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ABSTRACT
To rely on Ayurveda is the best way to ensure a safe and
natural childbirth. Ayurveda understands all the factors,
which bring about a hazard-free childbirth. By following a
regulated diet and regimen, the pregnant mother is prepared
for a natural delivery. By helping nature to take its course,
women enjoy a risk-free childbirth. This paper provides a
broad view of the diet and regimen during pregnancy
Throughout the period of pregnancy, Ayurveda advises the
mother to follow a specific diet and regimen designed
appropriately to take care of the requirement and needs of the
pregnant woman. Generally the pregnant woman is advised to
follow a diet, which is predominantly sweet in taste, easy to
digest, cooling to the body and liquid in consistency. She is
also recommended a month-wise diet regimen throughout the
period of pregnancy. The rationale for such a diet is explained
below.
The diet of a pregnant mother should satisfy four
requirements:
1. Diet should nourish the mother during pregnancy
2. It should help the growth and development of the
foetus
3. It should ensure a hazard-free and smooth child birth
4. It should help in the secretion of breast milk
.
Therefore, the food substances recommended for
consumption during pregnancy possess qualities, which serve
the above objectives. The food recommended during
pregnancy is based on the month-wise requirement of the
pregnant woman.
During the first three months of pregnancy, the focus is mainly
on retaining the foetus. Therefore, a sweet, cooling and easy to
digest diet is recommended to the mother. This type of food
ensures that the foetus remains stable and there is no bleeding.
Bleeding occurring during the first three months can lead to
loss of the foetus. This diet ensures that there is no bleeding
throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy.
Diet and regimen during
pregnancy
The second phase of the pregnancy, i.e., from the fourth to the
seventh month, is when the foetus gains maximum growth and
development. The diet during this phase enables this.
During the last phase of pregnancy, the eighth and ninth
month, the mother is prepared for undergoing a normal
delivery, which is hazard-free and comfortable. The diet and
regimen of the mother are designed to make this possible.
FOOD
The pregnant woman's diet is predominantly sweet
in taste. Among the six tastes, sweet taste is ideal for a
pregnant mother for various reasons. Substances, which are
sweet in taste, are usually cooling to the body. Sweet taste
helps in the building up and strengthening of all bodily tissues.
It prevents emaciation and helps prolong life span. It increases
stoutness, helps to unite bones, and improves strength and
complexion. It is good for the sense organs, skin, hair and
throat. Sweet taste gives a feeling of contentment. It is
nourishing and gives stability to the body. It helps in the
production of breast milk, mitigates burning sensation in the
body and cures thirst and fainting. Sweet taste provides
oiliness to the body. Sweet taste is ideal for children since it
helps in growth. Substances with sweet taste control Vayu and
Pitta. This taste is most important for children, the elderly, the
emaciated and the wounded.
As sweet taste possesses all these qualities, it is
considered the best for pregnant mothers. Some examples of
food and herbs, which are sweet in taste are, milk, ghee, rice,
wheat, raisins, dates, banana, jackfruit and sugarcane. Indian
asparagus (Satavari) and Vidari, Bala , yasti and gokshura are
some of the herbs, which are sweet in taste and rich in
medicinal values.
As sweet taste is the one, which brings about
nourishment and growth, it is included in the diet throughout
pregnancy. Food which is usually cold in potency (cooling to
the body), which is low in sour, salty and pungent tastes, and
high in sweet taste ensures that the pregnant mother does not
P.LT Girija
Sanjeevani Ayurveda
Vaidyasala and Yoga Centre,
Chennai
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have premature bleeding. It also protects her from anaemia.
On the contrary, food that is predominantly pungent
(chilli hot), astringent and bitter in taste, can cause dryness in
the body and obstruct the movement of faeces, urine and
flatus. This type of food does not contribute to the
nourishment of the mother, growth of the foetus or secretion of
breast milk. It also does not help in the easy passage of the
foetus during delivery. Foods, which are sour, salty, hot and
pungent, make the mother anaemic.
Food and regimen recommended in Ayurveda for a
pregnant mother ensures anemia-free pregnancy. Throughout
pregnancy, the mother is advised to consume nourishing foods
such as milk, ghee, butter, green gram, rice etc. Herbs, which
are sweet in taste and cold in potency, are used during this
period. In other words, she is advised to avoid food, which is
pungent, sour, hot and spicy, which is one of the contributory
factors for anemia. Intake of alcohol, day sleep and hard
physical labour are forbidden throughout pregnancy. These
are also among the causative factors for anemia.
