Actress Bruna: She aspired, She found & She Delivered in Water

Brazilian Actress Bruna Abdullah’s aspiration for drug-free & relaxed water birthing was recently fulfilled at Surya Hospitals in Mumbai  

by Suman Gupta

Mumbai, September , 2019: Brazilian actress Bruna Abdullah, 32, who had earlier announced her preference for water birthing, recently achieved her dream to have a baby through drug-free relaxed natural way at Surya Hospitals. Both Bruna and her husband Allan Frase had done extensive research about the benefits of water birthing and after knowing the expertise of Surya Hospitals, Bruna preferred water birth to have her baby here.

She underwent water birthing under the supervision of Dr. Ameet Dhurandhar who is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Surya Hospitals. He has conducted over 100(approx) water birthing cases so far. A trained water birthing and Hypnobirthing practitioner, he is amongst the first few Obstetricians in India to conduct water births and Hydro births and the first to conduct natural, pain-free childbirth under hypnosis in Mumbai (HypnoBirthing). His list of celebrities includes famous South African Cricketer Jonty Rhodes who delivered twice with Dr. Ameet Dhurandhar. Bruna is a new entrant.

Delighted Bruna, who has also acted in Bollywood movies and reality shows, said, “Giving birth is not easy. I got to know about water birthing and various hospitals through research. I was super alert and wanted myself and my baby to be drug and medications free. I really wanted to be with my baby as soon as she is born. I did exactly that.”

“Through research, I got to know about the expertise of Surya Hospitals in water birthing and I opted for water birthing here. I was well taken care of by highly trained doctors and nurses. It was a very relaxed process and I did not experience pain which normally associated with the delivery,” she added.

Dr. Samantha Castellino, Consulting Pediatrician – Surya Hospitals, who attended the delivery, said “the whole process of water birthing was seamless and the baby was delivered healthy and normal”.

During the labour process, an expectant mother sits in a pool of warm water and the baby is delivered underwater.

“Surya Child Care Hospital brings unique and high level care in pregnancy and pediatric services. With a dedicated and trained staff in water birthing, Surya has one of the largest NICU in India and well equipped PICU, which has round the clock expert Neonatologists, Intensivists and pediatricians, all with long standing experience and recognition for their expertise. At the time of discharge, the baby was feeding well and is in good health,” said Dr. Bhupendra Avasthi, Chief Paediatrician, Surya Hospitals.

“Water birthing has both physiological and psychological benefits. Apart from soothing the mother during contractions, it also provides freedom of movement allowing for an upright posture that enables descent of the fetal head. Muscles and ligaments are relaxed under warm calming water which creates free movement and increases the pelvic diameters. However, this relaxing environment needs to be greatly supported and monitored by skilled and trained staff,” said Dr. Ameet Dhurandhar who is credited for setting t up a Water Birthing Center at Surya Child Care Hospital.

Dr Dhurandhar, who handles 3-4 successful water birth cases every month, added, “If a mother is relaxed during the birthing process, her body will produce ‘feel good’ hormones known as endorphins, making this process pain and stress-free. A relaxed and fearless mother gets oxytocin which helps rhythmic uterine contractions. The relaxed mother also maximizes placental oxygen perfusion. However, a stressed mother’s body produces some hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, or catecholamines (fight or flight reaction) and these are not desirable during childbirth.”

Water birthing reduces the process and duration of delivery. Relaxed muscles and body help the mother’s by increasing her cervical dilatation rate and effacement, thereby quickens contractions and the baby can move down swiftly through the birth canal.

“If we plan our next baby, we will go for the same way and place,” said Bruna and Allan. Anyway, the couple loves water.

According to the expert, water birthing is also beneficial for the baby as it enhances fetal oxygenation and the transition is always gentle. Birth takes place in a relaxed and peaceful environment with skin to skin contact.

About Surya mother and child superspeciality hospital: Surya Hospitals have been a pioneer in offering modern healthcare services for Women & Children in India since 1985. Over the last three decades, Surya Hospitals has regularly embraced the latest advancements in medical science and introduced cutting-edge medical technology to offer ‘best-in-class’ clinical outcomes and patient experiences.

Patients have shown a relentless faith in our services and that has given us the confidence to grow from a modest 22 bedded pediatric nursing home in Mumbai more than three decades ago to a chain of multiple hospitals offering standardized care to women and children in Mumbai, Pune and Jaipur.