Every thought, action, and decision a pregnant
mother makes is directly correlated to the health, vitality, and
essentially, the life potential of the child. She must be mindful that
every element, food article, aroma, sight, and sound entering or
surrounding her body impacts the fetus, directing the dependent soul to a
greater state or to a more weakened state of health. Holistic care
relating to pregnancy becomes essential as soon as the mother and father
even decide to embark on the journey of parenthood—before conception
even takes place. Ayurvedic practices and principles applied to the
pregnant mother and her pending child provide a sincere potential for an
enriched pregnancy and birthing experience, contributing to greater
mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health of the mother, child,
and father. How can the modern, western-born mother implement the
ancient teachings of Ayurveda as she embarks on the journey to bring a
vital new life into this world? This review of literature will offer an
array of insight shedding light on how the three pillars of life, herbal
treatments, five sense therapies, and spiritual practices can be
incorporated and utilized throughout the pregnancy experience.
THE THREE PILLARS OF LIFE
As much as her lifestyle allows, the pregnant mother
would greatly profit adhering to the Ayurvedic principles encompassing
the three pillars of life. Proper routines around food, sleep, and
sexual practices will establish a foundation for an ameliorated and more
harmonious pregnancy. Considering that all food ingested by the mother
supplies the fetus with the building blocks of development, the highest
quality and ideal quantities of foods should be consumed. The foundation
of an expecting mother should emphasize a balanced kapha increasing
food regimen, accentuating the sweet and salty tastes and limiting the
bitter and pungent tastes.
Chopra, in his holistic pregnancy book, Magical
Beginnings and Enchanted Lives, infuses Ayurvedic concepts when dealing
with western pregnancies. He mentions that even though the mother will
tend toward “sweet foods” (meat, dairy, grains, nuts, etc), all six
tastes—sweet, salty, sour, pungent, butter, and astringent— play an
essential role in optimizing the nutrition available to the mother and
her baby. Sweet tastes impart nourishing and tonifying attributes that
encourage healthy tissue formation. Sour foods, such as citrus fruits,
berries, and fermented foods, aid in digestion and stimulate the
appetite; sour fruits specifically provide adequate amounts of vitamin C
and flavonoids—which contribute to healthy cell development and immune
function. Salty tastes, when naturally integrated in foods, support
water-absorption, enhance digestion, and can be sedating. These include
seaweed, seafood, and the natural mineral salts found in fruits and
vegetables. Pungent tastes, such as common culinary spices like garlic,
chili peppers, onion, clove, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, etc., help to
stimulate and support digestion and metabolism, relieve nausea, and
cleanse the sinuses and respiratory system. Bitter tastes are found in
an array of green and yellow vegetables that contain important
phytochemicals that support immune function, promote healthy growth, and
often encourage cleansing and detoxification of the body. The last
taste, astringent, initiates a drying response on the mucosa and creates
a “puckering effect” throughout the body. Astringents include
cranberries, pomegranates, asparagus, and many beans and legumes—which
contribute complete and abundant sources of valuable proteins and
complex carbohydrates.
So what does a mother want to achieve during
pregnancy in regards to her dhatus (tissues) and body? The mother wants
to foster a nourishing home and foundation for the developing fetus;
without getting too absorbed by calories, meal sizes, and “pregnancy
diets”, the mother will achieve balanced nourishment by simply
emphasizing sweet, salty, and sour tastes that primarily tonify and
fashion healthy tissue formation. Albeit, elevated intake of pungent,
astringent, and bitter tastes deplete, dry-out, and exasperate
purification of the mother’s body. All six tastes are vital, yet
concocting the ideal balance of all the tastes in each meal is the
ultimate—and, yes, obtainable—goal of the mother.
The Sushruta supports that, “the food should by amply
sweet, palatable (ojas producing food), well-cooked, prepared with
appetizing drugs and abounding in fluid substances;” overall,
highlighting sweet, cool, and moist qualities. The Charaka Samhita and
Sushruta Samhita describe similar “special pregnancy” dietary regimens:
in the first month, according to the Charaka, the mother is to consume
large quantities of cold, unprocessed milk; in the second month, “only
milk prepared with sweet drugs;” milk with ghee (clarified butter) and
honey added in the third month; ten grams daily of milk butter in the
fourth month; in the fifth month, she is suggested to take ghee; ghee
with sweet herbs should be taken in the sixth and seventh months; and,
for the final months leading up to delivery, the mother should include
milk gruel cooked with ghee into her diet.
This tonifying regimen is
encouraged to be included in conjunction with a nutritious, balanced,
and complete diet. The Sushruta recommends nearly identical additions of
milk and/or ghee at the progressing stages of pregnancy, but also
encourages the intake of shashtika rice with milk in the third month,
with curd in the fourth, with milk in the fifth, and with clarified butter in the sixth
month of pregnancy. The addition of animal flesh soups to her diet along
with including abundant emollient fatty substances is also noted as
supportive to the mother especially in her later months of pregnancy.
