Welcome to UTSAV

Welcome to UTSAV! 

I am Amba, a Physiotherapist, Certified Childbirth Educator (CBI-USA), Birth Doula, Certified Breastfeeding Counselor  and Certified Fitness Trainer(AFM-Chennai). I developed a keen interest in pregnancy and childbirth after I was blessed with a kid in Jan 2010. The pregnancy and birth experience I had, prompted me to do my certification in Childbirth Education from Childbirth International(CBI -USA). 


The certification enabled me to launch UTSAV to help women lead a healthy and happy life. UTSAV means Celebration in Sanskrit. UTSAV focuses on bringing healthy life to women as they are the ones who bring happiness to the whole family. 

Through UTSAV, I offer support to women during their Pregnancy and Post-pregnancy period. 

Gallery : Click here for more pictures.

Contact Numbers

Contact numbers :
Mobile - 99625 03415
Landline - 044-2267 0729

Doula Support and Birth Story of Niranjani and Arun

Latest Doula Support Birth Story from Niranjani and Arun!!!

Arun and Niranjani

This is our birth story and how important it was to have attended UTSAV classes, having Amba as our Doula in creating a positive birth experience.

I had attended UTSAV prenatal classes while I was 6 months pregnant.

Initially I was very skeptical about these classes but when I was diagnosed to have border sugars I was determined to do exercise to keep them under control. That was when I decided I should give a shot in attending these classes to learn exercise.

After attending class one I realized that the class was much more than just learning exercise. It was educational class not just for me but also for my parents who had taken efforts to attend these classes with me. Amba took so much efforts in clearing all myths around pregnancy and how we can have a positive birth experience.

Breastfeeding was extensively covered during classes the importance of which was known only after my baby girl was born.

When there were thousands of advices from ppl all around UTSAV classes gave me confidence and knowledge to not fall for them.

The classes and exercises taught during classes helped keep my sugars under control and most importantly helped me develop a beautiful relationship with my girl right from womb.

When Amba repeatedly stressed the importance of talking to baby inside the womb I did it though I did not know how effective it will be.

But this was a turning point in my birth story :)

So here goes the story of how I met my beautiful daughter :)

My expected date of delivery was 24th Sep. I had a visit on 30th Aug and my gynec had asked me to wait till 10th of Sep to see if my sugars were under control. Till 37th week I kept my sugars under control by exercising regularly and through diet. To my surprise my sugars started increasing by 6th of Sep.

I immediately met my doctor on the 9th at around 11 am and she asked me to get admitted around 7 pm to induce labor as increasing sugars might pose risk to my girl.

The moment I returned home I started getting mild contractions and mucus plug discharge.

I immediately started doing duck walk and practiced breathing exercises I wasn’t tensed I was excited to meet my girl :)

I spoke to Amba before I got admitted and it created a surge of positive energy in me. I got admitted around 8 pm and I was given my first gel at 9pm.

By morning 2 am I was only 1 cm dilated and was given the second gel. At 6 am I had my PV and I was still only 1 cm dilated.

Doctor decided to start me on drips.

Around 8am Amba had come to help me through labor and I was all prepared to do exercises use birthing ball.

At 9 am I had a PV again and it was the worst of all they had done membrane stripping

I literally clenched Amba’s hand as I couldn’t bear the pain.

At 10 am my waters wear broken and I had dilated only 1 cm

I was totally down as I wasn’t able to do any exercise I was stuck in between my IV and CTG

All I was able to do was just lie down which was mentally depressing.

I started having severe contractions every few mins. The moment I settled after one contraction I had another one all reaching its peak.

I wasn’t able to implement breathing exercise as I was completely diverted by my contractions. My husband was very supportive and was constantly giving me positive thoughts.

Amba repeated efforts to focus on breathing techniques helped me a lot better to handle the pain. By 2.30 pm I was 4cm dilated.

I couldn’t bear pain and I had no hopes on sustaining the pain.

I screamed for epidural to be given

I was guilty I asked for an epidural as I was determined not to have on the other hand I was emotionally down as the other birth stories that I had heard of lasted for few hours and mine was a prolonged labor.

I finally got epidural around 3 pm and my pain was much better. I was still emotionally down and bursted out crying to let go of my anxiety. At 3.30pm in spite of having epidural I started having severe pain in my pelvic region and I could feel my baby girl moving down. That was the rock bottom. I thought epidural will relive my pain for a while but that didn’t happen.

I wanted to see my parents and husband as I thought I won’t survive this labor process.

I was still emotionally down. I had no confidence left in me.

That’s when I remembered POSITIVE BIRTH EXPERIENCE. I started telling myself I am gonna face this and I can bear this pain.

My girl is a fighter and she will help me through this.

The moment I started feeling positive things turned positively as well.

