Post-Partum Ayurvedic Tips for New Mothers

12^th Aug 2022

3 mins read

---

According to Ayurveda, giving birth is an effort that is governed by the Vata dosha, a metabolic principle that takes care of the movement in the body. The void left in the body after giving birth is also an aspect of Vata, so after delivery, you are very likely to feel off balance. Vata also regulates the nervous system, so if unbalanced, you can feel ungrounded, spaced out or experience fragility, fatigue, dryness, hypersensitivity and constipation all whilst having to look after another human being. This is why it is so important to educate and prepare yourself before giving birth. Get organized early so that you are surrounded by family members and loved ones that understand your postpartum choices. 

Ayurveda practices emphasize the utmost importance of taking care of the Vata dosha for 42 days after delivery. It is believed that we must take care of the mother for 42 days after delivery so that the next 42 years go smoothly. The recurring challenges can range from mood instabilities, depression, stiffness, aches, gas, bloating, constipation, joint and weight problem and relationship challenges. This goes well beyond a selfish or personal concern, the couple and the whole family will benefit from us taking the time to understand this crucial recovery period and prevent future problems.

Here are 10 ‘easy’ Ayurvedic Tips for new mothers:

1. Organize a support network around you before giving birth. Define when visits can take place and don’t put pressure on yourself to receive visitors immediately after returning from the hospital.

2. Make sure that the planned visits will be helpful (cleaning or bringing meals – if you don’t already have help at home!) and not just to see the baby, which may take too much of your vital energy. 

3. Be clear and honest to your family that you want to take care of yourself during the recovery period. The focus should be on the mother-child relationship and not so much on other people with your baby. 

4. Plan a home-cooked meal postdelivery to have when you get home from the hospital. Something warm and comforting, could be a rice pudding with sugar, spices and clarified butter or a soup or broth. Your digestive fire will be extremely low after delivery so the chosen food must be easy to digest. 

5. Think of ghee and oil as your best buddy for at least a month after giving birth for both ingestion and massage. It is now scientifically proven that low blood lipids are common amongst people suffering from hormonal imbalances and depression. Good quality fats are essential for hormonal health and even for weight loss. This is absolutely NOT the time to think about dieting. On the contrary, if you don’t nourish your Vata with oil (crucial for getting back to normal) it will stock up body fat to compensate which could prevent you from losing weight. 

6. Avoid salads, cold and raw food that are difficult to digest and will aggravate Vata. Eat hot, cooked meals that contain a lot of ghee. The more you feed your Vata, ithe happier your body will be. A happy mother = a happy baby. 

7. Post-delivery, oil your feet and belly with sesame oil to make up for the void left after the baby was born. 

8. In the following 6 weeks, organize for a masseuse to visit your home. If this is not possible, do self-massage frequently. 

9. Spices such as cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek, cardamom and fennel are great allies to restart your digestion and promote lactation. Use in dishes and herbal teas. 

10. Lie in bed as much as possible. Your body will thank you later. The sub-dosha of Vata: Apana, which allows the expulsion of the baby, is a movement that goes down. Your uterus, body and organs need time to find their places. Give it time, a few days is not enough as the standing posture is too intense on the body for at least a month. 
Vata is the dosha that requires the most gentleness from us, so be patient and kind to yourself and tell your family so they know what to expect.