The Sushruta is adamant that, “if treated on these lines, the enceinte
[fetus] remains healthy and strong, and parturition becomes easy and
unattended with evils”
Ramesh Nanal, a practicing Ayurvedic practitioner for
over 35 years, incorporates useful pregnancy-related nutrition and
specific food advice in his research; he succeeds in amplifying the
clarity of the valuable information offered in the Caraka. He supports
that stabilization of the fetus in the first trimester is
essential—hence the importance of consuming sweet, cooling, and liquid
food as suggested by the Sushruta.
Garghasthapan foods (stabilizing to
the fetus) help to anchor the placenta, and Nanal provides the example
of supplementing with one tablespoon of Water Chestnut powder (Singhoda)
decocted in a cup of warm milk with ghee, taking up to four cups a day.
When the heart becomes active around the fourth month, “more pure kapha
and rakta is essential for the fetus here,” and thus, a higher
quantity of milk curds with rice and ghee should be consumed during
breakfast and lunch. In the fifth month, the mana (mind) of the fetus
becomes active, and the buddhi (the intellect) enters the fetus at month
sixth; Hyridra foods (ojas/immune building foods) become highly
important, Nanal recommending an increased intake of milk (milk being
described as “boon to the making of mind”) along with ghee and rice. As
the last trimester nears and the fetus’s organs and systems become more
developed, Nanal merely states that the mother now “requires a specific
prescription for each individual body constitution” that also
acknowledges her overall health and any lingering symptoms. Nanal goes
on to introduce a few specific food-based supplements to deliver
additional support and nourishment to the expecting mother:
- Garden cress seeds roasted in ghee and mixed with milk and sugar
taken in the last months help with tonification, general debility, and
pregnancy anemia.
- Crab, corn, and egg soup or soy milk with egg yolks consumed after
the second trimester is noted to assist with strong bone formation in
the fetus.
- Spinach soup with onions and carrots also support bone health of
both mother and child, along with helping with pregnancy anemia.
- Apricots—naturally very high in vitamin A—with honey is depicted
as a very effective nervine tonic, yet also assisting with constipation,
preventing infections, increasing healthy blood formation, and reducing
the chances of cellular degeneration.
- Banana with dates, figs, and ghee taken every day in pregnancy is
said to be a superior overall tonic that also improves and increases
blood, preventing anemia to a great extent.
- When soaked and ground in water, black currents can be helpful in
all urine disorders while also helping to alkalize the body and tone the
large intestine.
- Dates soaked in milk overnight, ground in the morning, and mixed
with cardamom and honey assists in healthy blood and bone formation in
the fetus.
- Mango juice with ghee and milk taken two times daily may prevent
fetal abnormalities, increase fetus’s defense against infections, aid in
proper development, ease delivery, and prevent post-partum
complications.
Supplementing an already nutritious, abundant, and
whole diet with balanced, nutrient-dense foods compared to supplementing
with bottled, store bought vitamins will do more to holistically
support and nourish the mother and child. The Charaka notes that, “the
entities derived from nutrition are these such as– formation of the
body, growth, continuance of vital breath, contentment, corpulence and
vigor” portraying the special importance of a proper and complete
diet for a mother-to-be.
Ayurveda principles strongly support that the foods
one consumes is only a component of achieving a healthy and complete
diet; the proper routines and practices around eating contribute
immeasurably to the inclusiveness of one’s diet. To benefit more fully
from her meals, the mother should eat her meals in a peaceful and
beautiful environment, eliminate alcohol, nicotine, and nonprescription
drugs from her life, eliminate caffeine if possible, honor her appetite
(eating only when she feels hungry and stopping when satisfied),
refraining from overeating by paying attention to when her stomach is
2/3rds full, eat freshly prepared foods, reduce ice-cold foods and
beverages, drink plenty of pure, room-temperature water every day, sit
quietly for a few minutes following each meal, and honor any cravings
that arise, yet indulging with awareness. In regards to cravings, both
the Sushruta and Charaka agree that desires shouldn’t be ignored. The
Sushruta averring: “A physician should cause the longings of a pregnant
woman to be gratified inasmuch as such gratifications would alleviate
the discomforts of gestation; her desires being full-filled ensure the
birth of a strong, long-lived, and virtuous son. A non-fulfilment of her
desires during pregnancy proves injurious both to her child and her
ownself,” and the Charaka agreeing that “whatever she wants should be
provided to her except those which damage the fetus.”
The other two pillars are considerably more direct.
