Mother and Child Care

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Mother and Child Care Mother care

Ayurveda system of medicine lays utmost emphasis on pregnancy care and calls it Garbhini paricharya. It aims at providing the most nurturing environment both for the mother and child. Garbhini paricharya describes ahara (diet), vihara (life style) and vichara (thought process) to be followed by the mother throughout the period of pregnancy as these have a direct bearing on the health of the child.

A pregnant woman according to the garbhini paricharya should consume highly nutritious food that should contain proteins, vitamins and minerals. She should also follow certain exercises during the period of pregnancy. Ante natal care in ayurveda includes suggestions regarding simple exercises and lifestyles that help to give birth to a healthy and beautiful child.

Ayurveda lists the names of selective herbs and spices to be taken by the mother during the various stages of her pregnancy. And, towards the end of her pregnancy period, there will be different processes to make labour easier. Ayurveda recommends that pregnant women take herbs like Shatavaree and Ashwagandha in various forms as these improve the immune system of the mother and the baby. The intake of the nutritional supplement, Chyavanaprash, is also suggested for the healthy growth of the fetus.

It is advised that the pregnant mother take medicated ghee (Gritha) from the very first month of the pregnancy period. Sukaprasava gritham should be taken by the seventh month as this gritham helps the mother to have an easy delivery.

Ayurveda recommends that pregnant woman have an oil massage (Abhyanga) on a daily basis. Special attention is to be given to the care of feet, legs, abdomen, lower back, neck and the shoulders.

A pregnant woman should have as diet, chapattis, white basmati rice, moog beans, fresh fruits, vegetables and should also drink large quantities of water. She should rather concentrate on having several light meals instead of one or two heavy meals. Consuming boiled milk with cinnamon, ghee and raw honey will give nourishment to the body during this time and is to be taken before going to bed or early in the morning. She should consume an increased quantity of milk during the pregnancy period as milk contains an abundance of calcium, lactose and butter fat. Vitamin B & C complex are also recommended.

Yoga can be practiced during the early stages of pregnancy. However, it is not advisable from the third month of pregnancy. And, during the early stages, simple and safe postures like lying on one’s back and pushing the back to the floor, then swaying knees to one side and the other could be practiced. Besides, simple poses such as cat pose and corpse pose could also be practiced. She should also have a minimum of 8 hours sleep and should avoid having tension and worry as these may ultimately affect the mental disposition of the child.

Child Care
Child care in ayurveda starts before a woman conceives a child and lasts till...
 
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