Birth Agni

By Divya Kapoor

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Category: Parenting

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Subscribers: 3
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Episodes: 152

Description

This Podcast explores how indigenously Birth has always unfolded, among women - our tribe, where children could see how breastfeeding was done and how birth happened. This an attempt to fetch the stories of the past as well as bring out the new India’s Birth culture to expose the defining features in both. This shall join the dots to where the increasing problems of postpartum anxiety, rising rate of surgical births and poor breastfeeding outcomes are coming from. 

Birth Agni - Agni meaning Fire, the Fire that brings us alive, transforms us and has the ability to burn. Birth is designed to affect a woman’s integrity. It is the fire of awakening that makes her life experience wholesome. Deep down her body knows what Birth is supposed to feel - a euphoria of bringing a new life on Earth. The cocktail of hormones are designed to give her a high.

However, birth today has quickly swayed away from a phase of joy to the one marked by Fear, the constant questioning of a woman’s capacity to Birth naturally and the ugly calculation of the  odds of a healthy baby at the expense of the mother’s health. We forget that their health is interlinked and flourish as a dyad.  In India, the urban rate of Cesarean Sections on an average until 2020 is a whopping 40% which is concerning.

Birth is linked to Patriarchy, Healthcare Politics and Women’s Rights. Respect in Birth is long due to women and it affects the core of who they are. 


Join me Divya Kapoor, a Certified Birth and Lactation Counselor and aspiring Traditional Birth Attendant in the quest to shine light on what we can do as parents and a community to change the narrative. 


