FEELING LIKE A PLUM POST DELIVERY!

USE AYURVEDA FOR POST-PREGNANCY CARE IN MANAGING WEIGHT GAIN

A woman becomes a mother, from the moment she finds out there is a life growing in her womb. And from that moment, without realizing it, she starts to live with that unconditional love and care believes in everything, that endures everything.

Hellos, New Mom! Congrats on gearing up with your parenthood journey. But so as know, with a happy new baby and new-mommy vibes, there is that ‘Woman’ who is sore, leaking, and exhausted beyond her wildest dreams. Everything is soaked in anxiety, stress to be a good mom, tears, and breast milk. It hurts in every part of your body. Your body has been stretched to its limit, or it may have been cut down to make room for the miracle of life.

Everyone tells you about the waves of new life, the euphoria and joy that lifts you up, but what about the exhaustive mental weight along with physical weight gain that knocks you down and leaves you sobbing between blankets! You’ve changed so much in such a short period of time that you’re wondering if you’ll ever get back to yourself!

Worried about your plumpy look!

During pregnancy, women gain weight due to natural physiological changes and tissue remodeling. The ideal weight gain is determined by the pre-pregnancy Body Mass Index (BMI). But the whole picture changes after the delivery. You’ve delivered your kid, but with a belly that’s squishier and rounder than you planned, you may appear to be six months pregnant.

You may still have a black line down your stomach called a Linea nigra, as well as a web of stretch marks, after having birth.

Pigmentation in the skin where your stomach muscles have stretched and slightly split to accommodate your baby.

Losing weight is seldom a primary goal for real- world moms, who are preoccupied with keeping a new, wiggling, crying newborn. Now all you could discover online to get back in shape is “exercise recommendations, dietary tips, and all these things that women are expected to do with their bodies,” which only adds to your dissatisfaction.

“You know, what, being a Garbhasanskar expert, I generally advise my ‘new mommies’ to have patience with their body and mind as it takes time for your body to fully heal from pregnancy, especially your belly.”

Why waiting time to get into the Normal shape feels like a century!

Keep in mind that following pregnancy, your body may alter form. It may be tough to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight and shape. Patience is essential. Your belly muscles stretched over nine months to accommodate a full-term baby. As a result, it’s understandable that it might take weeks or months to tighten up again, as per your body type.

The rate and extent of this tightening are determined by several factors, including:

• What size and shape you were before you had your child?

• How much weight did you acquire while pregnant?

• What level of activity do you have?

• Your genes are something you have no control over.

In general, nature provides the cure for everything and here the body heals and recovers itself on its own. Hormonal changes lead your belly to shrink from the minute your kid is delivered. Your womb (uterus) will need another six to eight weeks to shrink to its pre-pregnancy size. The excess fluid in your body that accumulated during pregnancy will gradually drain, minimizing swelling and bloating. And especially if you’re nursing and exercising, whatever excess fat you put on to feed your kid will start to melt off. However, observable benefits take at least a few weeks.

Let’s check how Ayurveda can help you with this!

“To give you a reality check… once you hold your baby in your arms, the main challenge you face is a bigger one: labor pain, postpartum pain, headto- toe chaos, sleepless nights, and never-ending exhaustion. Not having enough time to shower, eat, or do any sort of housework.

But, in the midst of it all, you grow into a woman, a mother capable of feats that even you won’t believe. Right!!!!”

Motherhood is a wonderful experience, but it comes with its own set of challenges, particularly for new mothers. A new mother requires adequate rest and a healthy diet to recover from the physical and emotional changes she is experiencing while caring for her newborn. During delivery, Tridoshas (Vata-Pitta- Kapha) get imbalanced and are the main cause of weight gain. Balancing them is the key to a healthy weight and normal BMI.

A. First 28 Days Regime After Delivery

1. Getting enough rest is the key, according to Ayurveda.

2. For a full recovery, eat a nutritious diet rich in ghee, milk, rice, vegetables, and other healthy foods. Because a mother’s nutrition is the only source of nutrition for her newborn child, a postpartum diet is also essential.

3. Freshly cooked food contains more life force (pranic force) and nutrition, which is important to recover faster after giving birth.

4. Vegetable soups, rice, ghee, milk, and other dairy products should be the mainstay of the diet.

5. Fruits should be avoided for the first 21 days after the baby is born.

6. Drink jeera/ cumin water potion preferably in the morning and afternoon time, to boost your metabolism and correct your digestive functioning. Boil 2 tbsp of cumin seeds in a liter of water for about 5-8 minutes.

7. Body massage with Ayurvedic herbal oils as per your body type and as recommended by your Prakruti Analysis Expert for 20 minutes at least twice a week. After the bath, do tie the lower abdomen with a soft cloth, to keep and support the loosened abdominal muscles. Don’t do, it if you had a C-section.

B. Next 28 Days Regime

1. Shift the cumin water potion with carom/ Ajwain seeds potion. The preparation routine is the same as the cumin potion.

2. Start with Dashmoolarista, preferably after discussing with your Ayurveda Garbha-sanskar expert. This helps to boost your energy, balance Vata and will make you feel and get more active.

3. Ayurveda recommends a decoction of dosha balancing herbs like rasna, guduchi, vasa, devadaru, vidanga and many more to reduce post-pregnancy inflammation and speed up the recovery. Consult the expert for your personalized post-pregnancy regime.

4. Followed by a gentle massage of Ayurvedic oil in the whole body and a gentle scrub with dry herbal powder like powdered Black gram flour instead of soap or body wash. This gentle body scrub is to be used in the ‘down-to up’ direction or opposite direction to hair growth.

5. Add garlic potion, otherwise called Lahsunksheer paka in Ayurveda texts. Boil 4-5 peeled and crushed garlic cloves in a cup of milk for 4-5 minutes. Don’t add any sweetener. Consume this daily after breakfast and dinner for about 20-25 days. This will help to maintain cholesterol levels and fat metabolism in the body.

6. Don’t indulge in any vigorous physical activity or even exercise till the baby is 12 weeks old. If had a Caesarean section, then take rest for 5-6 months. You can opt for breathing exercises, but as per your expert recommendation.

7. Start with Ayurveda healthy recipes like Suva Laddo in which you add Suva seed, dry ginger, and fenugreek, all in powder form, mixed in jaggery and ghee.

8. In the post-delivery period, herbs like nutmeg, coriander, shatavari, turmeric, and basil are essential. After 48 days, a normal diet can usually be resumed.

Summarizing it up!

Hey, Mommy, everything is so new and raw right now. But, sweet mama, you’ll find your way. You weren’t abandoned; you simply developed new wings. You still have the wild spirit of the maiden, with her carefree ways. Your body, weight, and personality will all return to normal. Allow your body to have a good time. Pay attention to your heartbeat. Allow the tears to flow freely. You’ll find your way, and as your big sister, Ayurveda will always be there for you. Your ‘self ’ will be waiting for you with open arms, so take advantage of it.