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postpartum

Why I used an AyuDoula

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After my first born, I didn’t

Birth is so empowering, lifechanging, and I’m deeply grateful Mother Nature and my husband made me a mother, in spite of the fatigue, loss of sleep, mush mind, health issues and the colic that developed for I don’t even remember how long. I loved my baby, loved being able to give birth naturally in spite of the hospital mismanagements and my foolish idea I should walk right after birth, and loved nursing even though I had no idea how to burp my baby at first. I nursed him for 2 1/2 years.

In addition to the side benefits of no more cold hands and feet, I felt like I had been initiated into the family of humankind. My emotions were more true and available. I even discovered how to get my twice daily meditations in – with him falling asleep in my arms. That was probably my saving grace – the deep transcendental dive that was so integrating for all other layers of my being, even when much of the time I was what we call “sleepitating”.

But more than sometimes he didn’t sleep when he needed to and was unhappy, uncomfortable — inconsolable — and we had to do crazy things like walking him in our coastal fog, or taking him for a drive at all hours in the car, hoping he would stay asleep once we got home. I got really good at sliding the complex “Snuggly” off and keeping him asleep, but still spent lots of time in the rocking chair, with lots of tummy issues for us both, and my nipples cracked and bled. I got lucky and learned about good old fashioned sunshine-delivered Vitamin D and they healed. I blamed myself for his discomfort though, figuring I was just not loving or tuned in enough, and spent the time I needed for self care with extra baby care needs. I did get sick. It was all a mixed bag.  It’s probably a familiar story. 

I didn’t have enough presence of mind or knowledge of what help to ask for; my mind was mushy and my health funky for about 2.5 years. My transverse colon fascia didn’t hold when I walked down the hall a few minutes after his birth. That part of my colon suddenly fell 3-4 inches, and stayed mal-positioned adding to other constipation factors for many years. My husband didn’t understand my fragile condition (neither did I) and expected me to be a housewife like I always was. I decided and accepted this was part of the price of having babies which no-one wanted to tell me about. I know that for most mamas, along with the blessings of motherhood, lots of ageing begins during this sacred window.

Ayurvedics know the word “kavaigunya” or weak area, where the doshas will be easily able to settle in and accumulate. We have multiple kavaigunyas after childbirth, which can affect us for many years to come if not addressed early on. Fortunately, Ayurveda also has multiple ways, better than any other system of medicine indigenous, alternative or allopathic, to reverse these things, but advanced practitioners are hereby on the alert to take a good history and understand, these things can go deep at this very open time.

OK – that birth story was 41 years ago. Looking back, I can see some help would have made a different life for us all – even if I just had some understanding, given our low budget at the time — some wise-woman guidance, even something to listen to or read. I would gladly have worn a belly wrap, protecting my abdominal organ position, function, and posture. I would have used the handbook and cookbook so religiously (which is often the way for first-time mamas!) and made the simple, inexpensive herbal teas for his comfort and mine – tummy, mood and rejuvenation. Avoiding salad and pinto beans alone would have made a big difference on our comfort! Insights for diet and lifestyle nourish hormones, mind and mood, and my relationship with my husband would have been so much better if we both had understood my short term needs (those first 6 weeks), for years to come.

So this is hindsight, like I said, with acceptance and gratitude for what was, and why I finally began to ask for help with my second and third babies. That was the mid 1970s. I was called to the AyuDoula work for myself as a mother, and then as a profession, after my third live birth in 1987. Ayurvedic postnatal care began to shine its gifts on the west thanks to the blessings of an enlightened monk, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, when two of his student’s (medical doctors, running the Ayurvedic clinic at the time) were both expecting their first babies. (Ok, their wives were expecting). The thrill that ran through the grapevine as mothers began to experience it was full of a bright light of right-for-so-many. I knew I wanted it.

That’s just part of why I’ve dedicated my life to this work. With the Baby’s Best Beginnings program, I could have done a lot for myself, and I know we would have managed somehow to get a little direct guidance or hands on help. We would have known how to ask our community for help. I would have known how to prevent and reverse the colic – that is big! and have a much brighter consciousness and more loving support for my husband those years. He needed it too, and his health and patience wore thin. That too is very big.

Our lives would have been so different – whether this guidance and help had came from an AyuDoula, girlfriend, or doctor. Yes, there is karma. And there is choice on what level we experience it, and the healing and health care profession is dedicated to helping our safe experience and opportunity to live and grow in love and good health while we pay off our karmas and blossom on our paths to self realization.

If you want to help mothers and babies who want to help make this world a happier place starting with the beginning of life, you can start learning at the very low prices we offer for our webinars.

Enjoy, and wishing you many insights, many blessings on this journey.

 

 

Mama’s Herbs and Manas Herbs

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The “It depends” Rule

A big, “it depends” rule in Ayurveda and “Terrain” medicine makes teaming up with an advanced practitioner, or learning advanced use of herbs especially important for mothers with complications.  The same thing is true for all of us as we move through the seasons of our lives. Purple tulsi plant An herb may be right for a particular condition in spring, yet not suit us in winter.  It may be right for a woman in her menopause years, but ill-advised for postpartum hormonal imbalances.  Even the benefic Holy Basil has its limits.  Being a heating herb, some pittas can’t handle much of it. I am inspired today to talk about choices in the springtime.

