Challenge
Thirteen years ago, when my wife was expecting our daughter, we knew very little about what constituted a healthy pregnancy or natural birthing process. Despite our eagerness to do everything right, reliable information and support systems for natural birthing were scarce in South India.
Discovery &
Approach
My curiosity and drive for excellence led me to explore water birthing — a concept virtually unheard of at the time.
Through research, we found a visiting Doula from the US — Yoli, based in Bengaluru. After meeting her, I decided to place my trust in her guidance. She introduced us to the science and psychology of childbirth, helping us understand how a woman’s body naturally facilitates delivery.
We attended theory sessions with her — sometimes even in informal setups like restaurants — learning through handouts, models, and real stories. On the day of delivery, she stood by us in the hospital, negotiating between medical protocols and our goal of a natural birth.
NLP Application
In NLP terms, I modeled her mindset, strategies, and beliefs. By internalizing her confidence, approach, and process, we created a template for natural birthing within a hospital environment — something we successfully replicated and refined for subsequent pregnancies.
Later, I enhanced this model further by studying midwives at Birth Village, Kerala, where water birthing practices were gaining traction. These experiences deepened my understanding of how NLP can turn a lived experience into a reproducible blueprint for success.
Result
Today, this birthing model has inspired many others.
Recently, a couple from Madurai who had attended my workshop during their first pregnancy visited us again — this time determined to experience a natural birth after an earlier C-section. By modeling our approach and mindset, they returned home equipped with the confidence and contacts needed to pursue water birthing for their second child.
The lesson: Pursuing excellence always leaves behind a template for others to follow.