Regarding sleep, the mother should get a full night of sleep, avoid day
sleep, avoid sleeping on her stomach and back (unless properly supported
with an incline), and shouldn’t oversleep to prevent lethargy in
herself and in birthing a lethargic and lazy child. The Sushruta
supports that sexual intercourse should be avoided because of fear of
harm to the child and the Caraka compromised with sexual activity
being acceptable one time each month. However, with current research
regarding sex and pregnancy, experts support that, “sex during pregnancy
is extremely safe for most women with uncomplicated, low-risk
pregnancies.” Each pregnancy is unique and sexual desire can vary with
each women, thus the mother should remain present with what feels
appropriate and appealing to her, simply using her desires as her best
guide. In general, however, it should be acknowledged that sexual
intercourse in excess is depleting to both partners and that special
care, more gentle practices, increased mindfulness, and emphasizing the
sacredness around sexual union becomes valuable and supportive to the
pregnant couple. Ayurveda is all about balance and catering to the
uniqueness of all individuals, so regarding the pillars of life and all
other practices falling under the Ayurvedic umbrella, always looking at
what will best support the unique mother at the present is fundamental.
HERBS AND PREGNANCY
Herbs are quite a controversial topic when it comes
to their consumption during pregnancy, especially when considering that
medicinal quantities of any herb can have unpredictable consequences on
individuals. However, herbal practices have boomed immensely in the
west, steering more mothers toward herbal consumption during pregnancy.
Inexorably, this has led to expanded knowledge of how herbs affect
pregnant woman and their babies. In Aviva Romm’s research and time in
practice as a midwife and herbalist, she summarizes herbs repeatedly
observed to be safe and effective, those commonly used but may be
harmful, and herbs to avoid all together during pregnancy. Romm
acknowledges: “Overall, most herbs are safe, with little evidence of
harm. Few reported adverse events have occurred, and those that have
been reported typically involve the consumption of known toxic herbs,
adulterants such as unsafe herbs or even pharmaceuticals additives, or
inappropriate use or dosage of botanical therapies.” Caution should
always be taken, of course, and Romm and other sources state that, if
anything, the majority of herbs should be avoided all together in the
first trimester.
Through scientific evaluation and clinical trials,
Romm lists a handful of herbs seen repeatedly to be safe during
pregnancy. Red raspberry leaf was found to be a mineral-rich, nutritive
uterine tonic that, with long-term, low-dose (1.5-5 gm in tea/infusion)
use leading up to parturition, can promote an expedient labor with
minimal bleeding. To reduce the duration or occurrence of upper
respiratory symptoms, intermittent use of Echinacea (as tincture) has
been deemed safe. Chamomile tea in moderate amounts can assist in relaxation, insomnia,
and flatulence during pregnancy. In the case of a urinary tract
infection, concentrated, pure cranberry juice (taking up to 32oz/day) is
the ideal, non-anti-bacterial treatment that is safe and effective for
pregnant women. Ginger, mentioned in many texts and research, is
commonly recommended as a safe treatment for nausea, vomiting, and
general morning sickness as long as the daily dose doesn’t exceed one
gram of dried ginger powder. Even the Natural Medicine Comprehensive
Database, an extensive, online resource providing “Unbiased, Scientific
clinical Information in Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative
Therapies,” remarks ginger as one of the best known herbal treatments
for morning sickness in pregnancy, stating: “Clinical research in
pregnant woman suggests that ginger can be used safely for morning
sickness without harm to the fetus.” Other herbs, like Nettle to
reverse iron-deficiency, cramp bark for irritable uterus relief,
licorice (only for short-term use not exceeding a week) utilized for
sore throat symptoms, motherwort for labor pain, black and blue cohosh
and castor oil to simulate labor, and the external application of tea
tree oil, garlic, and calendula oil for vaginal yeast infections are
also notable treatments, yet less scientific research has been conducted
to back up their safety—only traditional usage and empirical evidence
is available. So, what herbs should soon-to-be mothers avoid all
together? The American Pregnancy Association lists saw palmetto,
goldenseal, dong quai, ephedra, yohimbe, pau d’arco (in large doses),
passion flower, black and blue cohosh (for women who are not at term),
roman chamomile, and pennyroyal as herbs that are likely unsafe or
unsafe for oral consumption during pregnancy. Possibly unsafe herbs may
include aloe, ginseng, feverfew, kava kava, and senna, but like with
most herbs, adequate research is limited. Generally noted from the
Caraka, “the diseases of the pregnant women should be managed with diet
and drugs consisting mostly of soft, sweet, cold, pleasant and delicate
things.” While this is quite vague, the idea of judging herbal effects
based on their gentler qualities could be of use for the pregnant
mother trying to avoid harm.