Episode Date
#151- Surabhi and Darshan's Birth Preparation | Advocacy at a Birth Center
Dec 03, 2025
#150 - Pregnancy at 40: Myths, Facts, and Real Stories
Nov 26, 2025
#149 - Oxytocin and its profound role in Pregnancy , Labor, Birth and Breastfeeding with Dr Sarah Buckley
Nov 18, 2025
#148 - Traditional midwifery , regulations and midwifery care for plus sized women with Maryn Green and Margo from the Indie Birth Association
Nov 12, 2025
#147 - Birth and Inner Work for Parents and Birth Workers with Reba Daniel
Nov 04, 2025
#146 - The road to Free Birthing with Sarah Schmid
Oct 28, 2025
#145: Our Gateway into menarche and essence of childbirth the spiritual container
Oct 21, 2025
#144 - Fertility and The Traditional Chinese Medicine with Nicole Lange, founder LifeHealingLife | IVF | PCOS
Oct 14, 2025
#143 - Part II Kriti's Birth Story - the story of surrender to inner calling | Meconium | Self Directed Birth | Inner Strength
Oct 08, 2025
#142 - Part I - Why Kriti Chose a Home Birth – Her Pregnancy Story
Sep 30, 2025
#141 - Postpartum Depression - my experience - Retake
Sep 23, 2025
#140 - Releasing Fear in Birth - The Hypnobirthing Approach with Katharine Graves , founder KGhypnobirthing
Sep 17, 2025
#139 - Birth then and Now - 40 years of difference in the Indian Maternity Care with seasoned Birth Educator, author and former journalist Nutan Lakhanpal Pandit
Sep 12, 2025
#138 - Best way to Interview your Doula, Birthkeeper, Midwife
Sep 03, 2025
#137 - Aishwarya's VBAC Birth Story at a Birth Center
Aug 26, 2025
#136 - VBACs - Do you have a choice? Risk of Uterine Rupture
Aug 20, 2025
#135 - Miscarriage and Preventive use of Progestrone
Aug 13, 2025
#134 - Natural Pain Relief - What they do not teach you in traditional Birth Classes - The Embedded Gift
Aug 06, 2025
#133 - The Painless Delivery Promise- Why it is not what you think!
Jul 30, 2025
#132 - The uncomfortable truth behind the current condition of the Indian Maternal System with Dr Uplabdh
Jul 23, 2025
#131- What No One Tells You About Ultrasounds in Pregnancy
Jul 16, 2025
#130 - Shilpi's home birth story- meconium, true knot and a geriatric pregnancy.
Jul 09, 2025
#129 - Too Big to Birth, or too small a pelvis? The Truth About CPD in Indian Hospitals
Jun 25, 2025
#128 - Decoding Meconium -the good and the bad with Dr Vijaya Krishnan, CPM and founder Sanctum Natural Birth Center
Jun 18, 2025
#127 - 5 ways to make postpartum a smoother experience - What can Partners do?
Jun 11, 2025
#126 - Nipple Shields - A breastfeeding Cure or a Crutch!
Jun 03, 2025
#125 - Afeeda's surreal birth story in a Birth Center - the Power of Intuition
May 21, 2025
#124 - Chapter II - Vikki and Raj's Second Half of the Home Birth Story
May 13, 2025
#123 - Chapter I - Vikki and Raj's Home Birth Story
May 07, 2025
#122 - Is Routine Vaginal Examination Needed?
Apr 30, 2025
#121 - All About Episiotomy - from routine to outdated!
Apr 23, 2025
#120 - Swati's normal birth with the presence of meconium
Apr 16, 2025
#119 - Normal Breech Birth - Kanika's Birth Story
Apr 09, 2025
#118 - Stem Cell Banking - What you must know!
Feb 05, 2025
#117 - Yashoda's Birth story - Hospital vs Water Birth experience at a Birth center
Jan 24, 2025
#116 - Language around Birth and Breastfeeding with Effath Yasmin
Jan 17, 2025
2024 Wrap up - Winter Break
Dec 30, 2024
#114 - Part III - Ariel and Nitin's postpartum experience: Ayurvedic Postpartum
Dec 19, 2024
#113 - Part II - Ariel's Experience of Labor and Birth
Dec 07, 2024
#112 - Part I - Ariel and Nitin's preparation for a Home Birth
Nov 29, 2024
#111 Part II - Meenakshi's Home Birth story
Nov 20, 2024
#110 - Part I - Meenkashi's twin normal / vaginal birth in a hospital
Nov 13, 2024
#109 - Zahra's Free Birth Story | Healing a Deep Tear at home | Quick Labor | Cord around the neck
Oct 23, 2024
#108 - Komal's orgasmic birth and the journey of arriving at the decision of a home birth
Oct 15, 2024
#107 - Birth then and now - 40 years of difference in Maternity Care -Information Overload and Changing Cultural behaviors towards Birth with seasoned Birth Educator Nutan Lakhanpal Pandit
Sep 25, 2024
#106 - Nikita's experience of Labor Pain with and without Induction (Spontaneous Labor)
Aug 14, 2024
#105 - Rashmi's Natural Birth Story at home with a doctor in Mumbai | No pelvic Exams before birth!
Aug 07, 2024
Back from a Break! New Season - Fresh New Stories from August 7
Jul 17, 2024
#104- Part III - Birthing Realities: Social, Cultural, and Political Landscapes with Sanjana Krishnan
May 05, 2024
#103 - Part II - Sanjana's Ecstatic Home Birth Story | Pregnancy, Moon and Womanhood
Apr 26, 2024
#102 - Part I Sanjana's Natural Birth at a Birth Center | Travelling for Birth- Mumbai to Kerala | Meeting the Divine
Apr 18, 2024
#101- Lavanya's Unnecessary Csection | Induction | Undiagnosed Gestational Diabetis
Apr 10, 2024
#100 - Why Gentle Parenting is for Indian Kids with Shailaja Paramathma- Ft Times of India - Photo Story
Apr 03, 2024
#99 - Understanding Pre-eclampsia | Changes in a Pregnant Body | High BP
Mar 29, 2024
#98 - Dr Brewer's Pregnancy Diet | Edema | Diuretics
Mar 20, 2024
#97 - Anjali's home birth story
Mar 12, 2024
