Dai was originally intended to denote a midwife, someone who used to assist women in childbirth with the experience and expertise of previous generations. Similarly, an Aya was originally supposed to be a nanny who can assist the new mother with child-rearing.

I would like to call it as a malicious and inhuman joke when someone addresses maternity leave as a vacation or break. Even though I was a doctor with lot of knowledge about mother and child care, when it came to pragmatic reality, I realized that it was not my cup of tea.

But what if this bonding and expectation grow out to be a great emotional dependency that we couldn't overcome in our later stages of life? What if it impacts our kid’s life?

Don’t hesitate to take support from your partner, family members, friends, or colleagues. This is the time you would need all the help in the world.

Many women have lost their lives to this darkness. It's high time we raise awareness, and make maternal mental health screening a part of the routine check ups.