Throughout the Vedas, while herbal recommendation
(usually via external application) are noted for use in regards to
serious pregnancy complaints and disorders, little is to be found
mentioning common herbal use safety during pregnancy. The Sushruta,
pertaining to the overall health benefits for mother and fetus, does
however include that, “the growth, memory, strength and intellect of a
child are improved by the use of four following medicinal compounds,
used as linctus (pras’a): 1) well-powdered gold, kushtha, honey,
clarified butter and vacha; 2) brahmi, shanka pushpi, powdered gold,
clarified butter, and honey; ) shanka pushpi, honey, clarified butter,
powdered gold and vacha; and 4) powdered gold, maha nimba, white vacha,
clarified butter and honey.” As the mother progresses through her
final term, bastis (enemas) are commonly employed to balance vata,
particularly apana vayu—which is the vayu governing the decent of the
child through the birth canal. A specific basti formulation the Sushruta
suggests to help “restore vayu in her body (nervous system) to normal
and to cleanse bowels, [is an] anuvasana basti(enema) with bala,
atibala, shatapushpa, palala (flesh), milk, cream, oil, salt, madana
fruit, honey and clarified butter.” It was then stated to follow with a
basti made with milk and a decoction of Madhuradi-gana. While the
Charaka was vaguer, stating simply to “give unctuous enema with the oil
cooked with sweet drugs,” they can both be interpreted to support that
tonifying, oil-based enemas with nourishing herbs, and maybe even
nervines, would be beneficial to the mother during the eighth and ninth
months of pregnancy. While ancient Ayurvedic remedies may be difficult
to apply, utilizing Ayuverdic principles with the available herbs can
benefit the western mother.
While taking caution and/or seeking herbal advice
from an expert is never a bad idea in the case of including herbs during
pregnancy, the moderate use of herbal nutritive teas and cooking spices
are generally considered safe to be used freely. And, again referencing
Romm, a final general list of safe herbs to use for mild pregnancy
complaints—having only slight variation in the medical research she
gathered—include: Echinacea, St. John’s wort, peppermint, spearmint,
ginger root, fennel wild yam, meadowsweet, blue and black cohosh, red
raspberry leaf, evening primrose, garlic, aloe, chamomile, pumpkin
seeds, and ginseng26. Herbs, however, aren’t paramount to a healthful,
joyous, and symptom-free pregnancy. Through diet, including proper daily
routines and practices, and managing overall stress of the mind and
body, an expecting woman may find she has no need to reach in the herbal
cabinet for symptomatic relief.
DAILY ROUTINES AND PRACTICES
The ancient Vedic practioners are adamant about
implementing more sattvic routines and rituals in daily life. The
Sushruta claims: “Those women who are devout in their worship of the
gods and the Brahmins and cherish a clean soul in a clean body during
pregnancy are sure to be blest with good, virtuous and generous
children; whereas a contrary conduct during the period is sure to be
attended with contrary fruits2.” Today, we may not be as devout in our
thinking, but promoting and conducting practices that support spiritual
growth, keep the body clean and healthy, and keep the mind calm and
joyous can support and enhance the experience leading up to and
following parturition. Before uncovering the practices most beneficial
to the mother-to-be, the Sushruta obstinately remarks on actions
prohibited during pregnancy:
“A woman should avoid all kinds of physical labor,
sexual intercourse, fasting, causes of emaciation of the body,
day-sleep, keeping of ate hours, indulgence in grief, fright, journey by carriage or in any kind of conveyance, sitting on her
haunches, excessive application of Sneha (oil) karmas and venesection a
the improper time (after the eight month of gestation), and voluntary
retention of any natural urging of the body.”
Even with these “don’ts” having been recorded in
texts thousands of years ago, these simple examples still can provide a
baseline of actions to avoid during pregnancy in the modern day.
Implementing yoga (encompassing meditation and breathing), increased
overall mindfulness, and five sense therapies as routine practices
during pregnancy is supported by the ancient texts, and all can be
safely and conveniently integrated into an expecting mother’s day.
