Diet of a Pregnant woman

As they say, “We Are What We Eat”, same applies for the mother to be & her precious child to be born. Ayurveda always gives utmost important to diet & lifestyle in its both preventive & therapeutic ways. We have seen lifestyle of a pregnant woman in our last blog now let’s see what Ayurveda says about diet of a pregnant woman.

Do’s-

  • Warm
  • Fresh, clean
  • Easy to digest food
  • Desirable food enriched with all tastes
  • Milk, Ghee
  • Food should be unctuous

Don’ts-

  • Drinking alcohol, smoking
  • Fasting
  • Overeating
  • Heavy to digest food
  • Food causing indigestion and hyperacidity like fast foods
  • Unclean food
  • Too much non vegetarian diet

MONTHWISE REGIME FOR PREGNANT WOMAN

(This regime is explained in one of the prime treatise of Ayurveda called “Charaksamhita”. It should be followed under the supervision of Ayurvedic Doctor)

Acharya Charaka have explained the monthly regime to be adopted in steadily developing, normal pregnancy as following;

First month non medicated cold milk should be given at regular intervals, nourishing meal should be eaten twice a day.

Second month milk processed with sweet tasting drugs should be taken as needed

Third month milk along with honey & ghee should be taken

Fourth month milk along with 1 Aksha (10-12gm) of butter should be taken

Fifth month milk along with ghee should be consumed

Sixth month milk with ghee processed with sweet tasting drugs should be taken

Seventh month milk with ghee processed with sweet tasting drugs should be taken as like sixth month.Pregnant women should eat sweet-tasting food which is light on oil, fat & salt. She should drink less water immediately after the food.

Eight month pregnant woman should take gruel with milk & mixed with ghee in all her meals in their proper times.

Ninth month In the ninth month advice has been given about treating pregnant woman with Anuvasana Basti (unctuous enema) and Pichudharan (keeping a cotton swab soaked in the oil in her genital tract) in order to normalize the delivery.

Acharya specifies that if these dietary regimen are followed right from the first month of pregnancy to the ninth month, it strengthens & softens the entire child-bearing region of the woman’s body- including her womb, waist, sides of pelvis & her, urine & stool pass smoothly, skin & nails becomes soft, her strength & complexion improves & the woman delivers the child effortlessly.