Manas Herbs

Help for mind and mood

Manas means mind in Sanskrit.  Ayurveda’s use of liver and blood supportive herbs in this season help to balance the mind by giving clarity to channels and tissues that affect the mind. Liver herbs can even help build neuro-transmitters, cleanse receptor sites for them, and build ojas, the quintessential finest product of digestion and source of immune strength. Tulsi, or Holy Basil (the purple variety is pictured above) is a manas (mind and mood supportive) herb which suits the Spring season more than most. It is different from most manas herbs, which are often heavier to digest, more tonic and less clarifying, and therefore better for summer or winter use. Instead, tulsi is lighter and somewhat heating, so it helps to clear spring allergies as a respiratory-specific herb, fights cough, cold, flu, bacteria, fungi and parasites–gently but with power–and is ama (toxin) reducing. Like the other basils, Tulsi not only supports milk production, but also increases body warmth without harsh heat, and improves digestion – all of these postpartum needs.  Because it is slightly bitter, tulsi should not be used during pregnancy, unless it is used very carefully. Tulsi is anti-stress, and an adaptogen with special serotonin enhancing and sattvic gifts for mama and baby — qualities which naturally improve the mood and sense of well-being.  Tulsi is less heavy to digest than many of the manas herbs, which makes it more helpful when kapha is high in the early springtime. The herb part used is usually the leaf.  White or black tulsi beads are often worn to strengthen devotion and sattva as well. Personified in Vedic tradition, Tulsi has a very benefic feminine energy and is thought to have divine powers which provide spiritual protection.  Whenever you take a herb that is rich in divine intelligence, like tulsi,  it can help to remove vibrational blocks in your system and strengthen your auric field. Mothers and newborns are in a state of tremendous openness, physically and energetically. Often they have been around negative energies or hospital environments where – many things go on and can create complications on this level too. It is important to protect them at this time, and Tulsi can be a lovely friend indeed. During kapha season look to safe postpartum blood and liver cleansing herbs.  Choose ones whose impact on vata is not going to create more vata. Remember that in a new mom, vata is already pushing the other existing doshic and mental issues out of balance and you don’t want add to it by recommending an inappropriate herbal combination. Appropriate herbs may include guduchi, bringaraj, anantamool, and turmeric, with warming balance from such herbs as pippali or ginger.

Mamas’ Postpartum Herbs

Choose safe herbs for the “season”

It is kapha season in the northern hemisphere, and both mind and respiratory system are more easily mushy.  Allergies and mucous are more common.  After giving birth, our minds are naturally mushy anyway.   Astrologically, the planet governing mind –  Mercury – goes into an influence of “debilitation” each spring.  The time frame is today until April 20th!   No wonder it has taken me so long to write this.

Spring brings many joys, the earth moves, and water flows…

Just like snow melting and sap starting to flow externally,  new growth is facilitated in Spring. But slush is messy, and pollen season troubles many.   Kapha is earth and water, and earth is moved by water, fire (sun) and air (wind) elements.  Things come out and grow in the sun, and also have to deal with water’s runny nature.  Internally, ama (accumulated impurities and excesses in the body) also starts to melt. As the water flows in our body, excess kapha easily shows up as more mucous if the channels are not clear. The mind gets mushier too. It’s natural, because the channels in our mind and body got restricted during winter’s cold. Heat helps to thaw accumuluated kapha and also relax the channels and increase the flow, but herbal and dietary attentions often are needed to help loosen and eliminate these accumulations.

Choosing herbs

The needs of kapha are different in springtime than in the winter or summer, and require more pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.  For many this is a time of spring cleansing, and purification, when lightness and warmth is called for. As always when choosing herbs, keep in mind the constitution of the person, her condition and needs, and even the planetary influences she may be facing. For example, choosing herbs to heal a “debilitating” planetary influence is different from strengthening a “weak” planet. Sometimes a person may need a palliative approach during Spring, which combines the cleansing qualities of anti-kapha herbs, the nourishing and tonic qualities of anti-vata herbs, and the cooling qualities of anti-pitta herbs. A new mom and her family, may be best supported by bringing the mind back to sattva (peace/harmony) by supporting healthy sadhaka pitta (neurotransmitters) and its mind-heart connection, while calming the high vata in her body and the eliminating the excess kapha brought on by seasonal changes.

Cleansing as a risky concept for postpartum

Even though the maternal body has cleansing to do, most cleansing therapies and herbs generally create depletion. In particular, pungent and bitter herbs are cleansing , and after childbirth, depletion therapy becomes a risky approach. Ojas supportive Guduchi (pictured above) is at the top of my list, along with Tulsi. Guduchi, gently but powerfully helps detox from allopathic medicines and is generally good for all three doshas (tridoshic) with pitta reducing qualities. Holy Basil or Tulsi, is healing, purifying, and gently cleansing.  Goksuradi Guggulu also stands out for postpartum use,  with its deep cleansing effects on the water element. The pungent herbs used in Panchakola * Ghee, used regularly in early postpartum,  are all deepan and pachan – strengthening digestive and metabolic fires and burning toxins.   This herbalized ghee will usually be better than plain ghee for mamas at this time, and is well alternated with sesame oil in food.

Life and Learning in Layers

Being able to apply Ayurvedic wisdom to a specific situation is important.  This is a skill learned in layers.  This includes understanding many explainable and unexplained, but identifiable properties of foods and herbs.  It also includes how they are administered.  Many factors change the value of an herb, including for whom, in what format, and in what season or phase of life it is used.