I was 8cm dilated at 3.30pm. Amba was absolutely right. When I was down that my dilation didn’t cross 4 cm from 7.30 pm -2.30 pm she told that dilation is just a number it can dilate from 4-8 cm even in few mins.

That really was true I was dilated from 4-8cm in half an hour. I gained my confidence the moment I heard 8cm I was excited :)))

By 4.15 pm I was fully dilated and I got pushing sensations.

I had a PV to check by baby’s position. I was taken aback when doctors told my baby hasn’t turned.

I was shattered I lost all hopes. I looked at Amba and told she is my girl she will turn.

I spoke to my girl I told her I believe in her and I am gonna meet her soon. My girl was hearing me :)

I started pushing with all the energy left.

I was exhausted I couldn’t push. Amba was constantly motivating me. She was literally carrying my legs and helping me push with her positive words. That’s when I heard my husband say that he could see our girls head. That boosted my confidence back. Yes I am gonna meet her soon and she will be in the right position.

Finally my baby little angel arrived at 4.51pm, most importantly she TURNED and came out in the right posture. Yes it really worked. Talking to your baby makes a lot of difference.

What a surreal moment that was :) I will cherish each and every moment of my labour throughout my life.

Amba was not just a doula, her support in our journey was much more than that.

Without her help I am sure I wouldn’t have been able to sustain the pain. UTSAV classes also was pivotal in my journey of pregnancy I relished every bit of it :)

Myself and my husband are fortunate to have her as a part in the most important event of our life 

x

Mrs. Vaanathi review of classes and her baby's Birth Story

Here is the latest birth story/review of UTSAV Classes. Original link: https://www.facebook.com/vaanathis/posts/10155572736797705:0

Hi All,

I gave birth to a baby boy on 9th Feb in Malar hospital. My due date was Feb 6th and since I didn't had any pain it was induced on Feb 8th. On Feb 9th morning 6 AM I was moved to labour room and delivered a baby boy via normal delivery at 2 PM.

I planned my delivery initially in Bangalore. But in one of the scan report the water level was mentioned as low and I was told that I may have to deliver a premie baby. Scared, I moved to Chennai at 34th week and stayed in my cousin's place and started consulting Dr Thenmozhi from Malar hospital who recommended to go to Amba Mam's class.

I moved to Chennai not to have a normal delivery but to have a full term baby. I had a very low tolerance for pain and even my own family members and my friends couldn't believe that I had a normal delivery.

I attended the class when I was in my 36th week. When I was in Bangalore I didn't do any exercises at all and not even walking. At 36 weeks I started off with my exercises (except for duck walk) and did exactly what she taught in the class including the breathing exercises.

The exercises relaxed my muscles which I felt gradually during the last 4 weeks. The breathing exercise especially the 'Candle' one is the only thing I did for almost 7 hours in the labour room. And the pushing position which was taught in the class has helped me a lot during the final stage.

Me and my son are grateful for three people who helped me during my labour - My Husband(didn't even took a break for 8 hours) and the best support person, My doctor (who gave me confidence that full term is possible) and Amba mam(who helped me in preparing for the labour and made normal delivery a possibility for me)

I wish I attended her classes during in the first trimester itself. And my only regret is that I couldn't consult her for lactation since I had to move to my hometown.

Thank you so much Amba Mam and your classes are really helpful even at the last stages of pregnancy. :)

-Vaanathi and Inba

Testimonial of Helen Jospeh and Birth story of Little Ethan

"Every pregnant woman I see look healthy and happy. They do exercises, they walk a lot, they know what to do, what to eat, but I don't. Google mostly adds to my curiosity and worries. Why am I alone looking like a sick lady? How am I going to survive this pregnancy!? Will I live again?" -  answering my questions was the hardest part for anyone. It wasn't easy to get them out. My Family, My Gynec Mr. Kurian Joseph, more importantly Dr. Amba's "Utsav" and I together had to contribute a lot to this.

I had always been an active both at home and at work. However, too many medical complications ever since the beginning of my pregnancy made me feel like I won't succeed my delivery. None of my affirmations really worked because I lacked positivity from within. The sad truth about my life was that my mother was no more and I literally lacked was someone I'd plainly trust and do things the way they say. Hearing me talking about the same, a dear friend of mine, Sharmila recommended that I go meet Dr. Amba. I wasn't very sure why, but Sharmila really forced me to do this. With uncertainty about what great things will this do, I met  Dr. Amba and attended her classes at Utsav. Trust me, the very first session itself boosted all my spirits high and got me the confidence I missed for 8 months. Yes, being pregnant, suddenly started looking beautiful and I loved to hear all that I learnt from Utsav program. I started loving the feel of being pregnant, her exercise regime and diet chart helped me know what to do and what to eat and how to identify every change that happens.
Dr. Amba @ Utsav, taught me all I needed to know about delivering my baby and post delivery self-help as well.

