~Ayurvedic Postpartum Cooking~
Ayurveda can be extremely helpful for the postpartum window while the mama is healing. Specifically, many women have body pain, constipation, gas, sleep loss, hormone fluctuation, digestion problems, and can go to extreme postpartum depression. This is common, but preventable!
With specific foods and practices making this time an easeful and quicker recovery for yourself and whole family. Many people don’t realize the influences that what the mother eats goes directly through the milk to the baby. Therefore, these foods also support the baby digestion, immune support, and nourishment.
During the time after birth Ayurveda focuses on 4 pain things: nourishment, building the digestion (agni), soothing the imbalances in the body due to lack of sleep and change, and healing the body: muscles, structure, coming back into your body.
Ayurveda foods begin very simple in the begging. You and your baby’s digestion are sensitive. Through the lens of this ancient Indian practice, it is not wise to go and get a cheeseburger or pizza after birth. Starting immediately you are nourished with warm, seasoned, oiled (ghee, coconut, or sesame oil) and fresh, easy digestible foods. Continuing day-by-day tweaking and adding foods that suit you depending on what is going on you vitality, emotions, digestion, season, and overall well being. During this time, the most important aspects Ayurveda focuses on is warm, fresh, sweet tastes, well spiced, and oiled. The foods I will be cooking enhance: digestion, deep tissue repair, milk supply, vitality, immune system, nutrition, and hydration.
I greatly encourage that the mother stay at home and others shop for the family, and I can do that as well. I come to the family's home and prepare the food for the day normally taking about 2 hours. Prior to the birth, or arriving for a visit, I give a list of ingredients you will need.
I also offer starter kids: talking about what to expect after birth and why the Ayurveda supports that. This includes a cookbook and individual tailoring to what your used to eating and how to tailor that to your postpartum window.
Amber offers great postpartum services, like ayruvedic cooking and abhyanga oiling (massage). These are the two services I found the most helpful and relaxing. She also had a way of gently reminding me to be mindful of my recovery which was good for me. I also had Amber come to do light house chores (folding laundry, light cleaning, preparing me food) and to help take care of Cara. She was really great!
With Amber's support I was able to let my body completely rest and heal in the first few weeks. I was nourished with good food, and just the mental support of knowing that I could have someone come help if I felt I needed it. Because of all this, my body became very strong and I have been able to manage the demands of taking care of two children, and our household, and some of our business responsibilities (which all takes a huge toll on one's body!). I also learned new recipes and a new way of eating, which has helped tremendously with my energy, maintaining a good weight, and I think has made my milk quality very good. Our baby Cara has grown so well! Taking the time for myself in the first few weeks, and participating in massage and such, really reminded me that taking care of myself allows me to better take care of others. It's easy to forget that. -Amy.