Author: Kritika Verma

Importance of Prenatal Classes

September 25th, 2025

When our journey to pregnancy started, my partner and I was very happy. We felt fortunate and blissful, we still feel the same way despite the ins and outs of life. Around week 4-5, I start to recollect all the birth stories shared by my family, relatives, and friends. Most of them were not really helpful to hear. I was very sure that I want to understand all about pregnancy from someone outside my family circle, more like an expert. Some of my friends suggested to go for Prenatal classes. I found couple of options and finally decided to go with the Childbearing Society in-person classes. It was so worth it! My recommendation is to get the classes if you can. These classes are tailored to educate you all about childbirth. And remember education is always empowering. After my classes, both of us felt very positive.

Another good reason to go for these classes apart from educating yourself is to get your partner’s involvement. During pregnancy, your body and mind will go through a lot of changes. As an expecting mom, you will feel all these changes, especially the internal ones. However, it is equally important for your partner to understand about all these changes. I saw a visible difference in my partner’s understanding post these classes. He got more emotionally involved, which is really important. As much as it is important for the birthing mother to educate herself, it is equally important for the partner too to understand the childbirth.

Is it better to join the classes online or in-person? I highly recommend joining the classes in-person, if you have the option nearby. As the experience is way better in-person versus online.

When should I take the classes? It all depends on your work and classes schedule. How many classes are offered, how well they are aligning with your work schedule, etc. I started my classes around week 20 (early second trimester). All the other couples in my classes were in their third trimester. In my opinion, these classes should neither be taken too early or too late. The advantage that I felt doing the classes early is 1) I was able to sit for long as my baby was still small. 2) I had plenty of time to read the materials forwarded by my instructor afterwards. The drawback for some doing the classes early is that you may not remember everything at the time of birth, especially the coping techniques. For me, I like to read, so I read a lot, made some sticky notes for my ninth month, added calendar events for myself to remember all the things that I needed to do.

How soon should I book the classes? Again, this totally depends on your location and how busy is the prenatal education center. Mostly these classes book out really fast. So, if you are planning to take one, scheduling in advance is always good.

Is it really helpful to do the classes when all the information is available online? That’s a very legit concern. Absolutely, all the content is available online. In fact there are so many good books one can read. But in these classes, the content is so streamlined and your instructor is quite experienced that you will get to know about everything that’s there to know! Once you get on your pregnancy journey, you might feel overwhelmed with all the information, so it’s better to take the classes, if you can. Also, these classes indulge your partner which is very important for the birthing mama.

Prenatal Classes Recommendation? I would say, search for the classes nearby as per your location. Read the reviews if there’s any. If you are in lower mainland, BC – you will have some really good options (I am sure other locations will have many good options as well). I took my classes from Childbearing Society, Vancouver which I really liked! If you couldn’t find one that suits your calendar or location, I find Prenatal classes on Commune to be very helpful as well. If you are looking for Ayurvedic Prenatal Education class, I’d recommend checking Dhayana Masla’s classes. They are a bit $$$ but I am sure, it will be worth it, if you can afford it.

I hope you find this article helpful!
Hemorrhoids in Pregnancy

September 25th, 2025
Is it common to have Hemorrhoids in Pregnancy? Yes, it is quite common to have hemorrhoids in Pregnancy. The leading cause behind this is constipation or irritable bowels. Though they are very painful to deal with but with proper care, you can get some relief within 3 days – 1 week. If your hemorrhoid is extremely painful, have pus and blood then it is best recommended to consult your midwife or OBGYN first before starting any treatment on your own.

What causes Hemorrhoids exactly? During pregnancy your blood volume increases and as your uterus grows in size, it puts a lot of pressure down there. Not everyone gets it in pregnancy but if you get some, please be assured that it is okay and they are treatable. If you are constipating then it is quite easy to get hemorrhoid especially in later stages of pregnancy. Also, some studies suggests that supplements can also cause hemorrhoids. In my understanding, if you taking iron supplements, you can get constipated which can trigger hemorrhoids. Remember, this is not a life long condition, it will go away eventually :).

How to care for Hemorrhoids? Prevention is always better than cure! I advise everyone who is on their pregnancy journey, to keep themselves hydrated, eat a lot of fiber rich food, and limit the intake of caffeine.

