Tips for Self-Care during Pregnancy

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The phase of pregnancy modifies the whole lifestyle of a woman as this period needs extra attention and care. Pregnancy tends to bring about a gamut of physical to emotional changes, mood swings, food cravings are the most common ones. It became of utmost importance to eat more nutritious food and keep the body and mind in a calming stage. The habits and lifestyle followed by a pregnant mother not only affects the health of the mother but also affects the infant's health. Everybody talks about the beauty of being a mother but nobody wants to discuss the complications during pregnancy. The sudden increase in blood pressure, chances of anaemia, bacterial infections, weight change, joint mobility, morning sickness, mood swings are some of the most common complexities of pregnancy. 

During pregnancy, a woman must take care of her diet intake and well-being as she is not feeding herself but eating for two individuals. Eating fresh fruits, fresh veggies, high fibers, and protein-rich food are good for the mother and the baby. Taking good care of health during pregnancy leads to a smooth and healthy delivery.

The psychological health of a mother is as important as physical health, taking care of emotions, happiness, and spiritual nourishment leads to a smooth pregnancy period. A pregnant woman can also follow a healthy diet month by month depending on the requirement of each month, considering a healthy diet post-pregnancy is necessary till the recovery period.

Ayurveda recommended some do and don'ts a woman should consider during pregnancy.

Do’s during Pregnancy

•  Follow a Sattvic diet including fresh fruits such as peach, pears, mango, and coconut, sprouted veggies, juices, herbal tea, and seeds. Sattvic diet calms the mind and provides energy to the muscles and bones which is extremely beneficial for women at the time of giving birth.

•  Favor the Appetite when desired, consuming foods with nutritional benefits such as protein, healthy carbohydrates are a must in pregnancy. The intake of plenty of water, juices, and fiber-rich food keep the hunger at rest for a longer period.

•  Doing Pranayam is effective in improving health and erecting the posture of the women, for the difficulty while sitting also practicing the breathing exercise balances the oxygen supply to the tissues.

•  Body Massage with herbal oils is helpful for the relaxation of the whole body and gives relief from muscle tension.

•  Practice Garbha Sanskar helps in educating the mind of the baby in the womb. It is an effective therapy that undergoes music therapy, mantra chanting, yogasana, and spiritual counseling.
 
Don'ts during Pregnancy
•   Avoid heavy diets and food such as eggplant, papaya, and raw eggs.

•   Stress during pregnancy can be harmful to the mother as well as for the baby. Plenty of sleep and rest and sipping peppermint tea instead of coffee calms the person mentally and refreshes the mind.

•   Avoid uncomfortable positions, as sitting on hard surfaces with wrong positions may lead to pain.

•   Don’t hold urges such as sleeping, eating, and yawning.

•   Ashwagandha is unsafe in pregnancy as the component present in the herb can harm the infant. It must also be avoided during the breastfeeding phase.

Ayurveda is one of the oldest sciences of healing and medicine has numerous benefits. The process of childbirth and pregnancy takes a toll on the female body. Hence, natural healing and home remedies are the best-preferred choices over other medical treatments for the betterment of both mother and child.

(The author is Vikas Chawla, Founder and Director, Vedas Cure)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of India TV)