While strenuous exercise is almost always prohibited
during pregnancy, conducting some form of exercise can be beneficial in
maintaining the strength of a pregnant woman’s body—especially as the
fetus grows and her energy and physical demands increase. To maintain
bone strength, muscle tone (of all organs), heart endurance, and to keep
her mind at ease, mild to moderate (depending on previous fitness and
exercise routine before pregnancy) exercise should be adhered to daily
starting at around the second trimester—because of the instability of
the fetus in the first trimester, much more caution should be taken
during that time. Brisk walks in nature, swimming, tai chi, and yoga are
just a few examples of exercise options that will holistically sustain
the mother. Yoga, the sister science of Ayurveda, is not only ideal
because of its physical benefits, but yoga helps to calm the mind,
alleviate stresses, and as Chopra puts it, “yoga awakens mind/body
harmony, making it easier for you to make choices that are good for you
both physically and emotionally.” Because prenatal depression has been
noted to be a progressively prevalent factor, recorded to affect as
many as 49% of pregnant women, and being observed to be “a risk factor
for prematurity, for developmental delays, and for later behavior
problems in childhood and adolescence,” safe and non-invasive measures
to mitigate depression in pregnant women should be encouraged. In
Tiffany Field’s study utilizing yoga and tai chi as a complementary
therapy for prenatal depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, she
found that women who participated in tai chi/yoga sessions for 20
minutes daily for 12 weeks while in their second and third trimester
(weeks 22 to 34 of pregnancy) depicted greater decreases in all three
areas she observed. They utilized the Center for Epidemiological
Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D), which is a self-report assessing the
frequency of present depressive symptoms including: “depressed mood,
feelings of guilt and worthlessness, feelings of helplessness and
hopelessness, loss of energy, and disturbances of sleep and appetite31.”
With only positive results recorded, this study supports that yoga
and/or tai chi is a cost-effective, safe, and convenient way to
successfully reduce depression and associated symptoms during pregnancy.
Yoga can be modified for all levels, and yoga
encompasses not just asana (the physical practice) but also breathing
techniques, mindfulness, and meditation, making it accessible to
everyone in some form. In a comprehensive literature review conducted by
Kathryn Curtis, Aliza Weinrib, and Joel Katz on implementing yoga and
its subsequent effects on pregnancy and the labor/delivery experience,
they concluded that yoga is indicated during pregnancy having supportive
psychological, physiological, neuromuscular, and immunological impacts
on the mother throughout term and through and following parturition.
One of the studies they examined was a monitored yoga program lasting
12-14 weeks which compared pregnancy-related discomfort in women who
completed the program to those receiving standard hospital care. The
findings support that a “prenatal yoga program is safe for pregnant
women and can reduce the discomforts of pregnancy and increase maternal
self-efficacy and self-confidence.” A second note-worthy study
mentioned in the review described a holistic 16 week long (week 20 to 36
of pregnancy) program including asana, breathing techniques, lectures,
and deep relaxation techniques. Not only did the yoga group show
significantly greater improvements in physical, psychological,
environmental, and social domains tested, but the author pronounced yoga
as “a noninvasive and cost-effective way of improving quality of life
and interpersonal relationships during pregnancy34.” With this last
study, the experience of the mother throughout and following labor was
examined. After a 10 to 12 week yoga program (throughout week 26-28 to
week 37-38) was followed, maternal comfort, objective and subjective
pain, length, augmentation, and the use of medication all in relation to
labor, along with the overall birth outcome, was recorded. For the
mothers who followed the yoga regimen, the first stage and the total
duration of labor was significantly shorter, self-reported and observed
pain scores were drastically lower, and evidence supports that maternal
comfort at four different assessment points during and following labor
was seen to be significantly higher than the mothers not following the
yoga program35. While caution and medical approval should always be
considered with all actions during pregnancy, overall, yoga asana,
breathing techniques, and meditation/mindfulness practices most likely
will only provide relief and increased comfort during and following
pregnancy.
Yoga encompasses such a broad spectrum of practices
and asanas, so for a mother new to yoga, where is a good place to start?
Chopra’s book includes many asana, breathing, and meditation practices
suitable for pregnant women. Slowing down with yoga will encourage the
mother to bring more awareness to her breath, while also helping with
joint flexibility, balance, and muscle tone. Poses, and their potential
benefits, that Chopra recommends include as follows:
- Butterfly pose with spine extended straight and slowly lengthening
forward. This pose slowly opens up the pelvic girdle, which by
increasing flexibility in this region, the mother may experience more
ease upon delivery as the baby passes through that region.
- Cat and Cow pose working deeply and slowly with the breath as she
moves from one position to the next. This benefits the mother by
increasing spinal flexibility and hip mobility, also helping with low
back pain that is often experienced with pregnancy.
- Squatting pose with feet planted on the floor, hips reaching
toward the floor, elbows pressing out on the inside of the knees, and
breathing to extend the spine and squat lower in the pose. This works to
widen the pelvis and has been observed to ease labor and reduce the
chance of perineal tearing—this pose also commonly practiced around the
world as a birthing position because of these noted benefits.
- Pelvic Tilts/ Bridge pose with legs perpendicular to the floor and
hips lifted off the floor extended towards to sky, while the shoulders
ground into the floor. This assists with spinal flexibility, relieving
lower back congestion and improving overall circulation in the pelvic
region.
- Half pigeon, with straight spine and slowly walking the hands
forward, is another great pose to open up muscles and fascia in the hips
and groin region.
