Ayurvedic Care Before, During, and After Pregnancy

 Pregnancy is a unique period for every woman. It’s a period of joy and expectations. But it can be tiring as well since women go through hormonal changes and mood swings during this period. However, Ayurveda provides natural care throughout the pregnancy period — from conception to giving birth, to combat the mental and physical issues a woman goes through. No matter which the ayurvedic wellness centre is, expectant mothers will be furnished with a customized treatment plan that includes nutritional diets and soothing therapies, which ultimately balance the doshas, keep the mothers calm and pave the way to easy labour.

Ayurveda considers pregnancy as a special time when utmost care is needed for the expectant mother. Therefore, the science of Ayurveda offers care for the prenatal as well as postnatal period. Since Ayurveda is a holistic wellness system, it elevates and balances the physical as well as emotional health of every mother.

Let’s see how Ayurveda helps mothers-to-be in each stage of pregnancy

Before Pregnancy
Ayurveda states that the health of the baby depends on four factors: Period of conception (Ritu), the health of Uterus (Kshetra), nutrients in the food (Ambu) and the health of the ovum and sperm (Beej).

In Ayurveda, these four factors are ensured to be just right through a practice called Garbha Sankara, which is a therapy involving the cleansing of the womb, enhancing ovum quality, improving the health of sperm and balancing doshas. To get the best results, Garbha Sankara is done at least 3 months before conception and it will be effective till the prenatal period. Ayurveda also recommends couple be loving and caring since that is one of the cornerstones of making the child healthy.

Pre Natal Period
During the pregnancy period, expectant mothers tend to crave food due to the lack of nutrients in the fetus and these cravings must be busted. This way nutrients for the fetus can be transmitted through the mother.

Another important thing is to give no room for stress. Also, the best bet is to avoid long or frequent journey as this can cause Vata imbalance and as a result, the mother might lose the sense of tranquillity. Other ways to keep the mind balanced are to read positive books, listen to relaxing songs and watch pleasant movies.

Doing massages are also vital during pregnancy. As per Ayurveda, carrying out gentle oil massages can lend a hand in alleviating swelling, enhancing blood circulation and providing a sense of peacefulness. Therefore, if you go for an Ayurvedic consultation, massages will be one of the practices your practitioner would recommend. Emotional health can also be balanced through meditation and a proper nutritional diet. Ayurvedic diets could also assist in undermining the difficulties a woman face during pregnancy like vomiting, nausea, body pains, etc. Ayurveda recommends making the diet as nutritional as possible so that the mother, as well as the baby, will be happy and healthy. Foods like cereals, leafy vegetables, dry fruits, root vegetables, fresh fruits etc are some of the best foods that should be included in the diet.

Massages with medicated oils are also recommended in Ayurveda during the prenatal period to smoothen the delivery.

Post Natal Period
Delivering a baby can not only painful but also exhausting. A mother’s body can become weak after giving birth. Therefore, after pregnancy also, the mother should consume nourishing food. This can improve her health as well as the baby’s health. Easy-to-digest foods are best to be consumed during this period. Including healthy fats would make the diet better. Also, both the other and baby should undergo specific massages as prescribed by the practitioner.