Off late, numerous marketing events and strategies have been used by private cord stem cell banks in India to lure parents with the promise of potential benefits of storing stem cells for future malignancies their child may face. While this may seem like a lucrative and logical form of biological insurance, many of these companies rely on misleading—and in some cases, fraudulent—marketing techniques.

This episode covers everything you need to know about cord stem cell banking!

1. History of Cord Stem Cell Banking
2. Myths vs. Facts
3. News Reports Exposing the Fraud
4. The Indian Academy of Pediatrics' (IAP) Stance
5. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) Position

References:

https://journals.lww.com/imsp/fulltext/2023/14010/umbilical_cord_blood_banking__myth_and_realities.1.aspx

https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/03/umbilical-cord-blood-banking

India's only public Cord Blood Bank: https://www.jeevan.org/media/jeevan-donor-information-form.pdf

https://www.bethecure.in/public-cord-blood-bank/about-public-cord-blood-bank/

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Yashoda is a Sports Physiotherapist and an Aquatic therapist and a mom of 2 precious ones- is currently working at Aastrika midwifery centre.

She had her first one born in a hospital after induction and her baby was separated from her after birth. The second time around she decided to take childbirth classes, prepare well and chose a midwifery center called Aastrika in Bangalore where she was not induced, she birthed her baby in the water and had a beautiful experience. Her breastfeeding journey was also way more respectful and supported a gentle welcome of the baby where skin to skin contact between the mother or father and the baby were prioritised.

In this episode we explore

1. Contractions after induction vs Natural spontaneous contractions
2. A hospital birth experience vs a Birth center experience
3. Role of Childbirth classes in the Birth experience
4. Water birth experience

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" I wonder Divya, if women today can escape a pill........a vaccine.......or being under the knife." - Effath Yasmin

Calling this a reality of today's maternal healthcare system is not enough to point out the issues that need dire resolution because the problems are far more complex than 'one' solution being right and everything else, wrong.

The issue is of the belief systems fuelled by years of medical marketing, cultural hearsay, shifting away from our traditional systems completely in the name of advancement without paying heed to the resulting loss.

In this episode as we explore The language around Birth especially in the media pertaining to Home Births, we also speak about the collective 'discouraging' language around the whole spectrum of 'Womanhood', Birth and Breastfeeding with Effath Yasmin ma'am who is a pioneering Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, and registered Flower Practitioner. Founder Nourish & Nurture, a family wellness clinic in Mumbai, Yasmin’s unique & deep insightful wisdom on Birth, Breastfeeding, Parenting, Life Coaching & Skills, and Childhood Trauma have established her as a leading voice in Woman, Maternal & Family Wellness.

An award-winning documentary filmmaker, Yasmin’s acclaimed film “Untying Breastfeeding” has garnered four international awards, highlighting the challenges in birth and motherfeeding. Yasmin also cofounded an international organisation for clinical education on tongue-tie for healthcare professionals and advocating for family-centered care in breastfeeding and maternal health worldwide.

Explored Areas in this episode:

Problems in the present Maternal Medical System

1. Language around Home Births in Media vs coverage of the hospital births
2. Misplaced initiative of the complete industrialisation of Birth
3. Unclear demarcation of the role of medical system in Birth

Possible solutions:

1. Re-establishing the midwifery system by absorption of existing Dais and upscaling current system.
2. The responsibility of fair and curious journalism that does not sensationalise Birth.
3. An integrated system th

Support the show

Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

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This episode has an yearly wrap up on the podcast and the following

1. How the next year will look like.
2. Top 4 episodes for this year.
3. Personal journey as a birth worker this year.
4. Goals for the podcast
5. Seeking your support and love, topics for 2025

Drop your topics at admin@birthagni.com or birthagni@gmail.com

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Donations (India) - https://birthagni.com/birthagnipodcast#podcast-list
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• If you like what you hear, leave us
  • a rating on Spotify app and answer the question at each episode!
  • a review on Apple podcasts.