- Child’s pose with the belly resting between the knees spread wide
on the floor and arms extended forward. The mother will find greater
ease in her back muscles, hips, and pelvic region, while also allowing
belly muscles to soften and relax.
- Simple twists, whether sitting upwards or performed from laying on
her back, are great for massaging internal abdomen organs and
lengthening the spine.
Chopra also mentions Kegel exercises, relating to
mula bhanda in the yogic realm. Regularly practicing these can
drastically improve pelvic muscle tone and the functions of the organs
in that region. Strengthened pelvic muscles can aid in preventing
urinary incontinence, improving circulation around the pelvis, and
preventing hemorrhoids, while easing delivery because of more control
contracting and relaxing those muscles. These practices conclude some
simple examples that even mothers who have never before taken a yoga
class can perform and receive much benefit. Endless yoga asanas are
recognized that support the mother, but trained guidance and the use of
props may be necessary to ensure no harm is done. Maintaining
mindfulness and awareness of breath not only as she stretches and opens
her body through yoga asana, but as she endures all her activities and
actions should be a primary goal of the mother as she carries her baby
and prepares for birth.
More and more research and controlled trials are
being conducted on mindfulness, pranayama, and mediation during
pregnancy as an effectual and risk-free method of decreasing stress and
anxiety. Especially considering the negative impacts of stress on the
mother and infants, including reduced adaptive immunity, lower birth
weights, increased chance of preterm births, and cognitive, emotional,
and developmental deficiencies in infants—and considering the harmful
nature of reducing stress symptoms with pharmaceuticals—simple,
non-invasive approaches are becoming key to help with stress and
depression in pregnant women.
In Ka Po Chan’s study, he implemented an
Eastern Based meditative intervention (including mindful eating, mindful
walking, mindfulness prenatal and postnatal exercises, daily practice
of ‘self help, helping others,’ crisis intervention: turn curse into
blessing, daily practice of ‘bliss,’ three minutes-breathing practice,
body scan, mindful breathing, etc.). He compared the birth weight,
maturity, Apgar score (simple assessment of how the baby is doing at
birth), and umbilical cord blood cortisol levels in babies whose mothers
followed the integrative meditative approach to those who didn’t. His
“evidence suggests that meditation as an intervention has a strong
relationship to positive health outcomes, overall well-being and
adjunctive treatment for diseases38.” The infants of the intervention
group also portrayed a better response to stimulus along with having
better overall temperament39. In another study that also focused on
mindfulness, the author designed a randomized controlled study to
evaluate the effects of an existing mindfulness meditation program in a
sample of pregnant women experiencing elevated levels of stress. They
described mindfulness to refer to “a process that cultivates a mental
state of awareness and acceptance of present moment experiences,
including one’s current sensations, thoughts, bodily states, and
environment40.” With sharp contrast to the control group, the
mindfulness intervention led to a decline in pregnancy-related anxiety
and perceived stress, along with revealing an overall increase in
mindfulness41. In a final related study involving the regular practice
of Bhramari pranayama (bee breath) for two months by pregnant women as a
potential measure to prevent the occurrence of pre-eclampsia, there was
a “statistically significant reduction in basal BP, response to cold
stress (body’s reaction to hand immersion in cold water) and basal pulse
rate after two months of this yogic practice42. They supported that
pranayama practiced overtime can restore the balance between the
sympathetic and parasympathetic components of the autonomic nervous
system, revealing how these practices not only help the body on the
emotional level when dealing with stress and anxiety, but on a
physical—even quantitative—level as well. While these studies disclose
just a few examples of a small handful of complementary practices, all
defend that implementing a regular mindfulness/meditation and breathing
practice—all of which fall under the “Ayurvedic approach”— throughout
pregnancy will only bring an increased sense of ease and well-being to
the mother and her baby during and following pregnancy.
FIVE SENSE THERAPIES
Ayurveda strongly asserts the importance of balancing
and supporting the five senses; five sense therapies and overall
awareness of how the mother and fetus are effected by the external world
through the five senses is an essential component to a balanced
pregnancy. Not only will the mother feel more at ease and supported, but
the fetus’s development prior to and following birth is significantly
influenced by tastes, smells, touch, sounds, and sights the mother comes
in contact with. Chopra elaborates on this concept, including ideas on
how to encourage balance through the information perceived by the five
senses of the mother and fetus:
The fetus is quite sensitive to outside sounds;
studies support that by eighteen to twenty weeks, the fetus is hearing
and responding to outside sounds. Experiments where small microphones
were placed inside the womb of a pregnant women revealed that over half
the words spoken by a man and over a third of the words spoken by a
woman were understood. The mother’s voice is the most recognized and
responded to, and if the father’s voice it frequently present, fetuses
have been observed to respond to his voice soon after birth43; thus, the
mother and father should be regularly talking, singing, telling
stories, etc. to the unborn child throughout pregnancy. The mother, also
being sensitive to sounds, will benefit by surrounding herself with
calming and beautiful sounds. That could be in the form of music she
enjoys and inspires her, positive and supportive conversations, or going
out in nature and enveloping herself with the abundant, serene sounds
of the natural world. Chopra notes that “pleasing sounds can lower blood
pressure, enhance immunity, and reduce anxiety.” Sounds and music can
also be utilized to balance a dosha vitiation: with more anxiety and
vata present, gentle and calming music will help to ground the mother;
with heated emotions and heightened pitta, cooling and soothing sounds
will suffice; and, with lethargy, melancholy, and more kapha present,
uplifting and revitalizing music can support increased energy and
motivation. While intently utilizing beautiful sounds will positively
impact the mother and fetus, distressing, loud, obnoxious noises and
stressful and odious conversations may have an antagonistic effect and,
if possible, should be avoided.