The Season of Growth

Just like in springtime when everything comes alive and grows so fast, mothers as well as babies need building therapy as an underlying modus operandus! Mom needs to be strong and abundant for baby. And she does have special cleansing needs. Mama and baby need gentle but effective bitter and pungent tastes, yet less of the astringent and bitter, while gaining needed benefits.  All three tastes increase air element, dryness, and they may warm or cool but all tend to be catabolic (depleting), not anabolic (building). In conditions of higher kapha – damp cool or warm – and in climate, season or bodily condition (prakruti and vikruti), choose herbs and foods which are less heavy and clogging, whether plant or animal based. This means, even though the general postpartum rules still apply of more fats, milk, sweet, carb, digestible, sattvic and building influences, always practice discernment.  Ayurveda identifies which of these are best used for foods, when, and how to prepare them. It identifies which are the best delivery methods for best results and preventing complications. Understanding the specific properties helps us chose effectively. By example, in this season we can lean more on sesame oil and use less ghee.  In hot milk tonics, cook turmeric, or anantamool into the recipe and include black pepper.  In sweets, favor more spices in hot stewed fruits, adding apple after first 2 weeks. Put extra black pepper and ginger into the mother’s halva (Sheero) or spice puddings with extra ginger, cinnamon and bay leaf. All of these tips give the cook a palette and inspiration to work with, but also listen to what you are sensing, feeling, and knowing, instead of working just by recipe.  There are general principles which serve all mamas. Layer into this the skills of a more advanced practitioner when needed, to assess and choose for special needs. Speaking of needs! For so many mothers, babies and families, these skills are deeply needed. Will you join us in this work?  Here are two this weekend!

Big Elephant Herb for Maternal Health…

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This featured herb for maternal care punctures tires, yet makes the urinary channels feel like silk!

Tribulus terrestris is one of the most important herbs in Ayurvedic medicine. This “noxious weed” in the US is called Goat’s Beard or Puncture Vine.  Ayurveda calls it Gokshura.  It offers the  practitioner many uses in maternal healthcare, and though found all over the southwest US, it is seems little known in western herbalism. Perhaps because this hard, multi-sided sharp thorny seed (actually a fruit) easily punctures shoes and bike tires?gokshura triptik

I was looking through my notes recently for perinatal and infant health content.  So much to digest and use, so many little known abundantly growing herbs!  T. terrestris rightfully makes many south-westerners give up their off-road bicycle habit, but when ground it makes the urinary system – and more – very happy.

For pregnancy and postpartum food and medicines, the gokharu (gokshura fruit) was one of the staple herbs in village use. It can be given within the first 10 days after childbirth with guduchi for abnormal postpartum discharge in addition to its applications with the common issues of swellings, burning urine, and rejuvenation. It is an aphrodisiac (rasayana i.e. rejuvenative tonic), helps in conception, preventing miscarriage, certain vaginal disorders, impotency, and shows some effects similar to ashwagandha with animal research. Many other applications below are noted for your interest.

A favorite support best known for kidney function among Ayurvedic students, as herbalists, we often study its gentle effectiveness.

For just this herb, we received many pages of information. Here’s a few tidbits (OK, more than a few):

  1. Certain types of lactation problems respond very well to a preparation of gokshura with guggulu (gokshuradi guggalu), to remove poor water element management from waste products in the lymph/lactation ducts.
  2. Gokshura was used in a nutritious sweet for both men and women for rejuvenation. (The sweet component is important to it’s effectiveness for rejuvenative purposes).
  3. The saponin fraction from Gokshura was demonstrated to exhibit a hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-diabetic rats, with a commensurate reduction in serum triglycerides and cholesterol, and a rise in serum super oxide dismutase (Li et al 2002). Vitiation in triglicerides = tired pancreas.
  4. The poor people in India used to make a vegetable dish out of Gokshura leaves (though its use is being forgotten).
  5. The powder from its fruits used to be mixed with other flours to make traditional Indian bread – at least one teaspoon and up to 25% in small batch helps to reduce urinary problems in elders maybe 7-10%. I now add the powder into a flat bread/chapatti, after learning this is standard preventive fare among many village elders. I’m 64 – perhaps one of your village elders.
  6. An infusion is used to relieve painful micturation, to increase the flow of urine and as a vehicle for diuretic medicines. Used also in incontinence of urine.
  7. It can reduce allopathic dosages needed in certain cases. You will have to ask those questions of the doctor directly, he gave one example in the lecture and we asked about many other things!
  8. With black sesame seeds, helps reduce bad energies- circle the person with mix in a bowl, and throw into fire. (Or burn leaves of flax, or keep a bowl of the flax seeds nearby the fragile – helpful for babies, new mamas, the hospitalized, and others. Our unit on Flax brought many new applications for that plant also!)
  9. With Aam Vata (reheumatoid arthritis) – a decoction with ginger and gokshura is used.
  10. With ascites and piles.  The association of water element managements in the body is related to the reproductive system and emotions around the 2nd chakra, some lactation issues, pancreatic function and a cascade of concerns.
  11. It may help with cough and asthma, alone or mixed with honey as soothing expectorant.
  12. It has analgesic effect;  may help with pain from neural debility.
  13. In Paralysis, the preparation called gokshuradi guggulu is particularly good.
  14. Helps dissolve urinary stones an cystitis. Fresh leaves dipped in water can be drank for medicine, as it creates slipperiness to help release. This remedy is also being forgotten in Ayurvedic practice.