FIRST MONTH
The diet of a pregnant mother should be mostly
liquid in consistency. A liquid rice porridge is easy to digest,
and helps in eliminating urine and feces. The most important
diet recommended for the pregnant woman is milk.
Milk is the best food during pregnancy. Especially
during the first month, milk should be consumed in adequate
quantity. The pregnant mother should consume that quantity
of milk, which she is able to digest without difficulty. It is very
important to consume milk right through the nine months of
pregnancy. Here let us look at the properties of milk.
MILK: Generally milk is sweet in taste. It is
unctuous (it has oiliness). It promotes growth of tissues
(Dhatus) and is cooling to the body. Cow's milk especially,
improves intelligence, sustains life and acts as a rejuvenator.
Milk cures fatigue, excessive thirst and hunger. It is an ideal
food for persons suffering from emaciation. It helps in
preventing bleeding. It increases strength and breast milk. For
these reasons milk is the ideal food for pregnant mothers.
During the first month, milk should be consumed at
room temperature. It need not be processed with any
medicinal herbs. However, processing milk with the Bala
(Sida Cordifolia) is useful. Bala is a commonly available herb
with very good medicinal properties. Bala is cold in potency
(or it is cooling to the body) and sweet in taste. It bestows
strength and improves complexion. It is oily or unctuous in
nature. Like milk Bala also has the property to prevent
bleeding. It is an excellent herb for regulating Vayu and for
pacifying Pitta.
Sweet, cooling (in potency), liquid and wholesome diet twice
during the day is the ideal food for a pregnant mother. The
woman should consume food in moderate quantity. She
should neither eat too much nor eat too little. During this
month, rubbing or massaging the body with medicines, oils
etc. should be avoided.
SECOND MONTH
During this month, milk is processed with medicinal
herbs, which possess sweet taste and are cooling to the body.
There are many drugs that can be recommended. Some of the
commonly available drugs, usually prescribed are Bala,
Satavari, Yashti, Vidari etc. These herbs are boiled along with
water and milk till the water evaporates and given to the
woman. Food during this month should be (preferably) liquid
in consistency.
THIRD MONTH
Honey mixed with milk (at room temperature) and ghee is a
rd
drink recommended for pregnant mothers in the 3 month.
This kind of food helps the woman to fight nausea and
vomiting which are the most obvious and common symptoms
in the early part of pregnancy. Some women suffer from this a
great deal. It usually troubles them from around the third
month. The diet during this month helps them address this
problem. Honey possesses the property of preventing
vomiting. Rice porridge with milk is the recommended diet
for this month.
Honey is a highly medicinal substance. It improves vision,
relieves thirst and prevents bleeding (premature bleeding in
case of pregnancy) as well as vomiting. Honey is also useful in
case of cough, respiratory problems and diarrhea. It is
important to note that wherever honey is used, it is to be added
to the drink at room temperature.
There are many preparations, which can be included in the
diet, especially for women who suffer from severe bouts of
vomiting. For example:
- Paste of Daniya (dhanyaka) with rice-wash added
with sugar is good for controlling vomiting during
pregnancy.
- A drink made with the powder of popped paddy
(Laaja) mixed with honey and sugar is very good for
preventing nausea and vomiting.
- Pulp of Bilva fruit mixed with the water of popped
paddy relieves vomiting during pregnancy.
- A soup made of green gram mixed with the seeds of
pomegranate, salt and ghee relieves vomiting.
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- A soup made of goat's meat, without salt, soured with
pomegranate and mixed with spices that are appetizing,
cures vomiting, especially vomiting caused by the
aggravation of Vayu.
- Rice wash mixed with sugar, honey, powder of popped
paddy, made tasty by adding spices such as cardamom,
cinnamon and cloves, is especially effective in treating
vomiting caused by the aggravation of Pitta.
- A decoction of tender leaves of mango and Jamun mixed
with honey is good for vomiting caused by an
aggravation of Kapha (phlegm).
During the first three months of pregnancy, extreme care is
taken to prevent bleeding. From the fourth to the seventh
month, the emphasis shifts to growth and development of the
foetus.
