue green eyes)...well they're dark eyes...My hubbie went "Hey I can't see them, they're shut and he was surprised that a woman who was howling in pain and totally unresponsive to his soothing forehead rubs was back to normal)just mins after delivery. Within 1/2 hr, I gave myself a shower in those funky shower cubicles and was shifted back to my room.

The staff & team of docs was great. The service quality was Awesome!!! A Big Thank You to the team at The Cradle Bangalore for making our stay such a memorable one. On Day 2, they had a photographer come in to take a picture of the baby that was framed and given to us. They also gave us goodie bags for the lil one. It was such a lovely gesture. Thank you Cradle!

During the day, they had a nutritionist visit me who gave me a detailed run down of the dos and donts regarding healthy nutrition for a nursing mom. Before getting discharged, Cradle's physio therapist explained post partum stretches & exercises to get me back into shape (Dr Kini encourages you to exercise from Day 2, walk 10 rounds of the hospital, climb up and down the stairs etc). I doubt other hospitals/docs in Bangalore devote so much time and attention to such much needed aspects of post partum care.

As promised, they discharged within 2 days. And yes (for those of you who want to know) we did get back the money that we had intitially paid up at registration to pre book the room. Regarding costs, it was downright affordable and VFM given the lovely room, facilities, staff & doctors. Not once did I get the feeling that we were being charged unjustly. In fact, even though the baby was slightly jaundiced, they didn't even prescribe unnecessary medication or the Billi blanket or phototherapy. I personally know of instances where in the name of photo therapy Mom and baby are kept in the hospital to increase hospital revenue.


Our lil one got us a little worried when he stopped urinating and pooping but the doc said it was normal. Now we are actually changing diapers so often that we have had to swallow our words:-) But he is a lovely baby and doesn't keep us bleary eyed in the morning. He has these alert states several times during the day where no matter what you do to him, he won't even let out a whimper. Bathing and diaper changing times are the only times when he cries his heart out. :-(

The first week was a bit painful with the stitches but Dr Kini took them off (although they were absorbable) after a week and life is back to normal.

Today, (Second Week) I'm home alone with baby and managing everything myself from household chores to baby's and my needs. Feels like good ol Phd days at Penn State when time is too short and there is so much to be done. But at the end of the day, there is a sense of accomplishment and you go to bed feeling awesome:-) {only to wake up 2 hrs later :-) for nursing :-)


All said n done, A Big Warm Thanks to Dr Prakash Kini & The Cradle, Bangalore for A Job Well Done! I do hope you continue the good work. I strongly recommend both for all OB GYN needs. and maintain the energy in the years to come!!!