Actor and writer Kalki Koechlin has been vocal about her experience with natural childbirth, particularly her decision to opt for a water birth when she welcomed her daughter, Sappho, with partner and musician Guy Hershberg. The couple’s daughter was born on February 7, 2020, and Kalki has been vocal about her water birth, advocating others about its health benefits too.
Why Kalki believes water birth deserves more recognition?
In a candid conversation with content creator Aleena Dissects, Kalki expressed her strong support for water birthing, describing it as a process that is gentler for both mother and child. “Water birthing should be standard practice,” she said, emphasising the comfort and reduced trauma for babies who transition from amniotic fluid into warm water. For mothers, too, she explained, the recovery process is often smoother due to the natural pain relief water provides during labor.
She further added, “There’s a lot of research backing this up. It eases the shock for the baby and allows for a more peaceful delivery overall. I truly believe this should be the protocol for natural births.”
Stigma and accessibility remain barriers
Despite the positive outcomes associated with water births, Kalki acknowledged that it remains far from the norm in many places. “There’s still a stigma around it,” she admitted, noting that some people view the method as strange or even liken it to something out of a “cult” or label it as a "chudail practice". She pointed out that this mindset stems largely from a lack of awareness and proper information.
She also noted that cost is a practical barrier. “It’s more expensive in some places, and that definitely puts people off,” she said. “But there are hospitals that offer it -the problem is, people just don’t know about their options.”
A 17-Hour Journey to Meet Sappho
Kalki’s own birthing experience was both intense and empowering. Taking to Instagram shortly after Sappho’s birth, she shared her appreciation for the medical team at Tulip Women's Care, especially her doctors Dr. Sheetal Sabharwal and Dr. Ravi Punjabi.
“I was in labor for 17 hours,” she recalled. “By the end, I was exhausted and begged them to just take the baby out any way they could. But they stayed with me, encouraged me, and said, ‘You’ve come this far, you’re going to have your natural water birth.’ An hour later, Sappho was born. They are miracle workers.”
As a public figure, Kalki's advocacy may encourage more women to explore their options and demand access to less conventional yet highly beneficial birthing techniques like water births.
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