If not for Dr. Amba, I can't imagine knowing how I could have messed screaming and crying out the delivery pain. Having had a breech baby, I had the toughest and hardest pain of all throughout the 9 hours of labour, yet Dr. Amba's training in breath control alone came to rescue. While all other mommy-to-bees in the same ward, were crying their lungs out during their contractions, I practised my breathing exercises as taught by Dr. Amba and saved the energy for the big moment. I didn't take the epidural and took all the pain in and out with the help of the breathing exercises. Yes the time arrived, I cried too, tougher and louder than ever and delivered by breech positioned baby boy, vaginally. Our Beautiful boy breathed and cried out and I calmed down. My delivery doctors and nurses call it a miracle still. My mother was no more and I had no siblings too. In God's grace, I had and I have a very supportive husband and a sister-in-law who took and takes care of me and the baby so well. Post-partum wasn't easy but thankfully, my husband and I had already attended Dr. Amba's classes. Our post-partum days, were hectic, yes. Thanks to Utsav, we had known how to handle it better. Dr. Amba had already taught us how to help the baby latch, how to bath the baby, how to wear the baby, most of the post-partum tensions and questions were pre-answered and we got back home as a happy family.
From,
Helen Joseph

Testimonial from Abinaya and Anandh

Hi Amba, 
This is a feedback from me(Abinaya) and my husband Anandh.
We came to know about the pregnency classes through Dr. Anitha madam. Having already attended a prenatal exercise class in my early pregnency, I obviously expected this to be of same kind. But the first surprise I had was the allowing of family members to the class. I really liked that part . It was very very helpful in my case, since me and my husband were totally unaware of all these stuffs.

The difference I could visibly see between the previous class I attended and this was vast..the obvious difference was that a professional is taking your class and not some other "just-trained" person.

The nutrition schedule has bought a permanent change in our family's lifestyle.The change is visibly seen in all ours healthy day to day activities.
The clear understanding of labour and the level of expectation of easiness in the labour ward has bought confidence in me and my husband .
We have started talking with our baby daily,  and the way our little miracle responds to it is awesome.  Thanks Amba for making us experience the real joy of pregnancy.
Now , I have a personal satisfaction that I have given all my efforts to deliver my baby happily and help my child have a  peaceful stay inside my womb.
This is just because of the class's limelight on labour things and the exercise I do daily.
I have been recommending Amba to all my fellows , who have also found it equally interesting and useful.
Thanks a lot Amba for bringing the change and helping me have a peaceful pregnancy.

Regards,
Abinaya and Anandh

UTSAV- Feedback Janani and Santhangopal

Feedback from Janani and Santhangopal

What we felt before attending the class:

First of all, one of my friend briefed me about pregnancy classes. She always said that it was very useful for her. That made me curious and I started to search online for pre-natal classes conducted nearby my area. That's when we came to know about UTSAV. I immediately explained my husband about these classes. I told him that I really liked to get engaged in such activities for a change as my mind was thrashed with cautions and worries about pregnancy. People around me gave different thoughts and suggestions that I was unable to calm myself down and be happy. We both thought that knowing about what's actually happening during pregnancy, what needs to be done, how to stay healthy and fit during pregnancy would make our mind clear. Also,  as a homemaker I personally felt the need to socialize with similar people for a bit of content and relaxation. He totally agreed with me and started looking through UTSAV website and we signed up for the September 2016 batch.

Our class experience:

I was very much excited when I was told to attend the class along with my husband. We were really impressed by the way Dr. Amba carried our first class. It was an enlightening session for myself and my husband. Gradually we came to know that we were right about our thoughts and decisions. All the questions running inside our head were so promptly answered with perfect examples and facts. We learnt quite more than what we expected. My husband who had very little idea about pregnancy learnt a lot from these sessions and he turned out to be so interested in discussing about his baby. The breathing exercises, diet, managing pain and post delivery tips (breastfeeding, baby massaging, baby wearing) were so helpful. After attending each class, every time I slept at night I felt so peaceful and relaxed. I really loved the way the topics were organised with crisp ppt slides and explanatory videos. It made us clearly understand the truth. I am so happy that now I have a wonderful support person (my husband) beside me who will understand my situation more than anyone and help me overcome discomfort if any. I feel so confident that I can handle this. Thanks a lot to Dr. Amba. 

Some parting words:

Dr. Amba's classes has brought me more closer to nature. I have now started to admire nature's gifts to us human beings. Now, I am more like waiting for this happy event to occur to me called labour. The classes have helped throw away my fear. 

Keep providing the great service.  Your guidance is a valuable gift for all expecting mothers. Thank you.