Shristi Foundation is a development organization that offers healthcare, education and livelihoods to over 1000 women and children across 25 Indian states. Their philosophy emphasizes on using the life cycle approach to empower families by giving each person their own voice.
The founder conducts antenatal and prenatal care classes from their head office in Erode, as well as Chennai, Coimbatore and Tirupur. This program brings together Yogis, gynecologists, pediatricians, child psychologists, beauticians and dieticians to make pregnancy stress-free for mothers-to-be and their babies.
Pre-Pregnancy Online Class
No matter if you are trying to conceive a baby or already have one, there are steps that can be taken in preparation for pregnancy and delivery. In fact, the earlier you prepare the better off you’ll feel during your journey through pregnancy, delivery and postpartum.
Pregnancy care classes are an invaluable opportunity to gain knowledge about pregnancy and give yourself the tools needed to make informed decisions about your health and well-being during this exciting time. Many of these online classes are free or have a nominal fee, yet all provide invaluable information that you’ll want to keep in mind throughout your pregnancy and beyond.
The University of Chicago Medicine offers a range of classes on topics from breastfeeding to infant CPR, which are open to all members of your family. UChicago Medicine can reach a wider audience via virtual options, particularly if you’re out of town or otherwise busy with work.
Motherly is an online education platform that offers classes on all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth, such as birth preferences (medicated, unmedicated or C-section), nutrition for pregnancy, baby care and postpartum healing. Plus there are monthly live community Q&A sessions with experts!
Mama Natural offers a highly sought-after virtual birth class with all the information you need to prepare for an unmedicated, calm delivery. The class covers topics such as preventing swelling, heartburn and placenta positions as well as practical tools that will guarantee you have a positive experience.
In addition to birth preferences, this course also covers the fundamentals of labor and delivery — from breathing techniques and relaxation techniques to what to expect in the hospital and dealing with medical staff. While it is tailored towards those planning on having a home birth, it can be equally useful for those who prefer having their baby at a hospital or birth center.
This program also features a special module on the COVID-19 pandemic, which you should know if planning to have a baby during this time. Led by Amy Johnson-Grass, ND, LM, LN – certified nurse midwife and founder of Health Foundations Family Health & Birth Center in St. Paul, Minnesota – the course includes expert instruction from Amy Johnson-Grass herself!
Antenatal Care
Pregnancy is a unique period in a woman’s life. To ensure she feels supported and cared for during this time, it’s important to seek expert pregnancy care solutions from an experienced gynecologist or midwife.
Shristi Foundation provides comprehensive antenatal care solutions to pregnant women throughout India and beyond! Established in 2003, its founder has a deep-seated passion to empower women and their children through healthcare, education and livelihood opportunities.
For instance, the foundation offers a 48-hour Prenatal Program which includes pre-pregnancy education and health care trainings. It’s essential for any expecting parent who wants to ensure a smooth delivery and healthy baby!
The foundation also offers childbirth education classes and audio-visual instructions on how to give birth to a healthy baby, helping women maintain an upbeat mindset and increase their self-assurance levels.
Shristi Foundation is also pioneering new ways to empower women by offering telemedicine for obstetrics. Studies have demonstrated that this improves patient satisfaction with OB care, reduces travel time, and ensures continuity of care for patients.
One study concluded that telemedicine helped prevent obstetric complications like preeclampsia. Furthermore, it has the potential to reduce OB visit-related costs for both women and providers.
At present, most telemedicine services in obstetrics are funded through government and private health insurance companies. Depending on a medical center’s model, these virtual visits may be included as part of an overall care package or offered as a stand-alone service.
Though these programs are still in their early stages of development, they could prove a beneficial resource for improving obstetric care in underserved areas. Not only do they enable obstetricians to see patients remotely, but they also allow for patient monitoring at home and phone/video consultation with specialists like high-risk obstetricians or lactation consultants.
As the world becomes more technologically savvy, there is an increased focus on how telemedicine can help improve prenatal and postpartum health outcomes. This is especially relevant in low-income communities where access to obstetric care may be limited due to transportation or cost barriers.
Prenatal Stimulation
Shristi Foundation is a nonprofit organization that offers pregnancy care classes and helps pregnant women prepare for the birth of their child. They provide various services such as pre-pregnancy classes, childbirth education classes and more to new mothers.
Many pregnant women experience mood changes during their pregnancies that may interfere with their ability to bond with their unborn child and lead to perinatal depression. Engaging in enjoyable activities such as touching or talking to their belly can help these women improve their outlook on life and reduce the likelihood of experiencing perinatal depression.
Early stimulation behaviors (ESBs) during pregnancy can improve a pregnant woman’s emotional wellbeing and promote maternal-fetal attachment, particularly at higher gestational ages. Furthermore, performing ESBs helps foster positive caregiver-child relationships and responsive caregiving during infancy, which has been shown to increase the likelihood that children will have healthy childhood development outcomes [9, 10].
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) conducted a study to assess the impact of expectant mothers’ emotional support behavior (ESB) towards their pregnant belly. About half of participants reported engaging in communication-related ESB frequently or occasionally. These behaviors were measured on a questionnaire and included touching/talking to the expectant mother’s belly, singing songs, dancing and talking about family dynamics.
Researchers found that women who performed ESB during pregnancy experienced improved moods and were more likely to engage in positive behaviors such as volunteering, caring for others and attending community events. Furthermore, researchers observed a link between past negative life experiences such as emotional, physical and sexual intimate partner violence as well as moderate to severe depressive symptoms for those women who performed ESB more frequently.
Researchers found that women who participated in these ESB practices were more likely to have babies with normal birth weights and low rates of preterm delivery or neonatal absorption. Furthermore, they had a stronger breastfeeding relationship and attended medical appointments more frequently.
Researchers observed that babies of women who had taken part in ESB showed better psychomotor development and were better able to learn during their first six months. They had improved sleep quality, were alert, and displayed greater sociability and playfulness.
Childbirth Education
Childbirth is an awe-inspiring event that every expecting mom wishes to be prepared for. That is why Shristi Foundation offers a selection of online pregnancy care class designed to inform and entertain all expecting mothers.
Our clinical maternity team recently created a nine-part video series that covers pre-natal preparations to labor and delivery itself, providing helpful tips and tricks for getting ready. The content is straightforward to follow along with, making this an invaluable resource for any expecting parent.
The same team also provides a prenatal yoga class designed to help improve flexibility, breathing and sleep quality for expecting mothers-to-be. This online session is free and convenient, so you can reap all of the rewards of regular yoga without leaving home.
One notable e-class is the Understanding Birth eClass, which features an engaging video module with several birth stories to follow along with tips on making the most of your baby’s arrival and protecting your family’s safety.
Additionally, our Well Life class promotes health and wellness for today’s busy parents by providing tools to manage self-care, baby bonding, healthy eating, budgeting, fitness and career planning. This six month class meets twice a month to motivate women in their roles as mothers.
Years ago, Shantay Piazza ’05 became concerned about the high infant mortality rates in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio and took action. She donated to Moms2B, an organization which provides supplies and education for expectant parents living in high-risk neighborhoods while holding support groups and connecting participants with community resources throughout their pregnancy and after delivery.
