The nine monthly diet & nutrition is unique to Ayurveda. During pregnancy the mother’s nutrition bears a great impact on the foetus growth and its future.
Ayurveda has a well-documented description of caring for pregnant women, called Garbhini Paricharya. The regimen prescribes practices for each month and stage of pregnancy.
Health of Pregnant Mother and unborn baby using Ayurveda begins with a month by month description of developments during pregnancy. It then covers the topics of nutrition, the daily routine, yoga asana, meditation, happiness, challenges, herbal medicines, herbal treatments, classical month by month regimens, herbal ghees and preparing for the baby.
During the first three months of pregnancy, the foetus is in a formative stage. During this stage, the embryo is nourished directly by upsnehan (percolation). Therefore, more liquid diets are recommended.
In the first three months of pregnancy the product of fertilization is in a fluid/jelly state and thus the woman should be given more of liquids or fluids. Also during these three months the major part of mass is formed.
Liquid diet is recommended during the first month; in the second and third months, milk medicated with life-building herbs are prescribed along with honey and ghee. Towards the end of the third month, the foetus starts showing distinct development and sensory perceptions. Motor reactions start developing and heartbeat can also be heard. The fourth month sees the formation of dhatus (tissues) in the foetus. In the fifth month, blood and muscles are formed. In the sixth month, fatty tissue is formed. In the seventh month, foetal growth is complete. Foetal organs are well formed and acquire strength by the sixth and seventh months. Skin, hair and nails are also noticed at this stage. From the fourth to the seventh month, medicinal herbal supplements are given to strengthen the uterine muscles and also to nourish the embryo.
Ayurveda advises certain decoctions during pregnancy, for the growth of the foetus and for the health of the mother.
Medicated herbal ghee is recommended as a nutritional supplement to the diet. The embryo gets its nourishment through the umbilical cord. Ghrita preparations (medicated ghee) can be taken from the first month of pregnancy, Which improves the growth of the foetus while Kalyanaka Ghritham improves mental growth. These decotions can be taken from the seventh month of pregnancy. In addition, Sukhaprasava Ghritham helps in easy delivery of the baby. These Ghrita preparations can be included as an integral part of the diet, during pregnancy.
As per Ayurveda, pregnancy is the time to consume more nutritional food. Eat all 6 tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent), but emphasize sweet, sour, and salty.
How food is eaten is just as important as what food is eaten. The mother should feel light, happy and satisfied after her meal. She should not feel uncomfortable, have gas or pain, or feel dull. Recommendations include eating the main meal at noon, waiting at least 3 hours between meals, and sitting down while eating. Also, she should taste the food, not have distractions, and avoid overeating.
Sattvic foods will build ojas. These include many of the ones previously listed but most inportantly include milk and ghee (clarified butter). Milk should be taken warmed wiili cardamom or turmeric added for better digestion. It is recommended to take it as a snack and not wiili a meal. Ghee is a nourishing, unctuous food. It promotes digestion and is digested quickly. Sattvic food is especially good for building ojas. Ghee, milk, dates, apricots, and sesame seeds are all recommended. Tamasic foods often produce ama instead of ojas.
Garbhini Paricharya – Care Of The Pregnant Woman Garbhini paricharya or antenatal care is the most important aspect in the Ayurveda. The proper garbhini Paricharya would result in the proper development of the foetus, its delivery, the health of the mother and thus her ability to withstand the strain of labour and have an eventless post-partal phase. Garbhini paricharya helps to improve physical and psychological health of pregnant women. Hence, proper garbhini paricharya and ayurvedic dietary module should be followed during pregnancy.
The garbhini paricharya is broadly discussed under three topics: 1. Maasaanumasika pathya : month wise dietary regimen and prescriptions. Month wise dietary regimen, as there is a constant development of the embryo there would also be difference in its requirements of food and nutrition. Ayurveda gives detail the month wise dietetic regimen & by following these dietetic regimens , the pregnant woman, having normal development of foetus, remains healthy and delivers a child possessing good health, energy, strength, complexion and voice. So these are recommended for the pregnant woman right from the first month upto the ninth month of pregnancy.
2. Garbhasthaapaka dravyaas : Substances which are beneficial to pregnancy.
3. Garbhopaghaathakara bhaavas : Activities and substances that are harmful to pregnancy.
According to Ayurveda to have normal delivery it is very important that we maintain the vata and due to this reason we find that towards the last few months of delivery & all efforts are taken to keep the vata in an unvitiated state, which plays an important role in the delivery. Vata must be kept in balance during pregnancy. It is the downward moving flow of energy in the body and must not be too strong or too weak. Most ayurvedic recommendations will be to balance apana vata. An emotional disturbance that can be caused by excess vata is anxiety. Foods, rest, and oil massage will be prescribed in order to restore balance. The apana vata is key to maintaining the pregnancy as well as birthing the baby at the time of
labor.
Pregnant woman's mind should be always in a pleasant state and she should neither touch nor see unpleasant things of disfigured persons (with some physical defects), scary objects, nor listen to exciting and scary stories. It is said that the mental state of the mother can influence the outcome of pregnancy as well as the child to be born.
It is important to keep the fetus nourished throughout pregnancy.
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