Properties of Gokshura

  • Guna (qualities): Guru (heavy), Snigdha (slimy)
  • Rasa (taste): Madhur (sweet)
  • Virya (energy): Sheeta (cooling)
  • Vipak (post digestive effect): Madhur (sweet)
  • Very good rasayan

Effects on body channels

  • Dosha: Tridoshshamak (cleanses all 3 doshas)
  • Dhatus (tissues affected): Shukra, Mamsa, Meda, Rakta (reproductive, muscle, fat, and blood)
  • Mala: Mutra (waste system affected: urinary)
  • Organs: Urinary system, Cardiac system, Reproductive system, Nervous System
  • Dosage: Fruit powder – 2.5 to 5 gm, Decoction – 60 to 100 ml
  • Contraindication:  Should not be given if patient is suffering from dehydration.

Topics for each herb in the Nighantu class include – an herb’s names and citations throughout the ancient texts; when it began to be used; traditional village dietary and medicinal recipes; which Ayurvedic text says what about it, pharmacokinetics; all useful parts of the plant; effect on metabolism in Ayurvedic and allopathic terms with therapeutic uses and recipes; chemical constituents, uses for each of the shrotamsi (channels) and body systems; herb drug interactions; research on it; growing conditions; varietals; and any contraindications.

As with all information provided, please understand this is partial information. Proper use of herbals per the individual case and condition as well as proper combining, timing, and delivery media are all part of herbal training, and very important. This is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified physician nor prerequisite studies in Ayurvedic medicine.

Ayurvedic Bodywork in Pregnancy

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If you are an Ayurvedic masseuse or have specialized in postnatal bodywork, consider expanding your package of offerings to a value specific month by month service for your clients.  Here is the advice sourced from the Dhanwantari Institute, from some of the classical texts, with a few comments from the peanut gallery.

Because the fetus in the first three months is of very unstable, jelly like consistency and hyper-responsive to maternal experience, Ancient Ayurvedic texts tend not to advise regular massage the first three months. Some gentle oil/massage on marma points and especially the hands and feet (not deep digs however) is considered often beneficial however.  Points to avoid are similar to in accupuncture and other modalities.

Oiling in general is considered to increase warmth in the body, and mama’s pitta is up especially in the first trimester, so warm oil massage may not be best idea as full body treatment.  Use of coconut will be preferred, or more energy work such as marma therapy, polarity, acupressure, etc.  Heightened pitta continues though generally not as dramatically, with vata on the increase naturally also after the first trimester.

In any case, what mama experiences, Ayurveda believes baby experiences, so stress or intensity to maternal body can create some strain to baby’s system which is living in heightened sensitivity and delicacy at this time.  Or mild massage can be be beneficially stimulating to the marmani for mother and baby.

From 4 months to labor, massage has specific advisories also, according to the Dhanvantari Institute. In our forth month, gentle massage which benefits mama’s mind and mood helps stabilize baby’s heart, taking extra care around mother’s abdomen.   We know that just applying warm oil against the lay of the hair increases neurotransmitters in a good way.  Applying oil is a more appropriate way to speak of massage style than what most call massage for this time.

At this time oil padding over the vagina is recommended also.

In the 6th month, gentle breast massage, especially nipples, is advised with herbalized or plain coconut oil.  Why 6th month specifically, I have no idea.  Perhaps this is recommended from 6th month on; I would say so.  Modern research has found that twisting and stretching of the nipples this early does not seem to really make a difference, similarly starting so early on stretching of the perineum.  Oiling serves to promote natural elasticity and comfort however.

In the 7th month, an herbal paste on the stretching and sometimes burning tissues along with massage is valuable, and massage can be especially helpful with swelling on the feet.  Although the article does not say which herbs, I would choose demulcent and skin herbs and oils, and essential oils like myrrh, geranium, ylang ylang, chamomile, rosewood and vetiver for the skin which are seriously committed to quality, as they will be influencing baby in utero also.

Massage schools teach what therapists agree, with the strain on body mechanics of weight changes, deeper work along spine, hips and neck/shoulders feels especially good, done in well supported side-lying position.  Yet, due to softening of connective tissues from the hormone relaxin in some mothers early to mid pregnancy, deep work may need to be modified to not overstretch already easily stretched ligaments and tendons.  Again, mothers may crave and need some extra support to pregnancy discomforts, so personalized choices by therapist and mother are important.  Use of the Ayurvedic abhyanga style oil massage gives many relaxing and balancing benefits without going into excessively deep tissue work.

In the 8th and 9th month, vaginal massage and oil padding of the vaginal area is advised, and from 36 weeks/9th month a small 30 ml basti on alternate days is advised on regular basis to lubricate the tissues. The quantity of oil does not significantly increase apana vayu, but offers good preparation for birth in multiple ways. This practice is discussed by several practitioners including Vaidya Seema Datta in the UK, on Jan 13th, 2013 in the pertinatalayurveda forum.

“Tissues being softened and elastic, less resistance during the delivery results in bearable pain and many of our mums are able to deliver without any intervention with much less average delivery time” reports Seema. She advises this protocol regularly with all her expectant client at 36 weeks with olive oil or sesame oil, unless mother is post due date. Then a mix of castor and sesame is more indicated.