Also, do not sit for prolonged period of time. Get up every hour and move as this will help with blood circulation. Walking and prenatal yoga is also very beneficial.

Here’s few things that can help you heal faster if you got hemorroihoids:

DIET:
- Increase the intake of fiber rich foods in your diet. You can also take psyllium husk powder.
  Tip: The best way to take psyllium husk is add a tablespoon powder in half cup warm water, let it sit for a minute. This will allow the powder to rise completely and then add the remaining half cup of water. Always best it to consume it in warm water. You can also take it with milk.
- Eat lots of fruits. Papaya can be helpful too.
- Avoid oily, spicy, or heavy to digest food for some time. As this can make your constipation worse.
Tropical Treatments:
- Take some Vitamin E oil and then apply it on your hemorrhoid directly and then with the help of your finger, try to push the bulge inside. This method saved me from the dreadful pain! It will take real strength to apply pressure on the bulge but trust me, you will get some relief within few days.
- Sitz Bath! They are also very helpful and a must to do. You can do it simply in luke warm water. You can also use Epsom salt. I find sitz bath with Epsom salt more helpful. Herbal sitz bath can also be very soothing. I used Earth Mama Herbal pads as well, which I think was okay but not super helpful. Buy a sitz bath tub as they are super helpful for butt immersion. I got mine from amazon.
- Grated potato can also be applied to get some relief from the inflammation. Grate a potato and put it in between a muslin cloth and apply it directly. This will help with inflammation. You can also chill (not freeze) the grated potato for better cooling effect.
- Neem oil is an excellent source to fight off infections and aids in healing. Do not apply concentrated neem oil directly. I diluted my neem oil with Vit E oil and applied it tropically.
- Rubin supplements, my midwife suggested me to take Rubin supplement to help with inflammation. These are safe to consume and be easily found on amazon. I struggled to find it in the drug store
- Tucks pad can also help for many but I didn’t it super helpful in my case. For my healing, I stick to natural/herbal remedies only. Same goes for tropical ointments, I was at week 30 when I got hemorrhoids, and I didn’t want to take any chance with OTC medications.
- Donut pillow. I personally find it not useful at all. When I sat on it, I felt more pressure down there actually. I wouldn’t recommend it. I ended up returning my donut pillow next day.
It is important to give some time for healing. Hemorrhoids doesn’t go away in a day. With proper care, you can get some relief within few days but do not expect major relief on day 1. Patience is key here.

Hope you find this article helpful.
Reading: A path of wisdom taking you across the Universe

March 24th, 2025

From my collection.

There is so much joy that I find in reading and writing. A habit inculcated in me by my mother. And just to be clear, I was not a studious kind of a kid. I would find science or math’s books rather dull… It was history, english, hindi, budhcharitramanas that excited me as a kid.

When I was in 8^th grade, my mother got few novels from somewhere and told me to read them in my free time, if possible.

The first one I read was a fantasy-fiction-thriller novel If Tomorrow Comes based on Sydney Sheldon’s adaption followed by Chayankya Neeti, Kafka on the Shore, Men without Women, Norwegian Woods, What I talk about when I talk about running, Two States, Vagina Monologues, and so on…

Art and literature was my happy place. All these books served as a great starting point until I reached college.

Chemistry, Maths, and Physics was my major subjects in school but I was more drawn towards literary work. Around the end of my college, I started reading more autobiographies and self-help books. I instantly felt a more deeper connection to this genre. For example, I read Herman Hesse’s book Siddhartha almost 10 years ago and still I think of it. Such a remarkable work! To this day, the core message of this book consoles me deeply.

I was never sure what I want to do in life career wise but one thought came to me naturally that one day I will write a book. I had said it in multiple interviews too that my goal in life is to write a book. If I ask the same question again to myself today, I have some answers but I will still say, I want to write a book.

I want to keep this post short and simple. To all my readers, I just want to say reading can be a very relaxing exercise. It will give you views and you can reach the minds of many people across continents by reading their work. When you read different works, you challenge yourself with their thoughts and trust me there is no harm in doing so, you will end up learning something either about the world or yourself.

Create a mini library in your home, visit different book stores, set a goal for yourself. When boredom hits you, pick a paperback instead of sleeping or procrastinating.

Try experimenting and exploring. The world is full of books!

