Baby’s day out

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: ending with a healthy snack.vNot surprisingly, after this treat, most women end up choosing to deliver at Sitaram Bhartiya.

“We did about 1,300 deliveries in the past two years and our CS rate is only about 50%,” informs Anindita Baidya, senior manager, marketing and programme development at Sitaram Bhartiya. “The birthing programme obviously helps, because elsewhere if you check, the CS ratio would be much higher.”

About the popularity of the programme, Baidya says, “We have been maintaining a steady flow of clients on word of mouth publicity and goodwill. Encouraged by the response and in keeping with the changing market dynamics, we have now started reaching out to the masses through free counseling workshops and testimonials.”

In terms of media preference, she cites print and radio, where spends are about Rs 2 lakh per annum—not substantial, but good for a category of service, which has yet to cut mass appeal.

Not to be outdone, Fortis Group’s La Femme has a “very private”, very well-appointed wing at Greater Kailash II in Delhi that runs an Antenatal Care Programme (ANCP). This is structured trimester-wise to help the expectant mother deal with stress at every stage of her pregnancy. The interactive sessions, similar in design to Apollo’s are held on weekends to make it convenient for working parents-to-be to attend. The complementary sessions (for those who opt for a delivery at La Femme) include a module on nutrition, pre-natal counseling, lifestyle management, preparation for labour and childbirth.

The approach must be working as Dr Jasbir Chandna, who practices at Fortis La Femme vouches, “Women who attend our programme are easier to handle. They come mentally and psycholo-gically prepared into the LDR. They are aware of the medical processes and their options (for example, use of epidurals). I prefer them to patients who walk into the labour room absolutely raw, not knowing what to do, how to cope with the pain etc.”

One popular feature of these programmes, is the hospital’s insistence on spousal participation. “This comes in handy later. A spouse’s support can be very vital at such a time,” asserts Dr Chandna.