Once a mother has gone into early labor, another warm small oil enema of about 1/3-1/2 cup, after full body abhyanga (oil massage) is advised for natural body relaxation and easier labor.  Ayudoulas know that the mother with vaginal delivery can benefit from postpartum massage as soon as she would like.  After major abdominal delivery, application of warm oil all over her body except avoiding abdomen is still very beneficial for maternal Vata, but massage is contraindicated until the wound is sealed, mother feels ready, and doctor or midwife gives the ok for this gentle treatment.

Ysha Oakes, LMT, CPAD

How to use Superfoods for Mamas

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How to use Superfoods for Mamas is a big topic!  And yummy one.  And this post is currently in kinda messy draft version, but perhaps you will find value anyway.  It’s time sensitive, with focus on hot weather.

Shall we share favorites and “chew” on it together? I have my faves, but I also am concerned for how some of them are used for postpartum mamas. And oh my, just starting to think about it, there are layers of discussion so, here goes a few of them.

There are some fun guidelines with food tastes and colors and their effects on the natural needs to balance for the weather, as well as the “season” of our bodies after childbirth. There are some very noteable exceptions, good to know about! And we should look at superfoods for restoring balance when immunity is down but the need for lactation and energy to take care of baby is up.

Let’s do summertime today, as it’s summer here. It is time to keep cool! Yet mother’s digestive “fires” are already low, and need help. She needs special help keeping them burning, and reducing hot flashes is not about ice water, it is about stabilizing, rebuilding body and hormones.

Everyone wants to use ice to cool down – makes sense, right? Not in the gut. Oriental traditions even in their hot climes in South East Asia, India and CHina know, it doesn’t work well. Why, they can’t all explain, but even airplane hostesses at least used to know, never offer a Chinese ice water!

Ayurvedic medicine explains the effect is to constrict digestive enzyme effectiveness, and the stomach itself, and to create indigestion, gas and bloating, depending upon the person’s specific strengths and weaknesses. All postpartum women are extra sensitive to cold temp foods and drinks.

So – how to keep cool without cold temp? Energetically, those foods which are sweet, astringent, and bitter tend to cool us down. Yet those which are really astringent, like cranberry and grapefruit, increase vata and are not satisfying or rebuliding – too cleansing is not where mamas need to go, with so much rejuvenation, lactation, and 24/7 on call duties.  Rose is bitter and sweet, and combines well with more nutritive substances.  It gives it’s properties best in a cool infusion.

Rose Infusion

Veggies with oxalic acid like chard heat. Leafies in general have their own issues, being very floppy and unstable in the winds of change; they more easily get frayed, and that is the effect on early pp mamas. Dandilion too – has to be balanced with oil, well cooked garlic, well cooked themselves, salt, lime, maybe some toasted cumin, and served with a root vegetable like yams – now we are talkin’.

There are exceptions to the taste and color “rules” – like even sweet citrus, pineapple and early season mango heats, except a little lime is cooling. Red, orange and yellow colors to lesser extent as food and drink tend to warm, including beet, except pomegranite which is awesomely cooling. White things tend to cool nicely, and coconut is superiour here. Yet ripe banana for all it’s virtues including potassium, is heating. Everyone wants banana to sweeten their smoothies as if using fruit was better than natural sugars. Food combining wise, you are creating problems long term if not also short term.

Some favorites and how to balance them
Goji has some warming effect. Sweeter, non citrus juices like grape, blueberry, acai, even apple and pear, and especially pomegranite are lovely complements. My fav? Young Living’s Ningxia Red Juice (goji, aronia, blueberry, et al with stevia, low glycemic!!!) 1-2 oz, with 5-6 oz of Annie’s Coconut water with pulp. If you use pomegranite instead, then it combines nice with chia, or even avocado and spirulina.

Acai is more cooling, and some preps less interesting than others. Lovely with pure pomegranate! I don’t have a favorite brand yet.

Banana is lovely pureed in coconut milk or water – how about adding rose water or rose infusion also, or a splash of vanilla, and soaked dates for iron nutrition? Pinch of cardamom is important here, and for early mamas, wait a week or 2 on this, adding fresh grated ginger too. All but the banana are cooling balance and ripe this time of year.

Spirulina and chlorella – if you don’t know their virtues for many things including recent research on benefit to babies used in pregnancy (link to it), please ask our friend google. In the meantime, 1/2-1 tsp in an easy to digest blender drink like grape or pomegranite with a pinch of himalayan salt, and maybe avocado and maple syrup (cooling, honey heats but is GREAT with avocado in cool weather), maybe 2-3 mint leaves too – and some fresh grated ginger ladies for mamas, blend it well and enjoy! A squeeze of fresh lime with the avocado and greens is magic here. These supergreens need help digesting though small molecules, being cold energy. Fresh ginger is more tridoshic and refreshing than dried.

Chia is warming, but the qualities and nutrition both are lovely for postpartum. We see above use of super greens, pomegranate and grape and others with it. If you use coconut with it, will be creamy, yummy, and need both sweet (soaked dates?) and spice for digesting – the standby, grated ginger and or cardamom, are especially good. Or try clove or black pepper! Clove is postdigestively cooling but really helps agni (our digestive enzymes).