Support the show

Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

Support the show:

Donations (India) - https://birthagni.com/birthagnipodcast#podcast-list
Donations (world) - buymeacoffee.com/birthagni

• If you like what you hear, leave us
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  • a review on Apple podcasts.
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• Support the production by making a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/birthagni. This ensures the continuity and quality and a good coffee on sleepless recording nights!
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Postpartum is a crucial part of parenthood. There are many healing modalities that are available to help women heal. Often overlooked, is the emotional aspect of caring for a new life and work with the new changes in the relationship of couple's

What stands out as a learning from Ariel's story is that Preparation for every phase always helps. Ariel planned her food to the care she needed as well the people she wanted to have around early postpartum when women are trying to figure things out by themselves.

This is their story of navigating the postpartum challenges and the learning they had along the way.

Support the show

Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

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This is Part II of Ariel and Nitin's Home Birth story. Here, we go through Ariel's experience of Labor from the onset to the birth. She describes her state of mind , the sequence of events in detail in this episode.

Expect :

The change of scene with the intensity of labor increasing.
The intense and prolonged transition due to cervical lip
The wait and tension before the baby arrives
The birth
The birth of placenta and postpartum

Tune in now!

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Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

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I received an email from Ariel sharing how listening to this podcast was a part of her preparation for a home birth and she wanted to payback by contributing her story to the podcast.

We are excited to have this homebirthing duo in a three Part series through their journey of Preparation, experience of Birth and Postpartum on the podcast.

Ariel and Nitin are an Indian couple living in the US who were expecting their first as a 35+ yr old couple. Fortunately, they had already come across Water birthing - a gentler approach of birthing at home in the comfort of their homes.
So, the idea although unexplored was still in their heads when they became pregnant.

The first part of the conversation begins with Nitin's journey of arriving at the decision of home birth following by Ariel's story.

We discuss:

• Navigating questions around safety of Homebirth as the husband
• Research and therapy work involved in preparation for birth
• Nesting urge for the fathers
• Zeroing in on a Midwife and building a team
• What having a midwife as against the mainstream hospital care can look like
• Internal exploration and working on fears in preparation for birth
• Significance of Childbirth classes in Preparing for Birth.

Tune in to hear how Ariel and Nitin’s journey was shaped by intention, knowledge, and the profound joy of welcoming baby Ira into their world.

Support the show

Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

Support the show:

Donations (India) - https://birthagni.com/birthagnipodcast#podcast-list
Donations (world) - buymeacoffee.com/birthagni

• If you like what you hear, leave us
  • a rating on Spotify app and answer the question at each episode!
  • a review on Apple podcasts.
• Share on Whatsapp/Insta/FB
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• Support the production by making a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/birthagni. This ensures the continuity and quality and a good coffee on sleepless recording nights!
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This is Meenakshi's home birth story and interestingly her discovery of pregnancy when she was breastfeeding her twins already.
She learnt pretty late and went on to discover it people started saying your belly seems different.

In this episode, we discuss

• Discovery of pregnancy while breastfeeding twins.
• Decision of home birth
• Preparation for a Home Birth and owning responsibility
• Experience of Free Birth
• Birthing the Placenta
• Early Postpartum

About the Guest : Meenakshi is a homeschooling mother to three kids, believer in womens ability to birth naturally on their own and the healing power of the womb. She is a active advocate of reconnecting woman to their wombs.

Support the show

Sign up for Childbirth Preparation Programs! visit www.birthagni.com/birthclasses

Support the show:

Donations (India) - https://birthagni.com/birthagnipodcast#podcast-list
Donations (world) - buymeacoffee.com/birthagni

• If you like what you hear, leave us
  • a rating on Spotify app and answer the question at each episode!
  • a review on Apple podcasts.
• Share on Whatsapp/Insta/FB
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• Support the production by making a donation at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/birthagni. This ensures the continuity and quality and a good coffee on sleepless recording nights!
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