With the government bringing in certain relaxations on movement during lockdown 3.0 in non- containment zones and allowing stranded migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students to travel with certain conditions, many pregnant women in Pune are also seeking permission to move to their hometowns or to their parents.
The Twitter handle as well as phone lines of the collectorate and the police commisioner’s office have been flooded with requests from expectant mothers who are seeking permission to travel. While many of them want to travel within the city, others wished to travel to as far as Jharkhand or Amravati for their deliveries.
Police commissioner K Venkatesham said, “We are flooded with requests for permissions from expectant mothers to travel and we are allowing them to travel within reasonable distance, but not all.”
Collector Naval Kishore Ram said, “We are scrutinising each and every individual request from pregnant women and only allowing those which are feasible to travel.”
Sony Kumari, who is seven-months pregnant and stuck in Pune, had been writing to the police for the past four days to seek permission to travel to her home in Jharkhand. “I am still awaiting my permission,” she said.
Anumeha Singh Mahajan will welcome her first child in June this year and was elated when she got her permissions even though she had to wait a long time for it. “My husband is stuck in Bangkok since March end, and I was alone at my husband’s residence in Rahatne. I am nine-months pregnant and I had to travel to my parents two weeks ago, so I took permission from the police for both check-ups as well as for travelling to my parents’ home. Finally, I got permission to shift to my parents’ residence in Hadapsar. I also had to change my hospital for the delivery.”
{{/usCountry}}Anumeha Singh Mahajan will welcome her first child in June this year and was elated when she got her permissions even though she had to wait a long time for it. “My husband is stuck in Bangkok since March end, and I was alone at my husband’s residence in Rahatne. I am nine-months pregnant and I had to travel to my parents two weeks ago, so I took permission from the police for both check-ups as well as for travelling to my parents’ home. Finally, I got permission to shift to my parents’ residence in Hadapsar. I also had to change my hospital for the delivery.”
{{/usCountry}}Neha Patil, who is expecting her first child in June, is looking forward to visit her parents in Nashik for the delivery. “There is a lot of excitement in my house, with this being their first grandchild. I was registered for delivery in Nashik, but I was prepared to deliver my child in Pune too, if the permission did not come through. I live with my husband in Chinchwad. It is my first child and I wanted to stay with my parents as there are so many emotions that we go through. In Pune, no one is there to take care of me, and I had applied for intercity travel permission to Nashik. The police responded to my phone call and to my tweets. My husband and I will be travelling by our car. It took time to get permissions, but I was prepared to deliver in Pune, in case, I didn’t get the permission.”
‘Online counselling, consultation available for expectant mothers’
Dr Sanjay Gupte, past president of Fogsi (federation of obstetrics and gynaecologist societies of India) and ethics committee chairperson of the federation international of gynaecologists and obstetrics (Figo) said that it is quite natural for first-time expectant mothers to feel the need of their parents with them.
“There is extreme anxiety among new parents to be, as it is a big task and they are taking a lot of care, but they need the assurance of their elders. I have got calls from at least 25 young couples, who feel that either of their parents should be with them during the delivery and want permissions from the police to allow so,” said Dr Gupte.
He suggests getting parents to Pune instead of the expectant mothers travelling. “One of my patients, needed her mother and we requested the police. The police officials ensured her mother came from Latur to Pune in time for the delivery, which went off smoothly,” he added.
Most of the young couples are from IT sector and are away from their relatives, hence many are worried about the pregnancy and delivery. “Thus, to ease their minds, we have offered extra days’ stay for the parents till the new mother is confident of handling the baby and feeding, because without the guidance of her mother or relative, young mothers will have to learn everything on their own,” said Dr Gupte.
Gupte also offers them online consultation and counselling during their visits in the 30th week. At around 7 months pregnant, the young couple is taught about managing the baby and post delivery precautions.
Gupte also employs a breastfeeding consultant, and physiotherapist on call. “We make sure that only pregnant women enter the hospital premises while husbands wait outside. Everyone is screened outside the gate, and sanitised,” added Gupte.