Ayurvedic Post Natal Care – The First Week After Delivery
The initial week soon after delivery is of immense importance. Both mother and the newly arrived baby need attention and special care. Ayurveda explains in detail regarding mother care. Here is the detailed Ayurvedic post natal care in the first week after delivery.
Table of Contents
Importance of first week post-natal care
Why is care of the mother in the first week after delivery so important?
Ayurvedic explanation
The process of child delivery is caused due to Vata activity. Vata will be immensely increased soon after delivery. The digestion power, hygiene and immunity will also be very low in the mother. Hence special care to balance Vata and to strengthen the mother is very necessary.
Modern explanation
Soon after delivery, the mother’s uterus starts involution (retracting back to its smaller, normal size). Lactation slowly begins, mother’s mental health will be a little unstable.
To ensure normalcy in above proceedings, Ayurveda offers special care.
Disclaimer: All these information is just for information. Consult your doctor before trying any of these.
Ayurvedic post natal care
In the first week after delivery, the following procedures and diet should be followed.
Just before her breakfast, lunch and dinner, Take 3 tablespoon of cooked rice. Add a pinch of salt, black pepper and turmeric. Let her have it, and then her food.
Oil massage
Some start oil massage after 5 days, some, after 10 days.
Massage with Balaswagandhadi taila / Ksheera bala taila is explained. It helps to strengthen the ligaments, muscles, tendons, joints of the whole body. It soothes the skin and relieves pain.
Ghee / sesame oil – Based on mother’s convenience for intake, ghee or sesame oil is administered in the dose of 5 – 10 ml twice a day. Administering raw ghee as such might cause digestion problems. Hence it is traditionally advised to give the ghee along with 2 – 3 grams of herbal powder mix. This powder mix is a combination of equal parts of – Ginger, long pepper (root and fruit), Chavya (Piper chaba) and Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica). This combination of herbs along with ghee provides much needed strength to the digestive system and the whole body. It is also useful in avoiding cold and infections.
In Rural India and in folklore Ayurveda practice, they make a laddu out of dry fruits, called Gondh Ki Laddu or Edible Gum Laddu.
It is administered from 2nd week till 3 – 4 months to improve strength and immunity of the nursing mother.
Diet
After ensuring that the administered ghee is completely digested, a gruel prepared with rice / barley and long pepper is administered.
Rice gruel with little quantity of ghee along with hot water is administered twice or thrice a day.
Cooked rice and boiled vegetables, boiled vegetables smoothie can be given.
Kashayam prepared with Vata balancing herbs like Dashamoola, Bala is administered once or twice a day in the dose of 10 – 20 ml once or twice a day.
Nigella sativa / Kalonji Kashayam:
Some administer Kalonji Kashayam – Take a teaspoon of it in a vessel, add 2 cups of water, boil and reduce to 1 cup, Filter it.
Mother can have it in the evening at about 7 pm, freshly made and hot. – If she feels it is bitter, she can take a little jaggery or honey after taking it.
This Kashayam is to be given only till 10 days after delivery.
Jaggery and water – Is administered. It improves the mother’s strength instantly and relieves tiredness. Dose: 100 – 200 ml per day. The above mentioned 3 grams of herbal powder (long pepper root and fruit, ginger, Chitraka, and Chavya) is also administered along with jaggery and water.
Warm water or at least boiled and cooled water is advised.
Overall, Ayurvedic post natal care for the first week concentrates on Balancing Vata with intake of ghee, oil massage and rice / barley gruel.
16 comments on “Ayurvedic Post Natal Care – The First Week After Delivery”
suryakrishnamurthi
Excellent information and requires attention of all the ladies in the household. MY efforts will be to forward the article as and when I receive invitation for Seemantham and Valaikappu celebration of young would be mother in the hindu tradition. Regards Suryakrishnamurtthi
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
many many thanks. 🙂 Still more information on post natal care coming up
suryakrishnamurthi
Thank you in advance Regards Suryakrishnamuthi
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Ghee is actually crucial in the first week after delivery to the mother. It helps to calm down Pitta and Vata. It helps in normal involution of uterus. But since ghee alone might cause digestive problems, it is given along with the herbal powder that I mentioned above or with shallots etc.
Many fear that ghee might cause weight gain in the mother. But surprisingly it does not.
dr.aditya
If m given ghee with milk
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Ghee with hot milk once a day is fine. For the initial first week after delivery, it is best to avoid too much of milk (more than a cup or two).
Sowmya Vijayakumar
Doctor, I read your other two post on pre & postnatal care as well. These post are inspiring me so much 🙂 Can you please refer any book/booklet containing the pre and post natal care in a form of schedule which contains the details that can be followed at home for those who are Ayurveda enthusiasist but not educationally qualified in Ayurveda. Are there any course offered for this section of Ayurveda alone – can you provide more details on this like eligibility/term/classes etc. Are there any Ayurvedic clinics which provide Abhyangam for both Mom & Child – can you provide details on this?
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
Hi, sorry that I do not know of any such book.
Regarding course for post partum care, such a course for 1 – 2 weeks can be arranged at Alva’s Ayurveda Medical college, Moodbidri, near Mangalore, Karnataka.
Please write to me at – hebbarjv@gmail.com if interested.
Ponnu
That’s nice information but I wanted to know the mixture of contents put during hot water bath after internal or external stiches during delivery
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
If I have understood correctly, you are asking for herbal water preparation for bath, after delivery. You can use this remedy – https://www.easyayurveda.com/2013/11/08/easy-ayurveda-home-remedy-daily-skin-detox/
Sandy
Wonderful article. Can normal women continue to eat ghee if weight gain is not an issue on ghee consumption? How it can be consumed?
irsh
In kerala they make a lehyam…. ventha marunnu…. what is the recommended dosage of that?
Ayurshakha
Its such a wonderful article. Can normal women continue to eat ghee if weight gain is not an issue on ghee consumption? How it can be consumed?
Pallavi
Hello doctor , thanks for such a good article which has great value . I have not followed these procedures properly . So does it affect my health in future ?? Am worried .
Dr J V Hebbar MD(Ayu)
You need not worry. Just follow healthy lifestyle. Avoid pepsi etc drinks, junk foods. Exercise regularly, have oil massage once a week. All the best 🙂
Jincy
Which lehyam is good to gain weight after delivery sir