FOURTH MONTH
By this month, all body parts are fully manifested. The food
for this month includes butter extracted directly from milk.
(This is called Ksheera Navanitam – Ksheera is milk and
Navanitam is butter.) This butter should be taken along with
milk. The quantity of butter can be about 12 grams.
Butter extracted from milk is best among oily, fatty
substances for pregnant mothers. It is sweet in taste and very
cold (cooling) in potency. It has the property of preventing
bleeding during pregnancy. Butter improves strength,
digestion and complexion. It helps cure cough, consumption,
piles and disorders of Vata, Pitta and blood. It is very good for
improving eyesight. During pregnancy it is an ideal food and
it helps to create softness of body parts. Among the women of
rural Tamilnadu, consuming butter with warm rice-water (the
supernatant water while boiling rice) is a practice, which is
widely prevalent even to this day.
In the fourth month, soup made from meat is a recommended
diet. The meat should be free of fat. In general, use of meat
soup during pregnancy is recommended in specific months
and regular and continuous use is however discouraged.
During pregnancy, food that is light (easy to digest) is
preferred. Regular intake of meat can result in increase in the
size of the foetus. The foetus should be neither too big nor too
small. This can be achieved if the diet of the mother is
managed carefully. Meat soup in the fourth month is aimed at
improving the growth of the foetus.
Meat possesses many good properties. Meat in general, is the
best food for controlling the Vayu in the body. Meat soup
bestows stoutness, strength and nourishment to the body. It
also gives contentment (Preenanam). It is good for improving
vision and is an aphrodisiac. Meat in general, is heavy to
digest. Properties of different meats differ slightly from one
another. Among the meats, which are commonly
available in the market, soup of goat's meat is preferable.
Goat's meat prepared as a fat-free soup is easy to digest. It
does not aggravate any dosha in the body. It gives
stoutness to the body.
FIFTH MONTH
- Ghee should be added to milk gruel and consumed
- Porridge with milk and rice
- Light and easy to digest meat soup
Like milk, ghee is a very important diet for women
throughout pregnancy. Ghee is a substance with numerous
medicinal qualities. There is no other substance that can be
compared with ghee in its qualities. Ghee possesses a very
special property, which is that it enhances intellect, memory
and other mental faculties. Even though it is a fat, it improves
the power of digestion, unlike other fats. Ghee increases life
span and fertility. It also improves sight, voice and
complexion. It is a good tonic for children and the elderly. It
gives softness to the body. Ghee is also an ideal tonic for
persons suffering from emaciation, injuries and wounds from
weapons and fire. For disorders caused by Vata and Pitta, ghee
is an ideal medicine. It is also used as a medicine in the
treatment of poisons, insanity, and consumption and in certain
kinds of fevers. Ghee is the best among all fatty substances. It
is cooling to the body and the best tonic for retaining
youthfulness. It is capable of giving thousands of beneficial
effects if it is processed in different ways along with herbs.
Ghee made from butter which is extracted from milk, is ideal
for pregnant women as it also helps in preventing bleeding.
SIXTH MONTH
- Watery kanji (rice or wheat gruel) preparations
-Gokshura, processed in ghee and added to Kanji
(gruel)
- Ghee (made from butter derived from milk)
processed with sweet herbs
Gokshura is a commonly found small thorny herb and it is
found all over India. These thorns have high medicinal value
and are particularly useful during pregnancy. Gokshura is
cooling and strengthening to the body. It is sweet in taste and
helps in improving digestion. One very important property of
Gokshura is that it is an excellent herb in all problems related
to the urinary system. It cleanses the urinary bladder, removes
urinary stones, controls diabetes and relieves difficulty in
urination. It is nourishing to the body and is an aphrodisiac. It
is useful in treating respiratory problems, cough, piles and
heart disease. It is useful in controlling aggravated Vayu in the
body. A handful of Gokshura can be added to two glasses of
water and boiled down to a quarter glass. This decoction is
strained and added to the Kanji. Ghee (prepared from butter
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extracted from milk) is added to this gruel and the pregnant
woman can adopt this simple diet during this month. This
gruel can be consumed twice daily if possible. By this, the
flow of urine becomes free and unobstructed. This also
prevents swelling in the feet of the pregnant mother. This diet
is cooling, nourishing and strengthening for the mother. It
helps in regulating Vayu during pregnancy. Diet during the
sixth month also includes ghee processed with sweet herbs.