Good fats, like Ghee and coconut oil are too, and these two are cooling.  Research years ago linked low blood lipids with postpartum depression.  In many mama’s smoothies, I will add 1-3 tspoons of good fats, not just thinking about efa’s here – choose by taste as well as priority effect. We need good cholesterols for feminine hormones, efa 3s for brain, breast and other functions, and toasted sesame has special flavor and health virtues which are well added to the warm almond milk – curried spirulina smoothie with ginger! That one is not so cooling, but great in damper climes.

Almonds and almond milk smoothies … Almond, vanilla, acai, organic milk and other foods are among special hormone or neurotransmitter supportive foods, before we even begin to talk about the buz around certain herbs.  Almond and dairy milk though, are great places to add these herbs, as they deliver into the deeper tissues for rejuvenation that way.  Serve warm, chai type spices and or soaked saffron and cardamom, teaspoon of ghee with, and maybe some soaked dates.  It is a delicious energy drink!  Avoid fruit and almond together, please; milk and almond is wonderful.

Yoghurt and kefir are sour, especially after first day freshly made.  They clog channels more in early postpartum, and the sour is a taste to minimize for about 10 days.  Then – a thinner yummy lassi (2-4 parts water, with spices and sweet or salt) is lovely, before 2 o’clock, with a vegetarian meal.  Avoid with fruit, especially banana though.  You can sweeten with dates again, which are cooling, and don’t make us gassy as easily as other fruits do with their post digestive sour / gut fermenting effect which interferes with the other digestive stages in the gut.

Carrots are warming, even more, beets. The raw is not a good idea first few weeks after birth. Favor soup! Then? Carrot juice with coconut, and maybe fennel powder maybe great! will balance the heat – Let the fennel hydrate in bit of hot water to access properties for lactation and digestion – and take the temperature chill off the vegetable juice. I’d put pinch mineral salt, tsp or more grated fresh ginger or citrus zest in there, and no greens until her tummy is free of gas and dosha vikruti (imbalance) not showing vata.

This is just a beginning, of course…. What are your favorite smoothies?  What would you do for good food combining and postpartum use?

Think Rebuilding, good food combining, hydrate dry stuff well, use some fat, and some spice that is not too heating or in small amounts, make it fresh daily, and make it delicious!

Belly Binding after Birth

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Belly Binding After Birth is a practice used around the world in older traditions, with good reason.  It offers such stability, and comfort, like being hugged at a time when there is so much flab or stretched tissue and empty spaces inside.   The body is able to work so much better, without so much slip and slide on the connections.  That will include not only tissue rejuvenation but bowels, digestion, reducing gas and bloating, even hormones and mood will be supported.

One of my students just asked about wrapping protocols for after Cesarian birth, and Dr. Claudia Welch recently asked my advice about how I use the practice of belly binding – what kind of wraps.  You might like to see these discussions.  It’s on my to-do list to make you a little video but for now, here you are!

Of course the “it depends” factor is there – cost, ease of access and use, appearances, fabric content, to wear over or under, how many to have, and time willing to invest.

I tend to go simple, and purchase/suggest purchasing a 5 yard piece of very lightweight cotton.  Depending on width, you get 5 or 6 strips longwise, and can choose to pretty it up with hem or not.  About 12″ wide, raw works good.  We lay it across the abdomen in front and have mama slowly turn, as it goes around, some up over kidneys, some down over hips sometime, depends how she wants to wear it so she can still use the bathroom, but feel snugged.  Cotton crinkle cloth works well, or lightest muslin, but the neutral colors have to be worn underneath for most people.

It helps them to have one or two in the wash, one to wear, one to loose, and – maybe one or two to give to a girlfriend.

Dr. Jyoti Jagtap, young vaidya and mama herself on our student forum, advises a minimum of 1/2 hour wearing a day.  We can most easily wrap them before their nap after their home spa treatment/postpartum warm oil massage (and a bathroom run!)   It is the best time for them to experience it with help, then not be afraid to try on their own.  Some put it on after bathing.  Some Ayurvedics advise to wear all day. Dr. Sarita Shrestha’s grandmother wore one all her life, and had best posture and digestion, passing over in mid 90’s.  I wore one for some months during premenopause, and took such comfort from it!

I hear of wide ace bandages which can be used more easily, but the degradation of the material from cleansing massage oil out of them does not make for smart investment.  Maternity stores sell one I think it is close to $50, maybe a $38 one (velcroed girdle style in synthetic, same laundering issues), and they also sell a $9 or so item which can be used they say in pregnancy and postpartum, but has so much give and so little hold it is a waste of money IMO anytime.

Japanese use the obi sash as a special gift sanctified in temple I think it is 5th month pregnancy, with her mother usually.  I’d like to hear more about this!

Malaysia they have a traditional muslin lace-up deal, being sold worldwide now, bundled with an herbal poultice to use underneath.  Valerie Lynn at mypostpartumwellness.com has done excellent and sincere job of marketing and product development sharing the traditional Malay ways. Many juicy tidbits may be gained from this and other cultures, though her food combining and meals are not quite up to my experience for many moms. It is fascinating to apply what we know to understand why this practice there, another practice in another culture – some of it is climactic, or what is availbale in the area plays a part. That’s an aside for another discussion! She has kindly quoted about our work in her well organized book in several places.

Because a C-birth mama has an incision with bandage needing changing, we work around that, and need for oxygen to the stitches.  I have seen such good results when they use lavender or helichrysum oil from Young Living, organic or better is essential to safe use w/o petrochemical solvents or synthetic molecular issues.   Also note, distillation method, temp and pressure varies and can affect effectiveness.  That said, since the essential oils help oxygenate, are antiseptic, analgesic and help wound /scar healing, that’s first priority, before thinking about belly wrapping.  If they want it also, assist them.

