Ayurvedic Postpartum Healing

Ayurvedic Massage

Ayurveda Spices & Herbs

I have a strong interest in Ayurveda. Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest medicine, dating back 5,000 years. This practice of medicine focuses on whole body wellness. In Ayurveda, the key to maintaining health is a balance between body, mind and spirit; everything alive and dead is connected through energy. If your personal energies are imbalanced, that is when sickness occurs. Ayurveda is a complementary and alternative medicine in the United States. In India, Ayurvedic practitioners work side by side with allopathic doctors, and receive just as much schooling. Ayurveda uses meditation, massage, oils, herbs and diet to restore harmony and heal sickness. If you’re thinking, ‘well, that doesn’t sound like science’ and are skeptical, you should know that Ayurveda practitioners and health counselors are taught science during their studies. It’s a complimentary practice that doesn’t need to replace western medicine but can be used as a different approach for healing. 

Here is a link to a more thorough explanation: https://www.ayurveda.com/resources/articles/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide

Many practitioners have helped blend traditional Ayurvedic practices with modern conveniences and diet. And some practitioners have focused on Ayurvedic treatments for the postpartum period. When a woman delivers a child, she also delivers a new version of herself; she is an entirely different person and must understand her new identity.The 42 days, or 4th trimester, following delivery are crucial to discovering herself but also, nourishing herself and restoring her internal balance. Following an Ayurvedic postpartum diet can restore harmony as well as aid lactation/breastfeeding imbalances, bonding, and mental wellness. There are 4 phases of an Ayurvedic Postpartum diet: 

• Days 1-3: Cleansing & Digestion

• Days 4-10: Digestion & Lactation

• Days 11-21: Lactation & Rejuvenation

• Days 22-42: Rejuvenation

Following this 42 day diet, there is a slow transition back to a regular diet that helps your body adjust but also helps your baby adjust to any changes in breastmilk that may result.

Here is an example recipe of a meal recommended during days 1-3: 

Cream of Rice Cereal with Dates

• ½ c cream of rice

• 3 c water

• 1 T ghee

• ⅓ tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ginger powder

• ¼ tsp nutmeg powder

• ¼ tsp clove powder

• 3 dates (pitted and chopped)

• 2 T coconut sugar

1. Bring cream of rice and water to a boil. Stir periodically to avoid clumping and sticking. 

2. Turn heat down to medium low. Stir in spices and sugar. Cover. 

3. Cook for 30-45 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. 

4. Turn off heat and add chopped dates. 

5. Serve hot.

(From Mama’s Menu)

*It should be noted that during this 42 day window (and beyond), I believe the birthing person’s job is to sleep, heal, bond, and breastfeed. I hope to soon add Ayurveda Postpartum Doula to birth services offered alongside my other birth services.