I hope you find some joy while reading this.

-Kritika
My Experience at Vipasaana – 10 Day Meditation Course

November 28th, 2019
Vipassana: 100 Hours of Meditation to be completed in 10 days of Noble Silence

For the past year, I have been delaying my quest to go for Vipassana. Then on one fine sunny day in November, I finally arrived at Dhamma Salila, Dehradun Vipassana Centre to participate in the 10-day meditation programme.

I came to know about Vipassana via word of mouth. Like many of you, I have the same pool of questions running back & forth in my mind before actually commencing the course. Here I am going to narrate my vivid 10-day experience at Vipassana.

So what exactly is Vipassana?

History:
Vipassana is an ancient meditation technique long discovered by Siddartha Guatama after attaining Nirvana. Following his death, his disciples kept on spreading the teaching. But with time the true essence of teaching faded away from India. However, one country, Myanmar, kept the absoluteness of Buddha’s teachings alive with its true essence. Years later S. N Goenka (Burmese resident then) achieved the authorization to teach from his master U Ba Khin. In 1969, he left his family business and moved to India to spread the path of liberation to humankind.
Meaning of Vipassana:
The compulsive breakdown of Vipassana describes it as Vi (Special/विशेष) + Passana (Insight/अन्तर्दृष्टि). The 10-days Vipassana course is purely devoted to one prime purpose i.e., meditation.

One notion that needed to be cleared very first is that this 10-day programme cannot change your life drastically. I mean, it can, depending on how much you have given yourself in 10 days or will give afterwards. The change will start from within. You can’t expect a brighter, more powerful and smart version of yourself walking out in just 10 days. You only have to give your best to calm your mind and body in these 10 days.

As I mentioned earlier, about the qualms before going for Vipassana. I have read a lot about it before finally embarking on this journey. Talked to a few friends as well, who have been there, learned more about their experiences. And after all the research, I realized – Vipassana demands determination and dedication. Indeed my premonition came out to be true.

Vipassana centres are located globally (i.e., in India & Abroad as well). All the centres run purely on donation basis. One need not to pay a single penny to be a part of it. I have completed my course in Dehradun – A mesmerizing centre located amidst forest area on the outskirts of the city.

What makes Vipassana tough is the set of rules one must follow for 10 days, which includes:
- Maintaining noble silence for 10 days, you are not allowed to sing or talk to your fellow meditators, not even through eye-contact or hand gestures.
- No external contact to be maintained.
- Forbid all the other religious practice like beads chanting, prayers, fasting for 10 days.
- No phone, no reading and writing material allowed.
- No fraganants like bath oils/perfumes.
- Wear decent clothes only.
- Male & Females residents are separated; not allowed to conversate to any fellow male meditator as well.
- Waking up at 4 am daily and going to bed by 9:30 latest.
- No dinner for 10 days straight.
- Only Sattvic food is to be served.
All the Vipassana centres follow these set of rules:
And here is how time is being spent each day for 10 days.
- 4:00 am: The day will start at 4:00 am. Dhamma Servers (Sevaks) will ring a bell in outside your room, signalling a wake-up call.
- 4:30 am – 6:30 am: Group Meditation in Dhamma Hall
- 6:30 am – 7:00 am: Breakfast
- 7:00 am – 8:00 am: Rest
- 8:00 am – 11:00 am: Meditation
- 11:00 am – 11:30 am: Lunch
- 11:30 – 1:00 pm: Rest
- 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Meditation
- 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm: Evening Snacks
- 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm: Rest
- 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Meditation
- 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Discourse lesson by S N Goenka
- 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm – Meditation
- 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Q&A session with the teacher, if any
Following this timetable, I have spent the 10 most memorable days of my life!

My Experience with Vipassana

10 days seems like a lot of time, especially when you are in a no communication zone. It makes you ponder about a lot of things. Which for me starts with this one thought – Do I really have to wake up that early? Back at home, I usually get up by 7:00 am. But here it was like 4:00 am when you hear the wake up bell. It was quite chilly in Dehradun in late November and 4:00 am made me walking with a cap, jacket, muffler, hovered with blanked and still quivering!

But after 2 days I realized, it’s just a matter of getting out of the bed. Once you’re out, you’re good. Once awake, I only go to bed at 9:00 pm. One can have a little sleep during the break hours, a few meditators prefer to rest as well. I didn’t really took naps in between (that’s because I took them while meditating :D).

