Are you worried about having a safe and healthy pregnancy?
Here is a detailed Ayurvedic guide to pregnancy care on the occasion of National Safe Motherhood Day to make your journey smooth and healthy.
What Is National Safe Motherhood Dayand Why Is It Important?
Also known as antenatal or prenatal care, pregnancy care is a type of preventive healthcare given to mothers during pregnancy to prevent and treat potential health problems of both the child and the mother.
Ayurveda states that if a woman is given proper care during pregnancy, she will give birth to a healthy, nourished and strong baby without any disease or health problem.
Pregnancy Guide by Ayurveda for Each Month
Ayurveda recommends eating specific foods during each month of pregnancy.
- First and Second Month
Pregnant women should eat sweet, cold and liquid foods that are easy to digest and prevent dehydration in the body, such as dates, ripe bananas and grapes.
Ayurveda also recommends consuming a teaspoonful of water chestnut powder with milk and cow ghee during the first and second months of pregnancy. Milk and ghee are very important in these two months as they help stabilise the foetus and provide essential nutrients like folic acid, carbohydrates, fat, proteins, amino acid, iodine, calcium, minerals and enzymes.
- Third Month
Ayurveda suggests eating rice with milk and ghee for breakfast and lunch along with other easily digestible items. Honey is also recommended during this month. It is one of the best antibiotic and analgesic foods that help reduce heartburn, morning sickness and discomfort in the gut.
- Fourth Month
Expectant mothers should eat a good quantity of food during breakfast and lunch during the fourth month of their pregnancy. Healthy fats must be included in the diet to promote tissue development in the foetus. Ghee or butter should be added to the rice and milk to provide the fat and essential nutrients like vitamins, proteins, folate, calcium, potassium and magnesium to the body. During this month, pregnant women should also consume fruits like mangoes, watermelons, white pumpkins, yellow pumpkins, pomegranates, etc.
- Fifth Month
Eat rice with cow’s milk and ghee during the fifth month of the pregnancy. Ayurveda recommends consuming a specific variety of rice, called Shashti rice, grown in the southern part of India. It is known to balance Tridoshas and provide essential macronutrients that help boost the circulatory, respiratory and digestive health of expectant mothers.
- Sixth Month
During this month, the diet should be loaded with cow’s milk and ghee. Adding Gokshura, a herb known for its invigorating, diuretic and immunomodulatory properties, is also recommended. Consuming Gokshura this month helps relieve oedema and water retention problems.
- Seventh Month
Ayurveda recommends consuming easily digestible meals frequently in smaller quantities during the seventh month of pregnancy. Rice with milk and ghee is to be continued as the growing foetus needs calcium-rich foods.
- Eighth Month and Ninth Month
Continue consuming rice with milk and ghee during the last two months of your pregnancy. Ayurveda also suggests the intake of a medicated enema with oil to eliminate toxins and improve the functioning of the excretory system, which often gets impacted due to the increasing size of the foetus.
More Tips by Ayurveda for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Eat What You Crave
According to Ayurveda, your body craves any food when a specific nutrient is deficient. Therefore, always honour your cravings and eat what you feel like.
- Balance Your Vata with Food
Vata Dosha gets aggravated during pregnancy. Therefore, eat fresh, warm and cooked foods, ideally rich in sweet, sour and salty flavours to pacify Vata Dosha.
- Massage Your Body
Abhyanga or self-massage is extremely important during pregnancy. It helps reduce fatigue, lower swelling in the body, improve blood circulation, pacify Vata and boost bone health. Warm sesame oil is usually recommended by Ayurveda for pregnant women.
- Say No to These Things
Do not eat dry, fermented, heavy and hot foods during pregnancy. Also, avoid overeating or fasting as well as avoid consumption of alcohol when you are pregnant.
- Use Ayurvedic Therapies
There are many therapies like Abhyanga and Shirodhara that help promote healthy pregnancy and childbirth. Consult your Ayurvedic doctor and take the help of these therapies.
- Reduce Stress
Practice meditation, light Yoga, chanting, Pranayam, etc., to relieve stress and increase Prana in your body. It will help boost the overall health of both the mother and the foetus.
- Sit in the Sunlight
Vitamin D is essential during pregnancy. It helps reduce depression and fatigue and improve mood, appetite and sleep. Therefore, sit in the sunlight for at least 20-30 minutes every day to intake vitamin D.
On a Final Note
A healthy pregnancy means a healthy foetus and a healthy mother. Therefore, it is extremely important to follow the correct lifestyle and dietary regime from the first month of pregnancy till the last month. The Ayurvedic principles of antenatal care help you have a safe pregnancy and safe childbirth.
