When a baby is delivered, the woman not only gives birth to a new life but also brings to life a “mother” in the process. And this process of a woman transforming herself into a mother comes with its own set of emotional and physical challenges. Often, the post-partum phase is like a rebirth for the woman's body.
Mothers experience various physical, mental, and emotional changes during this period, which may interfere with their daily routine. Common health problems faced during this period include fatigue, body pain, half-sided headache, cramps, loss of weight, hair fall, anxiety and stress, gloominess, sleep disorders along with various physiological changes like lactation, involution of the uterus, vaginal discharge, hormonal changes, urine incontinence in some, constipation etc.
That’s exactly why Ayurveda acknowledges this and lays great emphasis on the mental and physical well-being of a mother post-delivery.
According to Ayurveda, the straining delivery process causes an aggravation of the Vata dosha. This is because post-delivery, the void in the body is swiftly filled by Vata. It is this excess of Vata that further causes digestive complications, anxiety, and interrupted sleep post-delivery. The imbalance of Vata is the actual reason most new mothers complain of stiffness on their shoulders, piercing back pains, soreness in the legs and nagging joint aches every now and then. To pacify this heightened Vata dosha, Ayurveda suggests an elaborate diet and lifestyle routine.