It works well to apply the essential oils as bandage is being changed, to simply drip 1-3 drops on the incision is usually enough.  On epidural site and base of brainstem when headaches are coming, also.   Those aweful headaches so often when the dural tube has been punctured, with CSF(cerebro-spinal fluid) loss and psychic separation from Baby during birth even, seems a huge issue these days with >33% of mamas having C-births.  And 2-3 drops real lavendula angustafolia combined with the mother’s abhyanga (gentle clockwise in this case, circular warm oil massage) on tummy usually takes care of cramping and enhances shrinking of the uterus – both much more quickly than the norm.

After surgery, I do not have official protocol word about when to start belly wrapping, from a vaidya yet.  Common sense says to go with what the client feels and is able to do for the first few days, and have her ask her doctor. Generally I see they are ready about 7 -10 days postpartum. If they want to before, and doc has no problem with it – gently, and more firmly as feels comforting.

Happy Postpartum Holiday Cooking!

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Anyone else like to talk about food?  Topic of the season:  Happy Postpartum Holiday Cooking!  OK, you can just order our cookbook, or get some great good ideas to start below and then, you will learn more than many yummy recipes, if you still order it, honestly.

How about preventing holiday overwhelm and exhaustion after having a baby?  For the winter holidays, we can choose Postpartum foods for happy baby (and mama!) tummies, to and support more lasting mood stability, lactation, rejuvenation, strength and of course, other benefits.  Lean into your choices with qualities of warm temp, oily, moist, sweet, maybe a touch of sattvic sour and salty.  The latter two tastes are better after the lochia has subsided and any swelling gone.  Support Mama to take a nap during the holiday festivities and not cook or wash dishes while Baby is passed around, too, if you want happy campers.  Moms often crash into some depression from the overwhelm on their fragile senses and other needs at these big loving parties and attentions, unfortunately, and naps as well as good food combining, support for her fragile agni, and extra digestible postnatal nutrition all really help.

The traditions I grew up with may vary from yours, but here are some Ayurvedically interpreted variations applied to some of our common foods, even if last minute Annie for this year’s Christmas day you may find these helpful.

Today I made a chutney recipe for my client (let’s call it “relish”. No worries it is very well cooked, and mama-baby do so well with it! It is such a favorite of my clients ever since Aparna Khonalkar shared it with me.

Instead of all the different carbs, let’s choose.  Everyone’s tummy will be happier actually, even if not so sedated, their inner light’s ability to share in joy in community, and to see how to help mama=baby best too, will be stronger when we are not so dulled out with partying.  So, hmm – Better than the drying astringency of white potatoes, or heavy complicated digestion of stuffing, how about baked (or your family favorite recipes for) yams, with lots of clarified butter, salt and pepper?  Leave off the marshmallows if possible….  If you want, add some iron rich sugar – easy!

Instead of so many different dishes, make some of them freshly prepared tomorrow, so baby won’t get gassy from all the leftovers.  Pretty guaranteed, I have to tell you.  And repeated gassiness can build into colic – it takes a few weeks then oh my, you don’t want that.

And/or Pumpkin soup can be soo soothing; use ample butterfat and ginger among your ingredients, garnish with bit of fresh minced cilantro and ground toasted almond, cashew, or even for the adventurous, toasted ground fenugreek seeds. Yum! If she is non-vegetarian, use a base broth freshly made not from a box, of poultry, long cooked stock preserving the fats, bone and other nutrients. First few days, mostly broth. Some asparagus in there would be a treat! Eggless pumpkin pie for later in the perpeureum.

Dress up steamed and generously buttered (clarified butter is best) rice with minced dill weed – it is lactation enhancing. Use enough S&P to balance astringency and flavor. After a few weeks, garnishing with fresh yoghurt (just a little) but don’t forget the spice. Toasted cumin seeds are one of my favs if the meal isn’t already rich in cumin.

Rice or pumpkin pudding, no need for eggs in early weeks – served hot with extra ghee or even butter, and with ginger and cardamom in it, will be very likely big hit for her, and baby.

How does a well cooked gingered and coconut sugar (ok, something iron rich and flavorful) glazed carrot dish with orange zest, S&P sound?

Instead of hot mulled cider, try hot mulled dark grape juice (more iron, more soothing, great for liver and pittas), with pinch saffron, some rose petals, and fresh ginger. Oh Yes, or see Emma’s post here, similar. Or a little pomegranate-grape juice in wine glass not chilled to sip for pittas may feel great too. The warm liquid is divine though.

We even have a soaked cashew eggnog recipe in the postpartum cookbook, Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Recipes in our shop.  OH dear, it is not in current version – ask me for it if you like I’ll post.  It is delish!  We do have Joseph Immel’s Pumpkin Chai in the book, inspired from his website, Joyful Belly.

If a salad type prep is wanted….you can steam beets, asparagus, just about any veg on the postpartum list, and marinate with a roasted garlic/lime juice vinaigrette to give more than satisfaction. Make sure Mom gets some, with everyone else filling their plates!

What’s your call?  There are so many things we can do, of course.  How about Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s fare?  Absolutely, we do not need to compromise deliciousness or happy traditions!

