Dutch woman shares why postpartum life in Mumbai became so overwhelming
Ivana Perkovic, an Amsterdam native who documents her life in Mumbai on social media, shared snippets from the hospital after giving birth and reflected on how childbirth and postpartum care differed from what she was used to in the Netherlands.
A Dutch woman living in Mumbai has opened up about the emotional challenges of becoming a first-time mother in India, saying that while the hospital care exceeded her expectations, life after returning home left her feeling rather overwhelmed.
Ivana Perkovic, an Amsterdam native who documents her life in India on social media, shared snippets from the hospital after giving birth and reflected on how childbirth and postpartum care differed from what she was used to in the Netherlands.
“Giving birth as a foreigner in India was the first time I really experienced how different the medical world is here compared to back home,” she said in her post.
Comparing the two healthcare systems, Perkovic said hospitals in the Netherlands tend to discourage medication during childbirth and discharge mothers quickly. In Mumbai, however, she said she had to insist on having an unmedicated birth.
“In Mumbai, I had to stand my ground to have an unmedicated birth, but once she was here? The care was beautiful. We were given so much space in a wonderful hospital room, and the nurses were so sweet, completely in awe of our daughter. I absolutely loved all that extra care,” she said.
However, the experience changed once she returned to her apartment with her newborn.
Perkovic said living in a small Mumbai apartment, far away from her family and friends, made her feel like an outsider more than ever before. She added that the lack of space meant she could not invite loved ones to stay and help during the postpartum period.
She also recalled that Mumbai was experiencing an intense heatwave at the time, with temperatures regularly crossing 40 degrees Celsius, making it difficult to even take short walks outside.
“I was terrified to step outside. The traffic here is so much faster and more chaotic than Bangalore because of the massive roads, and since I didn’t know the city yet, I had no idea which places were even safe to go to with a newborn. It was awfully isolating,” she said.
Perkovic said her adopted dog, Bambi, became her “saving grace” during those months, giving her a reason to step outside each day while her husband was at work.
“She is the most calming, therapeutic soul, and she gave me a safe reason to step outside every single day. She kept me grounded when my surroundings felt completely overwhelming,” she said.
By the time her daughter was four months old, however, Perkovic said she had reached her limit and decided to return to the Netherlands for a break.
“I had completely enough of Mumbai and its shenanigans, and I knew I needed to pack a bag and fly back to the Netherlands just to breathe,” she said.
The video is part of Ivana Perkovic's ongoing series documenting her move from Amsterdam to India.
A Dutch woman living in Mumbai has opened up about the emotional challenges of becoming a first-time mother in India, saying that while the hospital care exceeded her expectations, life after returning home left her feeling rather overwhelmed.
Ivana Perkovic, an Amsterdam native who documents her life in India on social media, shared snippets from the hospital after giving birth and reflected on how childbirth and postpartum care differed from what she was used to in the Netherlands.
“Giving birth as a foreigner in India was the first time I really experienced how different the medical world is here compared to back home,” she said in her post.
Comparing the two healthcare systems, Perkovic said hospitals in the Netherlands tend to discourage medication during childbirth and discharge mothers quickly. In Mumbai, however, she said she had to insist on having an unmedicated birth.
“In Mumbai, I had to stand my ground to have an unmedicated birth, but once she was here? The care was beautiful. We were given so much space in a wonderful hospital room, and the nurses were so sweet, completely in awe of our daughter. I absolutely loved all that extra care,” she said.
However, the experience changed once she returned to her apartment with her newborn.
Perkovic said living in a small Mumbai apartment, far away from her family and friends, made her feel like an outsider more than ever before. She added that the lack of space meant she could not invite loved ones to stay and help during the postpartum period.
She also recalled that Mumbai was experiencing an intense heatwave at the time, with temperatures regularly crossing 40 degrees Celsius, making it difficult to even take short walks outside.
“I was terrified to step outside. The traffic here is so much faster and more chaotic than Bangalore because of the massive roads, and since I didn’t know the city yet, I had no idea which places were even safe to go to with a newborn. It was awfully isolating,” she said.
Perkovic said her adopted dog, Bambi, became her “saving grace” during those months, giving her a reason to step outside each day while her husband was at work.
“She is the most calming, therapeutic soul, and she gave me a safe reason to step outside every single day. She kept me grounded when my surroundings felt completely overwhelming,” she said.
By the time her daughter was four months old, however, Perkovic said she had reached her limit and decided to return to the Netherlands for a break.
“I had completely enough of Mumbai and its shenanigans, and I knew I needed to pack a bag and fly back to the Netherlands just to breathe,” she said.
The video is part of Ivana Perkovic's ongoing series documenting her move from Amsterdam to India.
A Dutch woman living in Mumbai has opened up about the emotional challenges of becoming a first-time mother in India, saying that while the hospital care exceeded her expectations, life after returning home left her feeling rather overwhelmed.
Ivana Perkovic, an Amsterdam native who documents her life in India on social media, shared snippets from the hospital after giving birth and reflected on how childbirth and postpartum care differed from what she was used to in the Netherlands.
“Giving birth as a foreigner in India was the first time I really experienced how different the medical world is here compared to back home,” she said in her post.
Comparing the two healthcare systems, Perkovic said hospitals in the Netherlands tend to discourage medication during childbirth and discharge mothers quickly. In Mumbai, however, she said she had to insist on having an unmedicated birth.
“In Mumbai, I had to stand my ground to have an unmedicated birth, but once she was here? The care was beautiful. We were given so much space in a wonderful hospital room, and the nurses were so sweet, completely in awe of our daughter. I absolutely loved all that extra care,” she said.
However, the experience changed once she returned to her apartment with her newborn.
Perkovic said living in a small Mumbai apartment, far away from her family and friends, made her feel like an outsider more than ever before. She added that the lack of space meant she could not invite loved ones to stay and help during the postpartum period.
She also recalled that Mumbai was experiencing an intense heatwave at the time, with temperatures regularly crossing 40 degrees Celsius, making it difficult to even take short walks outside.
“I was terrified to step outside. The traffic here is so much faster and more chaotic than Bangalore because of the massive roads, and since I didn’t know the city yet, I had no idea which places were even safe to go to with a newborn. It was awfully isolating,” she said.
Perkovic said her adopted dog, Bambi, became her “saving grace” during those months, giving her a reason to step outside each day while her husband was at work.
“She is the most calming, therapeutic soul, and she gave me a safe reason to step outside every single day. She kept me grounded when my surroundings felt completely overwhelming,” she said.
By the time her daughter was four months old, however, Perkovic said she had reached her limit and decided to return to the Netherlands for a break.
“I had completely enough of Mumbai and its shenanigans, and I knew I needed to pack a bag and fly back to the Netherlands just to breathe,” she said.
The video is part of Ivana Perkovic's ongoing series documenting her move from Amsterdam to India.