SEVENTH MONTH
By now all parts of the foetus are fully developed and the
foetus is nourished well. The regimen for the seventh month is
the same as that of the sixth. Herb, which is specially
recommended for this month, is Vidari. Ghee processed with
Vidari is a valuable supplement in this month. Vidari abounds
in medicinal properties ideal for pregnant mothers.
Vidari is sweet in taste and cold in potency. It is oily,
stoutening and strengthening to the body. It is diuretic in
action. For secreting breast milk Vidari is an ideal herb. It
improves voice, complexion and prolongs life. Vidari is
rejuvenator and improves fertility. It controls burning
sensation, reduces aggravated vata and pitta and is good for
blood disorders. Dried pieces of Vidari are available in the
market, which can be used for medicinal purposes.
During the seventh month, a pregnant woman may experience
certain discomfort. She may experience itching or burning
sensation in the body. Many mistake this condition to be some
allergic reaction or result of some insect bites. Due to the
pressure of the growing foetus, the three doshas vata, pitta and
kapha get pushed up the chest causing itching and burning of
the body. During this time the woman should refrain from
scratching and damaging the skin. If the itching is very severe,
kneading and massaging with mild friction may be done. The
chest and abdomen and wherever she experiences itching,
paste of sandal wood or sandalwood paste along with usheera
(khas in Hindi and vettiver in Tamil) can be applied over her
chest, abdomen and thighs for relief. She should consume
food in small quantity, avoiding salt and oil or add salt and oil
in small quantities. She should also drink water in small
quantities after consuming food. Food should be sweet in
taste, easy to digest and that which pacifies vata.
EIGHTH & NINTH MONTH
The main thrust of the prescribed diet and regimen of these
two months is to prepare the mother towards the forthcoming
delivery. During the eighth month the ideal food for the
pregnant woman is thin gruel mixed with milk and ghee. This
helps the woman to keep good health while also nourishing
the foetus. During the ninth month, food mixed with ghee and
meat soup or thick gruel mixed with large quantities of fat is
ideal for the woman. This gives her the health and strength to
withstand the delivery.
From the ninth month onwards, the pregnant woman should
always apply oil on the body and never remain without it.
Cotton soaked in oil is placed in the vaginal area to make the
birth canal oily, soft and flexible. This practice of placing
cotton soaked in oil in the vagina was very much in vogue in
the villages of Tamilnadu until recently. Women were actively
discouraged from following this practice by modern medical
practioners on the ground that it leads to infection!
During the ninth month, a medicated oil enema is
administered to the pregnant woman. By this, feacal matter is
eliminated and this also prepares the woman towards
childbirth. By the use of oil tampon and oil enema and
constant application of oil on the body, the birth canal and
perineum become soft and stretched paper thin during birth
without tearing.
After delivery too the mother is recommended a diet and
regimen. Her body is massaged with oil, sprinkled with hot
water and her stomach is tied with a cloth. This prevents air
(vayu) from occupying the space left behind by the foetus. She
is given medicines immediately after this, which helps to
expel the dirt and clean the uterus. Initially for a week she is
maintained on a light diet. She is administered lehyams and
arishtams to improve health and secretion of milk. After a
week or ten days a large variety of food is introduced in her
diet. All this helps the mother to recover quickly her lost
strength and vitality.
To understand and value the strengths of the Ayurveda, the
modern mind has to unlearn some of the biases that inhibit the
total acceptance of the efficacy and safety of the traditional
system. Also it is time to review the role of Ayurveda in public
health care facilities in all MCH programs and policies. Such a
policy reform will reshape the future of health care in India.
Botanical names for Herbs mentioned:
Bala – Sida cordifolia
Bilva _ Aegle marmelos
Dhanyaka _ Coriandrum sativum
Gokshura – Tribulus terrestris
Laaja _ Puffed rice
Sariba – Hemidesmus indicus
Shatavari – Asparagus racemosus
Usheera – Vetiveria zizanoides
Vidari – Ipomoea digitata
Yashti – Glycyrrhiza glabra
References:
1. Charaka Samhita (Saarira Sthanam)
2. Ashtanga Hridayam ( Saarira Sthanam)
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