Ayurveda helps you also at this time.
The postpartum is the stage after the birth or development of the fetus in the uterus, if everything has gone well and we have our little one in our arms then this moment will be one of much happiness, but also some problems may have arisen during childbirth or pregnancy and the situation may not be as we would have wished. In any case our body has undergone changes and imbalances that we must observe and balance. We will try to contemplate the different situations we may find ourselves in, depending on the birth and our mental strength.
The first thing is to keep calm and an open mind, we have much to learn from the situation that presents us and we must be willing.
The postpartum is a Vata moment, that is to say, the birth has unbalanced Vata by all the movement and force that has happened in the pelvic area. So the first thing we should do is an abhyanga massage with bala oil, dashamoola or just sesame oil. Ayurveda tells us about daily waves all over the body during the first few months.
If we have not yet eliminated the remains of the uterus then we could take trikatu (black pepper, long pepper and ginger) with warm water to help the elimination. That would be about 300 mg a day with food. Only for the first 2 or 3 days. In case of not having long pepper we can add cumin.
Our body is tired and slowly recovering from the great changes it has experienced and although the most certain is that it will not be the same as before, we should rest a lot and not do abrupt exercises as we can hurt ourselves. Postpartum yoga is a modality that is widespread today and is very advisable at this time in the life of the woman and her baby.
We must become aware, even if we feel good, of our body and understand that we do not see internal changes, as all organs have moved and the muscles of the abdomen, among others, distended, so it is VERY IMPORTANT to respect the times, which in Ayurveda as in allopathic medicine are about 40 days, the famous quarantine. These 40 days should be used to create the bond with the baby by creating quality spaces for example at the time of milk intake, although of course the bond is created throughout life.
The diet must be nutritious, warm and light. This diet includes milk, ghee, poppy seeds, coconut milk, zucchini, red lentils, oats, nuts, boiled vegetables, white meat, mung beans, rice, no fried foods and no stimulants. The ghee with fennel or cumin will help us to reduce Vata, improve our digestive fire and the quality of our milk intended for breastfeeding.
The physical rest is important but also the mental one, we must avoid the worries as these generate imbalances that affect the maternal milk. If we are sad, worried or angry then the milk loses quality, in these cases it is very indicated to take a spoonful of shatavari with hot milk.
According to Ayurveda the first feeding of the baby should be breast milk and this has to have the best possible quality. The quality of the milk is observed from its mixture with water. You can do a little experiment: take a glass of water and drop a few drops of breast milk, if the milk floats it is unbalanced by Vata, if it sinks it is unbalanced by Kapha and if it creates yellowish lines it is affected by Pitta. Milk of optimum quality has a fine texture and is completely diluted when mixed with water.
A daily infusion that is recommended to keep the milk and our body in serious good shape of fennel, fenugreek and cumin. Although if we know what dosha can be affected then we can be more specific. If we have an unbalanced milk by Vata we will take dashamoola infusion, if it is affected by Pitta infusion of guduchi with shatavari, and if it is affected by Kapha infusion of triphala.
Having a baby is an experience that changes us and sometimes we can feel misunderstood in an environment that is not in the same situation. Nourishing ourselves with wise women who bring us peace of mind promotes the peace of mind necessary for our bond with the baby to be of the best possible quality.
I hope that the wisdom of Ayurveda can be useful to you in this very special moment. If you have any questions, send them to us, we will be happy to help you!
Om