Announcement - Wednesdays sweet Wednesdays - Anjali's story out next week!
Mar 07, 2024
96- Part II - Mubina's Story of Labor and Birth at Home and the following Loss
Feb 26, 2024
#95 - Part I - Mubina's HBAC after Multiple Cesarean Sections
Feb 17, 2024
#94 - Vinita Mansata's HBAC (Home birth after Cesarean) with a traditional Indian Birth Attendant | No Medication Parenting and more..
Feb 08, 2024
#93 - Community Care and Deciding to work with a Birth Professional
Jan 31, 2024
#92 - Baneen's Home Birth Story with a Midwife , a Public Health Researcher in the Indian Public Maternal Healthcare System
Jan 18, 2024
#91 - Part II - Can Active Labor stall at 10 cms? Aparna's Birth story
Jan 05, 2024
#90 - Part I - Aparna's Birth story | Choosing a Birth Center | Transitioning through Early Labor | Internal Exams | Midwifery Care
Dec 25, 2023
#89 - Part II - Obstetric Emergencies - SGA (Small for Gestational Age Babies) and IUGR with Senior traditional Midwife KL Goode
Dec 03, 2023
#88 - Part I - Obstetric Emergencies - Big Baby - A curse or boon ? | Big baby and Fitting through the Pelvis | Induction | Gestational Diabetes with Senior traditional Midwife KL Goode
Nov 24, 2023
#87 - Understand Baby sleep patterns | Reduce Fussy Periods due to Colic or Cough | Common Sleep issues answered with Dr Sreenath , Sleep Consultant, seasoned Dentist and co-founder Nasobuddy
Oct 27, 2023
#86- Maternal Mental Health with Somatic Healer Sangheetha Parthasarathy - Birth Trauma | Wounded Feminine | PTSD | Postpartum Depression | Indian Family Culture | Partner Support | Trauma Specific Perinatal Support
Oct 15, 2023
#85 - Birth Stories - Part II - Sara and Khan's Free Birth Story - About Placenta tinctures | Breastfeeding | Parenthood and more
Oct 07, 2023
#84- Birth Stories - Part I - Sara and Khan's Free Birth Story
Sep 29, 2023
#83 - Induction an epidemic? What does WHO say? What does Indian Gynaecology organisations say? My midwifery training and more...
Sep 18, 2023
#82 - Birth Stories - Nisha's Free Birth Story in India | Moving Cities, Intuition , Low Amniotic Fluid ,Long labor | Bodily Autonomy and more...
Sep 09, 2023
#81 - Birth Stories - Chhavi Mittal's Birth Story | Unnecessary Hastening the Labor | Verbal Abuse | Medical Interventions and more.
Aug 11, 2023
#80- Birth Affirmations for Pregnancy , labor and birth
Aug 06, 2023
#79 - Birth Stories - Supriya's positive Water Birth Story at Aastrika Midwifery Center
Jul 28, 2023
#78- Birth Stories - Sameha's gentle birth at Sanctum in Hyderabad | Meconium Birth | Short Labor | Transition at home | Going Past Due Date
Jul 16, 2023
#77- Birth Stories - Nani's home birth stories in the village some 50 years ago!
Jul 08, 2023
#76- Birth Stories - Madhuri and Praneshwar Das's home birth story!
Jun 25, 2023
#75- Rani Didi's Birth Story- 3 home births about 16 years ago!
Jun 15, 2023
#74 - Birth Stories - Becca's Home Birth Experience | Experience of Labor | Birthing the Placenta and more...
Jun 07, 2023
#73- Birth Stories- Part II - Namrita's Home Birth with a Midwife, Natural healing for vaginal tear, Water birth and more...
Jun 01, 2023
#72- Birth Stories - Part I - Namrita's Positive Labor and Birth Experience at a Hospital
May 25, 2023
#71-Birthing in the Indian Landscape | Travel for birth , hospitals vs birth center vs small clinics
May 17, 2023
#70 - Birth Better Series- Prepare for Pregnancy and Birth , Informed Decision Making, Meconium, Radical Birth responsibility, Birth Euphoria, Birth stats, Birth Interventions
May 10, 2023
#69 -Birth Better Series - Nurturing your birth space, going back to our mothers in pregnancy, continuum of care in Pregnancy
May 02, 2023
#68 -Birth Better Series - Fear affecting Prenatal Care, Creating your birth space, Labor and Cocktail of hormones
Apr 26, 2023
#67 -Birth Better Series - Fear Of Labor and Birth propagated by Media and Culture
Apr 18, 2023
Birth Agni - Trailer
Apr 10, 2023
Season 3 - Closing Episode- Information regarding Podcast name change and Season 4 - upcoming Birth Stories
Feb 02, 2023
S03 | EP13 - Why and Why not Pregnancy Yoga? with Prenatal Yoga Expert Megha Jhaggi
Nov 09, 2022
#20-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Role of a Partner and Family in the Early Postpartum Phase
Sep 21, 2022
S03 | EP12 - Respectful Birthing- A Woman's Empowerment issue-Dr Janhavi Nilekani -Founder and Chairperson - Aastrika Foundation
Aug 31, 2022
S03 | EP11 - All about Breastfeeding Support with Certified Lactation Counselor, Sharadha Raman
Aug 18, 2022
S03 | EP10 - Doula Stories- Part II - Birth, Pregnancy and Inner healing with Doula Keesha
Aug 11, 2022
S03 | EP09 - Doula Stories- Part I - Birth and Inner healing with Doula Keesha
Jul 28, 2022
S03 | EP08 - Postpartum Anxiety in Men with Joshua Maze ( Dad Coordinator for Postpartum Support International)
Jun 19, 2022
S03 | EP07 - Fatherhood Stories- Of Patriarchy and Parenthood with Rajat Mittal - Founder of 'Boyish'
Jun 16, 2022
Informatory clip
Jun 06, 2022
#19-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Birth Health-II- How do you know if you are not carrying the seat belt? (Early postpartum mood changes)
May 18, 2022
S03 | EP06 - For the shining teeth of your toddler; with Dr Pooja Rajagopal