Another struggle was sitting long stretch of hours all day long. It was really a challenge. For the first 5 days, my back and especially leg was experiencing extreme pain. Early morning meditation sitting (4:30 am – 6:30 am) was also a real trouble for me. For the first few days, I donned my legs up, head down and just slept. I just couldn’t meditate that early. But that’s because I have never been a morning person! But thereafter, I thought to myself, am I here for sleeping? So, I tried not to sleep. After 2 or 3 days eventually I was adjusted to the time table quite well.

Then at 6:30 am, the breakfast bell rings. We were served Sattvic food on all 10 days and it was delicious! I could have that food for the rest of my life if given a choice! Breakfast compromises of either Upma/Poha/Idli Sambhar along with Milk, Tea, Black Tea, Porridge (Daliya – Sweet & Plain) & Jaggery.

Since the ashram runs purely on donations, there were no dishwashing facilities available. We all were allotted a set of utensils on the very first day, which we have to clean by ourself (only the ones that you use like – plates, bowls, spoons, & glass).

To secure the rest of my time, I bathe early at 7:00 am on all days, do my laundry and then start my day with a morning walk. At 8:00 am, the group meditation bells ring. So we all march towards the Dhamma (meditation) Hall.

Lunch and evening snacks have a sufficient quantity of food items available. Not even a single day, I slept hungry, despite not having dinner. I appropriately used to take milk, fruit, and puffed rice as evening snacks.

During my free time, I spent most of my time walking, looking at monkeys playing, or just lay on the grass. At times, I also took 10 -15 minutes nap at noon time under the tree. It was a life-time experience. For 10 days straight, I have not even heard from my mother. And honestly, nature made me forget my city-life troubles, phone, and all other materialistic love that I have for my valuables.

First three days, we were all taught anaa-panaa kriya which basically means to focus on your breathing. And by focus, I mean – a very deliberate focus. Focus from which nostril air is coming in and from which nostril it is going out, focus the path of inhaled air, the flow of breathing.

That sounds simple right? But even the simplest method like this requires enormous attention of mind. I particularly was flooded with one thought followed by another. Even focusing for 10 seconds became difficult.

After three days, we were given the Vipassana. A process where you have to focus on each part of your body bit by bit.

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And on the 10th day, we were told about Matree practice – wherein you share the feeling of gratitude &love for all.

For 10 days I have pondered over a lot of things. How I have gone beyond too much for people and hurt my myself and where I was biased with my decisions. I realized how difficult it is to shun the brain and to focus. Since I was not able to focus, I grew irritated by the 5th day. Then I talked to the teacher, realizing it’s normal for the brain to process that way! That’s how it’s been structured.

Then I started to concentrate on thoughts as well. The link of one though to another. It’s origin – past or future or perfect imagination! I got some answers… I heard that people broke down or ran away mid-course. But I have not wept or felt like running even a single day. Only on 8th day during the 8 am meditation, I witnessed 2 or 3 tears – a result of an unpleasant memory from the past.

I have still not gathered all the answers. I am still dubious over my decisions. But now I have realized that how I have tangled myself. Which aspects of me need to be taken care of!

The other two questions which I had before going for Vipassana and is now clear are:
How safe is it for females travelling solo?
It is very safe. My programme has females of all age group. There were females from India, Russia, Poland, England, & France. A total of 40 females were a part of it.
Do they convert you into any religion?
Not at all. Vipassana is based on the meditation technique taught by the Buddha and hence it does not preach Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity, Parsi or etc. Their meaning of Dharma or Religion is to promote kindness and humankind. Be an awakened soul!
The Ultimate Message I took from Vipassana
Stop all your cravings and aversion. Maintain equanimity within. You have been granted a human life so be aware of yourself.

Be Happy!!

Feel free to write at vermakritz0914@gmail for any queries 🙂

Author: Kritika Verma

Importance of Prenatal Classes

Hemorrhoids in Pregnancy

Reading: A path of wisdom taking you across the Universe

My Experience at Vipasaana – 10 Day Meditation Course

Vipassana: 100 Hours of Meditation to be completed in 10 days of Noble Silence

So what exactly is Vipassana?