The fetus is also directly affected by touch:
“Pressure through external massage leads to changes in fetal activity
and heart rate, and by six months in the womb the unborn baby is as
responsive to touch as a one-year-old baby45.” As the mother changes her
position, so does the fetus; studies reveal how rapid and abrupt
movements of the mother trigger a motor response and alter heartrate in
the fetus. On the opposing end, fluid and rhythmic
movements of the mother, such as dancing, tai chi, and yoga, can bring
ease to both mother and child. Daily full-body self-oil massage
(abhyanga) is a practice recommended as an essential component of
balancing regular routines in the Ayurvedic realm, and the pregnant
mother would greatly benefit from incorporating a daily 10 to 20 minute
abhyanga into her morning. Not only is the oil nourishing and tonifying,
the rhythmic movements and strokes of gentle massage assists with lymph
flow, circulation, immune function, and delivers an overall improved
sense of well-being. If stretch marks are a concern, applying body
butters, coconut oils, or avocado oils with the addition of vitamin E
and/or the essential oils of chamomile and helichrysum may bring relief
to prone or affected regions. Different oils may also have distinctive
influences on the mother: sesame, almond, and walnut oils are heavier,
warmer oils that help to pacify vata; coconut, avocado, and olive are
cooler oils that are thought to be more balancing to pitta; and, mustard
seed, sunflower, and safflower oils, which are warmer and less dense,
are valuable to kapha. Warming these oils, infusing them with
doshic-appropriate essential oils, and/or following the massage with a
warm bath will augment the benefits and increase the sensations of this
soothing oil therapy.
Specific massage of the perineum (the area
surrounding the birth canal) in the months leading up to birth will
become an essential addition to the mother’s daily massage routine.
Chopra mentions that this will not only aid in keeping the tissues
nourished, but it will mildly stretch the tissues and better prepare
them for a delivery, decreasing the chance of tearing or injury in that
region. Uttara bastis (an herbal oil enema of the vaginal canal where
one to two ounces of warm, medicated oil is held in the vagina as the
pelvis remains in an upward-tilted position) is an Ayurvedic practice
used for the same tonifying purposes, but with an advantage of
administering herbal oils for broader effects on the mother and womb.
The Charaka mentions a slightly different approach, proclaiming that, “A
swab soaked with [sweet herbal] oil should be placed inside the vagina
to lubricate the seat of the fetus as well as the entire genital tract”
with added benefits of softening “the entities which hold the fetus,
womb, waist, sides and back of the woman at the time of delivery, wind
gets in normal course, urine and feces in normal state get through the
passage easily; skin and nails also become soft, strength and complexion
are improved and she delivers the child as desired, excellent and
healthy with ease and in time47.” Because of how essential is it to
support and normalize apana vayu (the downward flow that will govern the
safe and easy delivery of the fetus) in an expecting mother—especially
in the last half of the third trimester—these practices will do more
than nourish and strengthen the perineal tissues, but will also support
the other physical and subtle actions that apana vayu governs.
The womb is generally a dark place exposing the fetus
to an insignificant amount of light (2 to 10% of visual outside light
is thought to be perceived by the fetus), and the fetus has been
observed to be only slightly responsive to changes in lighting and
visuals of the outside world. However, the sights and visual exposures
of the mother can impact the fetus because of how the mother responds on
a more subtle level. Exposure to violence, gore, and distasteful images
and scenery impairs the mother, even being noted to suppress the immune
system49. In contrast, being encompassed by beauty and kind acts
enhances immune function in the mother—and thus the child. Creating a
home environment that is beautiful and begets delight (even including
color therapy concepts to bring greater balance), getting out in nature
every day, gazing into the starry sky each night before bed, and
incorporating balancing color meditation (based on doshic vitiations)
can all add to the well-being of the mother, and in essence, the fetus.
