Embracing Ayurveda: Nourishing the New Mother with Traditional Postnatal Care
A new mother experiences immense pain and hormonal turbulence after bringing a new life into the world. Indeed, this is a life-changing experience, and therefore, postnatal care becomes crucial at this specific time.
Experts suggest that family members take extra care, provide a nourishing diet, and give immense love to the new mommy.
Postpartum depression is common in this phase, but if members pay extra attention, it helps her recover physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Ayurvedic Practices for New Mothers
For decades, ayurvedic postnatal care has been an integral part of a new mommy’s routine. It is essential because it does not have any side effects on the newborn; in fact, a healthy and happy mother nurtures a healthy and hearty child. Ayurvedic practices for new mothers have proven beneficial in our medicinal scriptures.
Even though times have changed and people now believe in modern practices, traditional postnatal care still firmly holds its roots and is practised with belief. It takes a holistic approach and involves diet, relaxing massages, and mental wellness.
Understanding Ayurvedic Postnatal Care
Ayurveda originated in India over 5000 years ago, and the combination of two words forms the word; Ayur means life, and Veda signifies knowledge or science. This medicinal approach works by attaining mind-body balance, which is of great importance in motherhood.
The ayurvedic postpartum recovery works around achieving a calm vata. This means that as a mother gives birth, numerous changes occur in the body, especially the abdomen, where the baby occupies a considerable space.
Also, in order to take care of the newborn, mommies need to compromise their sleep and resting time, which is a common cause of fatigue. All such factors contribute to vata problems, and hence, it is necessary to adopt appropriate approaches to heal the body.
In order to achieve this, there are practices written in Ayurveda that include all details like herbs, oils, foods, and massages. It is believed that such practices, when done for forty-two days post-delivery, produce unbelievable healing results.
In this blog, we aim to provide a comprehensive insight into the new mother ayurvedic rituals to help those who have no idea but aim for the best care and recovery.
The Ayurvedic Postnatal Diet plan
In Ayurveda, there are some herbs and foods that nurture the body and also aid lactating mothers by encouraging the milk supply. You need to be aware of such items and incorporate them into the diet intelligently to get excellent results.
Post childbirth, the digestive system becomes weak, and hence, you need to consume meals that are easy to digest and eliminate any chances of colic in the baby.
Undoubtedly, what you eat would have a direct impact on the infant as he feeds on breast milk, and the nutrients absorbed from your meals are transferred to him. Below are some foods that the Ayurvedic postnatal diet plan includes:
- Low-fat food items with high protein and minerals are a must-have.
- Including easy-to-digest legumes and pulses.
- Leafy veggies and seasonal fruits are a great source of energy and nourishment.
- Milk and its products are essential in a new mother’s diet plan.
Meal planning, according to Ayurveda, and consuming fresh and warm foods are requisites to promote good health in both mother and child.
You should also consult an Ayurvedic expert and ask him to suggest supplements and tonics that would further support your body and help the little one get adequate nourishment for growth and development.
Postnatal Massage and Abhyanga
Ayurvedic postpartum massage aims to relieve pain and stress and improve blood circulation in the body, as blood and fluids are lost during childbirth. In fact, abhyanga is also crucial for infants, and it is believed that regular body massages using suitable oils promote children’s growth and development. Hence, the massage for both mum and child need to be adequately planned for best results.
Postnatal massage is not just using organic oils on the skin; it also involves exerting pressure at essential points in the body. Hence, it is recommended that someone who has knowledge and technique gets it done.
Earlier, some women learned this ayurvedic technique, which was passed on from one generation to another. Still, today, there are courses where knowledge about abhyanga skills can be learnt, and this helps mommies get better with every passing day post childbirth.
Abhyanga is a full-body massage that facilitates toning of the mom’s body and regulates hormones, which has a quick impact on well-being.
Several combinations of massage oils are available in the marketplace, and they are crafted with organic and natural ingredients. Therefore, you should select oil according to your skin type so that there are not any concerns in the long run.
Herbal Cures and Treatments
Apart from body massage, Ayurveda has gifted several other herbal remedies for healing mommies. These preparations include ingredients that nourish the body and help address common issues that every new mother faces, such as stress, anxiety, and fatigue.
