Things to avoid: Excessive sex in early and late pregnancy Speaking in a loud voice Fasting Sleeping during the day time and staying up late at night Tight clothes Squatting for a long time or sitting in an uncomfortable position or on a hard surface Words or sights that give feelings of sorrow, anger, fear or pain Traveling in a vehicle on rough roads Lifting heavy objects  or remaining in a bending position for a long time Beholding natural urges Dry, stale, fermented, heavy, hot or strong food, alcohol and meat Visiting abandoned and remote places Balancing Apana Vata: Most ayurvedic recommendations will be to balance apana vata . Apana  Vata must be balanced during pregnancy.   It is the downward moving flow of energy in the body and must be well balanced in pregnancy.  An emotional disturbance that can be caused by excess vata is anxiety.  Foods, oil massage and appropriate rest are advised in order to restore apana vata balance. Month by Month Regimens as advised in Classical Texts: Month 1:Take wholesome food morning and evening. Drink milk regularly. Month 2: Take boiled milk with sweet taste herbs(vidari, shtavari, yashtimadhu) Month 3: Take milk mixed with honey and ghee. Also add sastika rice with milk in pregnancy.Ayurveda recommends that the mother´s cravings be fulfilled as far as possible. Month 4: Take milk along with butter. Take sastika rice with curd Also, take milk and butter and soup made with wild animal meat (non-veg) Month 5: Take ghee.Take sastika(Navara) rice with milk. Also, take food with milk and clarified butter. Month 6: Take ghee boiled with sweet herbs.Take sastika rice with ghee. Also, take gruel with clarified butter. Month 7: Follow the directions for month 6. If itching develops in the chest due to pressure of the foetus, use kneading and friction massage on the area. Food should be sweet in taste and alleviate vata. Eat small amounts and don’t add extra fat or salt. Water can be taken in small amounts after eating. Month 8: Take milk and gruel added with ghee. An enema should be given for restoring the nervous system and cleansing the bowels – that should be followed by an enema made of oil prepared with milk and herbs. Month 9: Cotton swabs soaked in this oil should be kept in the vagina for oleating the uterus and genital tract. Itwill support softening of the placenta, pelvis, waist, sides of the chest and back; downward movement of vata; normalisation of urine and stool; softening of skin and nails; promotion of strength and complexion; and delivery with ease.Grasses and honey are offered to the cows; barley, fruits, and flowers to the Brahmins. The Brahmins then recite prayers and mantras as the woman enters the delivery area and awaits her delivery. Herbs for pregnancy: Vidari Shtavari Yashtimadhu Brahmi Shankhpushpi Ahwagandha Guduchi Punarnava Gokshuru Sariva Avoid Panchkarma : Panchakarma (detoxifying procedures) should not be advocated, except basti (enema) in the eighth and ninth months of pregnancy. Herbal Ghee taken in South India during pregnancy: In southern India it is commonly  prescribed the woman to take one tablespoon  of herbal ghee daily during the 2 and 3th trimesters. During the 4th and 5th months ; Kalyanakam  Ghrutum is advised to develop the mental faculties and bodily systems.  It also prevents anemia and also congenital abnormalities.  During the last months, Thanka Shree Ghrutum is taken to ensure complete development of child, a full term normal delivery and good fortune for the child. Post natal (Pregnancy care) in ayurveda:

After delivery the mother and baby should get proper care. Postnatal massages with medicated oils, herbal drinks, medicines for proper lactation and get back the physical fitness women had .In ayurveda this period is called the Sutika period. There are different opinions about the duration of this period, which ranges from six weeks to six months and some believe that it lasts until the restoration of the menstrual cycle.

A special diet plan during this period is recommended to make good dhatus and blood lost during the pregnancy and delivery. The prasuta should consume light yet nourishing food during the sutika kaal. (post natal period). Vata balancing diet should be followed with post natal massages.

Post natal ayurvedic massages:

Postnatal ayurvedic massages helps the mother to get back her physical strength and vitality after the pregnancy and delivery.

The women who gets post pregnancy massages are less viable to have vata aggravation at later stages of life.

Benefits of  postnatal ayurvedic massages:

1)Nourishes her dhatus

2)Balances dosha

3)Provide emotional support

4) Provide physical strength

5) Provide tissue healing

6) Rejuvenate body and mind

Post natal ayurvedic herbal combinations:

Post natal care is very important for mother as

• Dasamoolarishtam
• Jeerakarishtam
• Asokarishtam or Lohasavam
•  Dhanwantharam tablet
• Sathavari kalpam
• Dasamoola harithaki
• Soubhagyasundi or Vidaryadi lehyam

At Ojus health ayurvedic clinic in Melbourne Australia we provide ante and post natal care advice, diet advice, postnatal massages to help mother’s to enjoy their pregnancy and motherhood. Book in your sessions and discuss the pregnancy care plan Today at Ojus health ayurvedic clinic.