Currently I am 28 weeks pregnant with my second and this year studying to become an Ayurveda Coach. While there has been a number of Ayurvedic herbs and practices I have had to stay clear of during pregnancy, there has also been a wealth of new knowledge and tools I have gained to nourish my body and baby this time around. I thought I would share my Ayurvedic pregnancy practices with you!

So what is Ayurveda? In Sanskrit it means ‘The Science Of Life”. It is a form of holistic medicine that has dated back as the oldest healing science. These days it principles are used by many cultures as a preventative medicine for our overall health and wellbeing and a complementative treatment option to western medicine.

I personally have been pulled to Ayurveda on many occasion in my life. It just made so much sense & its practices are both beautiful and have been very effective in my own health and healing journey. It therefore has been so incredible to be incorporating some of the pregnancy practices to assist with a nourishing pregnancy journey and what I hope to be forth trimester (a time of healing).

During pregnancy Ayurvedia considers your body is going through a kapha ‘season’ and we need to help complement and balance this dosha. Pregnancy is considered to be all about adding ojas– juiciness, lubrication, moisture, life energy. This means our diet and lifestyle should all be about working towards adding ojas!

In doing so we are providing bub with the optimal nourishing environment to thrive. We are also giving our mama body the best chance of  staying healthy and nourished during pregnancy, building up optimal and the most rich milk supply and assisting the postnatal recovery period.

I personally struggled with milk supply with my first, despite pushing through for 12 months. Looking back I can 100% put this down to a lack of Ojas. During pregnancy I was sleep deprived (pregnancy insomnia), struggling to manage with a very toxic family relationship causing anxiety and probably rather dehydrated. The first 16 weeks were spent throwing up and then the birth was a lot of that too. Add a birth haemorrhage to the mix… well there wasn’t much Ojas left if any.

I managed, however I am now aware that I shouldn’t have had to just manage. I can use dietary nutrition and lifestyle to create my optimal breastfeeding experience for both me and bub and not feel completely depleted.

So here are the Ayurvedic pregnancy practices I have been following for a beautifully juicy pregnancy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ayurvedic Pregnancy Practices:

• Sipping warm teas all day long. Im avoiding any cold drinks. Have bought myself a 750ml tea cup and just sip on weak herbal teas all day as my majority fluid intake. Herbal teas I’m loving include dandelion chia w oat milk (so grounding & great for circulation & elimination), ginger and turmeric, an Indian digestive blend and a revitalise blend. This will create around 3L  of my fluids each day. Warm herbal tea increases our inner fire, energy and moisture.

 

• A smoothie each day with all the goods. It was initially challenging for me to switch to a room temperature smoothie however I now so look forward to their nourishing deliciousness. I will post my typical Ayurvedic smoothie soon however for now focus on juiciness. LOTS of good fats + nutrient dense ingredients + the digestive spices.

 

• Self care is huge in Ayurveda. A typical Ayurvedic self care routine will take around 2 hrs of your day, yet somehow in our society we struggle with just 5-10 minutes each day. I have found my non negotiable priorities of self care that fit into my current lifestyle. These include daily tongue scraping, body oiling, yoga &/or meditation practice, at least one meal prepared mindfully with intention and love. Then during the week a dry body brush, an oil & herb bath and a little sing. I actually do these last 3 as a beautiful bonding activity shared with my 1.5 yr old daughter on a Sunday evening.

 

• Movement is medicine. Different movement helps balance out different systems within our body. During pregnancy we require all of strength, stretch, cardio and flow in different proportions during the 3 trimesters. I have been following The BareVitality Studio Program on the App and just adjusting a couple exercises here and there.

 

• Ive been focusing on my meals being well cooked, dense, and lubricating. Think the use of milks, ghee, soaked nuts/ seeds, avocados, fresh salmon, organic eggs & grounding grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

 

• Ive been including LOTS of good fats each day. Pregnancy is a time for adding. Building up our nutrient stores and lubricating our system.

 

• I have been making herbal tonics and supplementing based on my nutritional needs and pregnancy symptoms.

 

• Using vocal vibrational energy to connect with bub and release stagnant energy and build up my ojas for life.

 

• As part of body oiling I practice Abhyanga a self oiling massage practice a couple times a week. This is one I wish I had the time to do daily however a little is better than none. It involves matching the oil to your doshic needs and massaging is a way to gain a long list of health and wellbeing benefits. Then sitting in the oil, allowing it to absorb into your system and do its magic.

 

• Surrounding myself with positive, loving and supportive people- my tribe! Then managing/ limiting the energy that comes off those who are dampening this vibe.

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