May 04, 2022
#18-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Birth Health- Do you know that one ingredient that matters?
Apr 17, 2022
S03 | EP05 - Learning how to Approach Vaginismus with Dr Nivedita Manokaran (Dr_nive_untaboos)
Mar 30, 2022
S03 | EP04-Part 2- Pregnancy Exercise-What should you know to start postnatal exercises and recovery?
Mar 03, 2022
#17-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Your birth Plan - What does it mean for you and your doctor?
Feb 17, 2022
S03 | EP04-Part 1- Pregnancy Exercise-When to start, how much to start with and what are its benefits?
Feb 02, 2022
#16-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-What is a natural birth?
Jan 26, 2022
#Parenting- S03 | EP02-Children and Nutrition with Nidhi Yadav (Certified Child Nutrition educator)
Jan 12, 2022
#15-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-What you should be thinking about in each stage of Pregnancy!
Dec 24, 2021
S03 | EP02-Part 2- Doula Stories with Nidhi Seth- Birth from an emotional standpoint
Dec 17, 2021
#14-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Why you should also think about Posture during Pregnancy?
Dec 08, 2021
S03 | EP02-Part 1- Doula Stories with Nidhi Seth- Doula support and birth as a spiritual journey
Nov 25, 2021
#13-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES- Breast changes during Pregnancy
Nov 19, 2021
S03 | EP01-Women Health Postpartum- Pelvic Floor Issues- Leaking Urine, Posture etc with Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist Melissa Desaulles
Nov 03, 2021
Season 3 Trailer
Oct 15, 2021
#12-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Stretch Marks in Pregnancy- Remedies, Research and the fuss
Oct 12, 2021
#11-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Your caution in Pregnancy- Pregnancy Hazards!
Sep 23, 2021
#10-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Nutrition in Pregnancy-thumb rule
Sep 01, 2021
#09-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Breast Leakage during Pregnancy
Aug 18, 2021
#08-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Going back to our mothers in Pregnancy!
Aug 03, 2021
#07-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Understanding Pregnancy and Stress
Jul 12, 2021
S02 | EP07 - Conversation with Fathers with Nadir Kanthawala and Peter Kotikalapudi
Jun 20, 2021
S02 | EP06- 'Conversation with a Father' on a personal note with Vaibhav Dewan
Jun 19, 2021
#06-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-What is informed Decision making? Discussing Indian Charter of Patient's Rights
Jun 08, 2021
#05-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Role of fathers in Pregnancy aka how do they feel?
May 24, 2021
S02 | EP04 - Children and Respect - Unfolding the Respect Paradox
May 17, 2021
#04-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-How are due dates calculated and what if you go past them?
May 04, 2021
#03-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Early Pregnancy Signs and the Reason behind it
Apr 19, 2021
S02|EP03- Planning your first or second pregnancy in late 30s or 40s
Apr 12, 2021
#02-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Who are Midwives, Birth Doulas and how do you know you need one?
Apr 06, 2021
S02 | EP02 -Common Concerns around Breastfeeding for new Mothers with Saumya Dwivedi (Certified Lactation Counsellor)
Mar 29, 2021
#01-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-Choosing the right birthplace and the medical care provider
Mar 22, 2021
S02|EP01: Contractions, Labor support, Umbilical cords, interventions at the time of Labor with Megha Khanduja (Child birth educator)
Mar 14, 2021
Season 2 Trailer
Mar 13, 2021
S01 | EP17: All about hypnobirthing with Niati V Mariiyya
Feb 11, 2021
S01 | EP16: Toddler life- Development stage -meltdowns, power struggles and more
Jan 30, 2021
S1 | EP15: Starting a kid's school in the pandemic: a mother's experience
Jan 15, 2021
Bonus Episode: Hindi Special: Bachpan ki yadein!
Jan 10, 2021
S1 | EP14: Preparing my travel bag to 2021: Closing 2020
Dec 30, 2020
S1 | EP13: Physical factors affecting mental health: Seasons and Food
Dec 19, 2020
S1 | EP12 : How brain perceives patterns to how children behave: Drawing parallels
Nov 17, 2020
S1 | EP11: Mothers and Mental Health
Sep 21, 2020
S1 | EP10: Parent policing -what not to say to a new parent -the origin of criticism and why it exists
Sep 06, 2020
S1 | EP09-Financial Stability for Parents with Neha Misra-CEO of thefinlitproject
Aug 23, 2020
S1 | EP08-Family Dynamics : Analyzing relationships one emotion at a time
Aug 09, 2020
S1 | EP07-Parenting tips on the internet: Fact or facade? My experience
Jul 24, 2020
S1 | EP06-Conversation with a father
Jul 07, 2020
S1 | EP05-How to manage kids in quarantine
Jun 10, 2020
BonusEpisode- Why do we not celebrate mother's day and father's day together?
May 23, 2020
S1 | EP04-Finding Enemies this quarantine -Senior Marios edition
May 10, 2020
S1 | EP03-Pregnancy Quirks-The Weird Pregnancy symptoms
Apr 19, 2020
S1 | EP02-Changes in the Relationship of a husband and wife Postpartum
Apr 07, 2020
S1 | EP01-Postpartum Depression-My experience
Mar 28, 2020