Woman and Childcare in Ayurveda

Ayurvedic woman and childcare rules lay out solid action plans to ensure health of woman and children. In India, women are ascribed divinity, solely because of their ability to give birth to a child and thereby retaining human race on the face of earth.

Bala chikitsa (child care) is the wing of Ayurveda that deals with woman and childcare. Bala means a child and chikitsa means treatment. According to Ayurveda woman and children are no separate entities but inseparable factors. This is because the health of the woman during pregnancy directly affects the health of the baby. Any post-natal disease to mother can also deprive the child of essential nutrient in the form of breast milk.

Ayurveda also considers woman as the first teacher of a child and every aspect of proper development of a child is directly linked to the physical and mental health of mother.

Woman and childcare in Ayurveda in principle starts before the formation of fetus inside the womb. Healthy fetus formation is the result of the union of a healthy man and a healthy woman, at the right time and in the right manner.

This branch of Ayurveda deals with impotency, infertility, prenatal, natal and post natal care. Neonatal care has significant importance according to Ayurvedic concepts. The care given to a newborn child is equivalent to a life-time of health care. The right treatments and care given to a newborn baby at the right times will ensure healthy development of the child as a person and contributing member to the society.

The basis of woman and child care Ayurveda is found in ancient Ayurvedic treatises – Ashtanga Hridaya, Sushrutha Samhita, Charaka Samhita and Vagbhata Samhita.

Vagbhata Samhitha and Ashtanga Hridaya (both by Acharya Vagbhata) has comprehensive guidelines about day to day care of pregnant woman and new born child. Both mental and physical health of a mother is important to the progeny. There is specified treatment and caring method for expecting women in Ayurvedic woman and child care.

This includes a highly nutritive diet specially formulated for each month of development of the fetus and diet that ensures lactation. Specific issues like nausea, vomiting, constipation etc that occurs during the pregnancy have effective treatments in Ayurveda woman and child care.

The food and medicines also prepare the woman for a smooth delivery of a healthy baby.

The food items that an expecting or nursing mother takes must be pure and free from any toxins like pesticides or chemicals. Any violation from the Ayurvedic rules can lead to the birth of an unhealthy child.

Tags: Ayurveda Pediatrics, Woman Childcare Ayurveda