Swaddling – video lessons

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Vata and pitta babies flail themselves back awake so often, and they don’t have control over their neuromuscular systems yet.  Daily infant massage and kangaroo care go in my opinion hand in hand with swaddling, for calmer, happy and healthy babies who sleep through their needed cycles of rest.

Swaddling definitely gives comfort to more babies than you would guess. And if their nourishment – breast or formula – is doshically out of balance we still need to attend to other supports although swaddling, skin to skin and infant massage are all known to help.

With gratitude to the people who have made these video clips available to us all –

From a father of 6! The voice and view of experience, complete with well, you will see –

Russian Style

Three ways to swaddle – burrito, and two hoodie variations – nice and easy

Spend a little more time on You-tube if you like, to see more variations which might be key for your baby.   Swaddling in general, and especially in wintertime will be really helpful.

Touch, TLC, singing, bouncing, rocking, swaddling, all can help but it is better if mamas milk is not creating gas, bloating, heaviness, constipation, or even hot stomach. That’s for another discussion!

Why avoid yoghurt postpartum, and why is it overrated?

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Why/when to avoid yoghurt postpartum, and why is yoghurt overrated for probiotic use?

Hello Cheryl !

It sounds like your lassi was yummy!   Yoghurt does have benefits after childbirth, after 2-3 weeks, in specific preparations.  And it has some not critical but – for some moms can be more of an issue risks, depending upon when and how it is used.

After childbirth our digestion is so fragile, and little things make a big difference for mama and baby sometimes for long time to come.  “42 Days for 42 Years” is a pretty stunning statement about it!  Yoghurt is creamy, cloudy, sweet and sour inherently – these things can help rebuild and knit tissues back together, sour can even help digestion.  It contains a little, or more probiotics, not a lot.  It is taken usually cold which complicates maternal digestion and absorption of the nutrients.  It is sour which has it’s place and risks.

Lassi is a dilute yoghurt, buttermilk or Kefir drink.  If not made with ice or fruit, and including some digestive spices (yes and with sweet or pinch salt), can act as a digestive with a non-meat or egg based meal, esp legumes, esp lunch time when our agni is highest.  Note that postpartum legumes have to be cooked to thin or light creamy broth also for a few weeks.

Yoghurt and soured dairy in general are advised to avoid for all of us after say 2pm, or certainly after sun goes down. Though the least problematic of this category, yoghurt is more phlegm producing than *properly used* milk. Agni (digestive fires or enzymes) are weaker at that time of day, and these foods even yoghurt easily clog channels in this way.  I believe it has something to do also with how much time it takes for the layers of yoghurt vs milk digestion, and that in the nighttime, more food means less of Ma Nature’s intended work on the body.

The all so popular yoghurt or any dairy with banana is also contraindicated for everyone.  This food combining tends to create some heavy incomplete products of digestion which clog the “shrotamsi” (channels) and risk buildup into carcinogenic influence, per Dr. Vasant Lad.

Postpartum conditions in first few days are such that although we need some very specific digestive spices which are also warming, and warm temp foods, other warming energetics with includes sour and even salt for 2-3 days or more, is generally contraindicated. Add to that the heavier nature of yoghurt, classical ayurved as I have learned it avoids yoghurt even in lassi for at least the first 10 days after birth.

That time period is when the body is still strongly bleeding or just lightening up, and at risk of increase after decrease is still high. IE, excess even to hemorrhage, and especially in our culture of doing too much after childbirth.  Sour, salt, laxative foods and herbs, doing too much, the wrong type of heating influences all can increase blood loss.

And most people eat pre-prepared yoghurt. If made with sweeteners, the culture value is pretty much stopped.  Yogurt past a day they say changes properties to more sour, less digestible, more phlegm producing. The probiotic value is minimal also compared to what is needed to re-culture the gut flora after antibiotics. Best use something more focused there – a liquid or rehydrated powder preferred.

Homemade Kefir seems to have better culture also, and should be treated like yoghurt when using.  Store bought kefir, IMO, and we know this about many yoghurts, must have some milk added to it after culturing, to even out the flavor and stabilize it form souring too fast.  But this creates another food combining issue.  Sweet milk and soured milk digest in different time zones and locations in the gut, and confuse the body, creating ama also (incomplete products of digestion) .

It is quite the story, isn’t it?  Controversies are I’m sure tweaked reading this post.

Add to all this, the sequence of dhatu (tissue) nutrition, so little understood in the west.   For instance, one’s self-assessments which really do not go beyond, for those who even make the connection, whether we have gas, bloating, constipation, loose stool, or heartburn from our food. Per Ayurveda from food to finest product of digestion, beyond rejuvenating the deepest tissues (reproductive), is at least 32 days most foods – who knows how to “feel” what our food 4 weeks ago did?  To say nothing of the extra time involved after childbirth, at least 42 days instead of “32”.  There are exceptions, including the fact that sweet taste is the first digested from upper stomach where generally it is absorbed. And milk properly used, is said to potentially convert to ojas in a few days.

As you must know, occasionally breaking the dietary “rules” or advice is not nearly the issue as is often doing so.  I hope this discussion helps?  And encourage you to just lean into any changes.  It takes time to make changes and we have to honor gentleness there too, of course.  Sometimes the scales are hard to read, which is priority.  This is one of the reasons to have someone who knows how to make the postpartum “rules” delicious and satisfying, helps so much!

Great to be still in touch, I honor our connection and all the amazing work you do.

Ysha