This condition arises because the mother’s life changes completely after giving birth, and she puts in her best efforts to help the newborn adjust to the new world. It is a complicated process, and to achieve this, you end up compromising your well-being.
Ayurvedic postnatal recovery is not limited to food and massages; it goes way ahead with holistic therapies like pranayama and yoga plans that are specifically designed for new mommies.
Yoga is not always about complicated asanas that you usually see people perform. Postnatal yoga is a specially designed program that consists of easy-to-perform steps and breathing exercises, keeping in mind the state of the body post-birth.
These therapies help relieve stress and let mothers move towards a healthy lifestyle that would help them achieve a toned body and stress-free mind in the days to come.
Thus, if you have recently given birth to your little angel, turn to Ayurveda for the best remedies and cope with all the issues without any effort.
Also Read: Things To Take Care Of For The Next 30 Days Post Delivery
Postnatal Rest and Rejuvenation
Pregnancy and delivery are equally strenuous since, during pregnancy, a female is continuously worrying about the maturation and healthiness of the fetus. She takes all precautions to confirm that nourishment is passed on to the placenta so that the infant is delivered healthy.
During childbirth, the contractions are painful and increase stress levels immensely, which causes a significant imbalance in the body. Hence, post-childbirth, it is vital that the new mum gets sufficient rest.
But this is not a manageable task as it takes a lot of effort to set up a routine for the newborn since there are several duties like feeding, bathing, and putting the child to sleep, which can be a challenge for someone who has not experienced this journey before.
Family members should make efforts to assist the mother in taking care of the infant, which gives the mother a window to relax and rest, promoting good physical and mental recovery.
Family members can create a nurturing environment for the new mother and support her by being involved in small tasks and taking care of the baby, which would help reduce stress. It takes a lot of effort to take care of a newborn; hence, the involvement of a partner and family plays a crucial role in transforming the mommy’s life.
Today, in the era of technology, new mothers are interested in rendering the best care to their newborns and have several questions and concerns about raising a child. In such situations, joining community support proves to be fruitful since there are mothers who either are in a similar phase or have experienced childbirth.
This allows informative and valuable discussions, rendering the correct answers to even the most complicated queries. Community support simplifies life and lets the mother feel at ease since information is readily available in a few clicks.
Adapting Ayurvedic Practices to Modern Life
Ayurveda is an ancient practice, but it has evolved with the times, and today, there are practices and techniques that every new mother can effortlessly incorporate into their daily routines.
In modern times, when we are used to fast-moving lifestyles and are dependent on technology for critical routine tasks, Ayurveda introduces the importance of slowing down and focusing on physical and mental well-being.
Therefore, ayurvedic postnatal care is of utmost importance for women who have undergone immense alterations in their lives in every respect.
One major challenge that new mothers face in adopting Ayurvedic practices into their lives is inadequate information and the proper techniques. This knowledge barrier limits the benefits.
Hence, it is recommended that you consult an Ayurvedic expert to discuss your condition. Women who have had normal childbirth vs. those who opted for caesarean need different postnatal recovery plans since their bodies would respond differently.
Remember, every woman has a different pregnancy and childbirth journey, so the solutions should be tailored accordingly. Postnatal recovery is an attempt to achieve mental and physical wellness; therefore, it should address specific issues, and experts would offer the best solutions here.
Also Read: 3 Gentle Yet Effective Exercises For Recovering From C-Sections
Key Takeaways
Ayurvedic postnatal care is a boon for new mommies as there are numerous benefits which help your body and mind recover quickly. Thus, incorporating correct Ayurvedic practices can transform your life and let you take better care of your little one without any stress or concern.
If you are about to deliver a child, we recommend you consider planning for the recovery in advance by reading information and talking to people around you. You can even explore R for Rabbit health awareness blogs especially curated for mothers and children.
You can also discuss postnatal recovery with your doctor for better understanding so that when it is time, you do not have to worry about anything. Lastly, postpartum healing is of great importance as it impacts the quality of life you and your child will have in the coming years.