Pregnancy can bring about complications in an otherwise healthy individual. Many women free of any diseases before pregnancy may face pregnancy-induced ailments. Examples of these are hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness), gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, or cholestasis (a liver condition that triggers itchiness). Even under the best of circumstances, the body naturally goes through a massive, undeniable change during pregnancy. That being said, most women tend to lack the support needed to honor themselves during pregnancy to create these best circumstances in the first place, so support during pregnancy is crucial for every woman. Ayurveda understands the importance of and influences for creating balance. Once you recognize these causes in yourself, often in the form of undue stress on the body and mind, you can change them. In practice: Pay attention to your stools and any elimination discomfort that arises. For example, the color of your stool can offer markers of whether you need to check in with your doctor—a bright-red colored stool may require some testing, or you may just be eating a significant amount of beets. Paying attention to your stools will give you a sense of the imbalances in your body. Working on these will actually help during the time of delivery. Stress in pregnancy can influence your growing baby. The thoughts that you feel affect the developing mind and consciousness of your baby. Stress creates illnesses in the body and contributes to pregnancy complications. When the body experiences stress, it does not function at its best. It cannot break down food properly1, body functions slow down or stop all together, the mind becomes slower and the emotions taxed. Ayurvedic practices prepare and teach the mind to allow the body to surrender to labor and birth. Yoga, meditation, concentration exercises, and breathing practices are techniques used in Ayurveda. They help to create the mental space to observe your thoughts. This awareness provides the ability to recognize and change negative influences. You can replace the negative feeling with thoughts and practices that have a positive effect. In practice: Take at least five minutes to reduce stress through meditation. Keep your attention on the breath for those five minutes. The breath and the body are connected, and it’s calming for the nervous system when they sync. When we reduce stress, we change the body physiochemically and also support the body to nourish itself. Our digestive fire is the engine of our body. Through the digestion of food, the body has the ability to use the energy that is formed for action and expression. This happens in every organ, tissue, and molecule in our body. Proper digestion happens when the body can use what it is given to maintain a healthy body and mind. In practice: Simply replacing any cold food or drinks with warm ones can help with digestion in pregnancy. It allows the body to not do so much work to break down your food and provides a sense of warmth in the body. Labor and delivery receive most of the attention during birth classes. But how does one prepare the body for the experience? Is it strength? Is it endurance? How do you connect your body and mind to allow both surrender and participation in your baby’s birth? Daily prenatal exercises, like massages, prepare the body to become both strong and supple. This will relax the body and allow it to open and help your baby journey through the birth canal, and it can also provide significant relaxation for the mind2. In practice: Do an oil self-massage every day. You will be surprised on how many levels this simple act of self love will have an effect on you. This compassion can help develop the conversation between yourself and your body, which is of utmost importance during birth. Additionally, many common pregnancy complaints can be minimized with daily oil massage. The postpartum period begins with a sudden drop in the corticotrophin-releasing hormone. This is the stress-coping molecule in the body. After birth, the demands are great on a mother’s body. While it is trying to heal, it must also provide for a growing human being. The sudden changes in the mother’s body result in a deranged movement of energies in the body. It is this imbalance of energies that cause postpartum complications. Examples of these are depression, anxiety, reduced milk supply, and digestive complaints. Specific Ayurvedic practices aim to balance these energetic variations. They create feelings of ease, increased energy, increased milk supply, and normal digestive functioning. In practice: The work and effort you put forth towards your health in the prenatal period helps your body prepare for the postpartum time. It will be important for you to sleep when your baby sleeps and leave the to do list to others. This is an example of prioritizing the importance of nurturing your baby by nurturing yourself. Ultimately, practicing Ayurveda during pregnancy allows you to alleviate common digestive issues, prevents potential complications, reduces stress, and helps you to prepare for the birth and care of your baby.
