What are the general rules a pregnant woman should follow?
Sushruta explains the following rules to be followed by the pregnant woman till the delivery.
- Immediately on the ascertainment of her pregnancy the woman should avoid all kinds of physical labour, sexual intercourse, fasting, day sleep, things that emaciate the body, late nights, indulgence in grief and fright, journey by carriage or any kind of conveyance that causes jerky movements.
- Sneha karmas (Oliation internal and external), Rakta mokshana(bloodletting), Vegadharana(controlling natural urges) are completely avoided.
- From the first day of conception the lady should be joyful, wear clean and white garment.
- Engage herself in peace giving activities.
- Live in devotion to the gods, brahmins, elders and teachers.
- She should not touch/ come in contact with unclean, deformed, maimed persons.
- She should forego the use of fetid smelling things.
- Avoid dreadful sights, painful or agitating sounds and use of dry, stale, dirty food as well as that stored overnight.
- Long and distant walks from home to resorts, cremation grounds, solitary retreats, chityas(a haunted or deified tree) and sitting in the shadow of the tree should be absolutely forbidden.
- Indulgence in anger, fright or other agitating emotions of the mind should be deemed as injurious.
- To carry heavy loads, to talk in a loud voice should be refrained from.
- The practice of constant oil massage, udwarthanm (rubbing or cleaning the body with fragrant unguents or powders),
etc should be given up.
- Exercises which cause fatigue are discontinued.
- The couch and the bed of a pregnant woman should be low, soft, and guarded on all four sides by a number of soft pillows or cushions.
- Her food should be sweet, palatable (hridya), well cooked, prepared with appetizing drugs, unctuous and drava (liquid consistency).
Charaka explains the garbhopaghatakara bhavas (factors that damage the fetus) as follows.
- The fetus dies in the womb or expelled out prematurely or dries up if the woman sits on rough, uneven or hard seat, suppresses urge of wind, urine, stools, undergoes strenuous exercises, takes hot food and eats very little food.
- The fetus may delivered untimely by injury, compression, frequent looking at ditches, wells, waterfalls, traveling on a conveyance with excessive jerk, or hearing unpleasant words and loud sounds.
- If she constantly lies down in supine position, the umbilical cord gets twisted around the neck of the fetus.
- The pregnant woman who sleeps in open place and moving out in night gives birth to an insane.
- If she indulges in quarrels and fights the progeny will be epileptic.
- One indulged in sexual intercourse gives birth to an ill-physiqued, shameless progeny.
- If she is always under grief, the child will be timid, underdeveloped or short lived.
- One thinking ill of others gives birth to a harmful, envious and woman devoted child.
- One who sleeps constantly will give birth to a drowsy, unwise child with a deficient digestive power.
- If pregnant woman takes wine constantly her child will be always thirsty, poor in memory and unstable mind.
- One who uses pork regularly during pregnancy will have an offspring with red eyes, obstructed respiration and very rough body hair.
- One who uses fish constantly during pregnancy will have a progeny with delayed closure of eyes or stiff eyes.
- One who uses sweet things constantly during pregnancy will give birth to an offspring suffering from prameha (urinary disorders), dumbness and obesity.
- If she uses sour things constantly during pregnancy, her offspring will suffer from internal hemorrhage, skin diseases and eye diseases.
- On using salt thing constantly the offspring will suffer from early wrinkles, premature graying of hairs and baldness.
- On using pungent things constantly the offspring will suffer from semen deficiency or infertility.
- The pregnant lady who takes bitter things constantly will give birth to shoshi(consumptive),weak and underdeveloped progeny.
- The pregnant lady who uses astringent things constantly will give birth to a blackish progeny who will also suffer from bloatedness of abdomen and udavartha (upward movement of wind in the abdomen).
- The offspring of a lady who used excess godha mamsa (Alligator) will suffer from sharkara and ashmari. renal or (bladder stone)
Other topics covered are -
Monthly regimens to be followed by pregnant lady (masanumasika charya)
Why should a pregnant lady follow these regimens?
What are the symptoms shown by the woman who is ready to deliver the baby and how is delivery conducted in Ayurveda?
Sootika paricharya(postnatal care):
Acharya Charaka:
New born care( sadya prasoota shishu upachara):
Acharya Charak:
General measures to protect mother and newborn:
Nursery for the child:
Behaviour of other people with the child:
etc..etc...
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