Tastes ingested by the mother slightly impact the
fetus, studies suggesting that “an unborn baby will increase or decrease
his swallowing based on the flavors present in the amniotic fluid50.”
Sweet tastes are observed to be the most desirable to both the fetus and
mother—as we have already explored—and bitter tastes are seen to be the
least desirable, being depicted by babies swallowing less when bitter
tastes are injected in the womb. Much has already been imparted on the
matter of tastes and nutrition for the mother to be, so just a final
reminder of the importance of including all six tastes on a daily basis
and excluding all foods perceived as “distasteful’ and invoking a
negative response in the mother, and by default, the fetus.
The final sense, smell, has a slight—yet
notable—influence on the fetus. Evidence suggests that babies remember
smells and tastes they are exposed to in the womb and are likely to
express greater preference for foods whose fragrances they were exposed
to during pregnancy. Because the child only knew the scent of his
mother’s amniotic fluid for the first nine months of life, studies have
depicted that “if a newborn baby is given the choice of suckling on her
mother’s unwashed breast, which secretes a smell similar to the smell of
amniotic fluid, or on a breast that has been washed, more than 75% of
the time the newborn will choose the breast with the familiar amniotic
smell51.” The tastes, and thus the smells, entering the mother’s body
does subtly transfer to the fetus, but the scents and aromas in the
mother’s environment will be more impactful on her well-being, moods,
behaviors, and energy levels. Unpleasant odor can deplete and offset the
mother, while pleasant and tasteful aromas can soothe and encourage an
increased feeling of peace. Intentional aromatherapy—essential oils,
fresh flowers, natural wax candles, etc being all great options—can be
utilized to calm or uplift the mother, balancing vitiated doshic states
experienced throughout and following pregnancy. A few examples of
vata pacifying, calming aromas include lavender, geranium, chamomile,
vanilla, juniper, and rose. To counter pitta and intense/heated
feelings, scents like jasmine, rose, neroli, mandarin, sandalwood, and
lavender are seen to cool and soothe. Invigorating and purifying scents
that may assist in pacifying stagnation and kapha-related symptoms of
the mind include cinnamon, juniper, ginger, bergamot, and citrus aromas.
Diffusing, burning, incorporating these in massage oils and baths, or
simply keeping a scented vile or spritzer bottle handy are all great
methods of utilizing the profound effects of aromatherapy.
Considering how intake through the senses influences
the mother and fetus, the mother should utilize this knowledge to create
a more balanced pregnancy. The Sushruta was adamant that negative
exposure of the five senses can be harmful to the mother and fetus,
strongly asserting, “she should not touch nor come into contact with
unclean, deformed or maimed persons, and should forego the use of fetid
smelling things, avoid dreadful sites and painful and agitating sounds
and the use of dry, stale, and dirty food as well as that prepared
overnight52.” While we can’t expect a mother to constantly be in control
of all the qualities she is taking in through her senses, she can,
however, achieve more mindfulness of what she is exposed to in her
environment and how to mitigate the aspects that aren’t supportive.
Pregnancy is a sacred time and should be treated as
such. Commonly in the west we assist pregnant mothers with not much more
than increased food intake, prenatal supplements, and regular doctor
check-ups. While many successful births have occurred following the
standard western lifestyle, Ayurveda looks deeper into optimizing
health, ease, and vitality of the physical and subtle bodies of both the
mother and fetus. Following a balanced, tonifying diet with the
addition of food supplements for nutrient and rejuvenating support,
including safe herbs only when necessary, incorporating an
individualized exercise and yoga asana routine for the mother,
implementing a meditation and pranayama practice, and utilizing
therapies and simple lifestyle choices to bring balance in through the
five senses are all effective regimens that play a preventative,
stabilizing, and, overall, supportive role for the mother-to-be. To
create a pregnancy experience that is void of stresses, frustrations,
and unnecessary discomforts and abundant in love, contentment, ease, and
joy is absolutely an achievable goal. Implementing Ayurvedic practices
in a way that is compatible with the lifestyle of a western-born mother
will assist in obtaining this goal, not only as she carries the child,
but as she goes through labor, delivery, and caring for the child
post-partum. Ayurveda isn’t a cure, but merely a balancing way-of-life
that supports our body, and ultimately our soul, as we embark on the
journey of life; and, if we are so destined, this journey may include
the magical experience of pregnancy.
Source: Kelly Stoinki
Disclaimer
The sole purpose of these blogs is to provide information about
the tradition of ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the
diagnosis, prevention or cure of any disease. If you have any serious, acute or
chronic health concern, please consult a trained doctor/health professional who
can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. If you are seeking the
medical advice of a trained Ayurvedic expert, call us or e mail.
Dr Unnati Chavda
(Promoting pregnancy wellness)
www.ayurvedapanchkarma.in
