What is an Ayurvedic Doula?
WELCOME TO YOUR SACRED WINDOW
An Ayurvedic Doula is a specialized Postpartum Doula with training to nurture new mothers through deeply rejuvenating practices, rooted in the time-honored science and wisdom of Ayurvedic medicine and traditions. These revitalizing techniques can significantly reduce the likelihood of postpartum depression, depletion, and breastfeeding challenges, while concurrently enhancing immune resilience, bonding, self-assurance, tissue recovery, and an overarching sense of well-being
Many cultures around the world will care for a woman after she has had her baby by cooking specific foods, taking away her responsibilities, massaging her, and treating her with specific medicinal herbal formulas. The mother’s job is to rest, heal, and nurture her baby.
The postnatal period, also known as “The Sacred Window” or “The Golden Month”
The first 40 days after a mother gives birth to her child are some of the most important days of her life.
Your heart and body have expanded to new depths. Your body has restructured itself to home another body onto the Earth. You have been on one of the utmost transformational initiations of your life.
The way in which you are supported and cared for in the first 6 weeks after birth will affect postpartum healing, well-being of baby, and the entire experience of the life long journey that is to follow.
Mothers, you are meant to feel empowered in the weeks after birth, for all you have been through. The rise of postpartum depletion is avoidable with proper post-birth care.
Correct postpartum care is your birth right.
In fact, it is innate within you.
The best start in a baby’s life always begins with the care and nourishment that is given to the mother.
Ayurveda
“AYUR” MEANS LIFE, AND “VEDA” CAN MEAN “KNOWLEDGE OR SCIENCE”
Ayurveda is the science of life from ancient India that carries the tools to empower anyone in their mind, body and spirit. The gift of health that will transform life to unimaginable measures.
Ayurveda recognizes the first 6 weeks after a woman gives birth as one of the most sacred times of her life. A time in which her body and heart are wide open, and in unconditional service to her new baby. This time is considered to be a crossroad for the way she enters motherhood. One path opens doors to ultimate rebirth, deep physical healing, and spiritual growth. The other path can lead us into depleted and unfortunately, some dark place.
Although it is common for mothers to find themselves experiencing overwhelm in these beginning weeks of motherhood, it is not meant to extend to the normality of postnatal depression. Mothers are not meant to do this alone, and they are not meant to be taking on too much at this time. The modern lifestyle leaves mothers with little to no choice with the lack of proper care, lack of proper maternity leave time, having multiple children but no “village” to be there 24/7, and lack of proper nutrition to support her recovering body.
The mother is just as delicate as her new baby. Her only job at this time is to rest and get to know her sweet baby. In order for the new mother to be grounded, rested, and rejuvenated, the mother needs to be mothered.
Following traditional postpartum care results in a beautiful, vibrant, and healthy transition into motherhood, no matter how many times you have been here before. These pillars are what you can expect to receive when you hire an Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula.
Nourishment & Herbs
“The first meal after birth is the most important meal of your life”
- Shelly Rahim
After giving birth, the food that the mother takes in is very important.
She has used so much of her energy during pregnancy and labor, and now it is time to restore, replenish, and rejuvenate, from the inside out. Ayurveda focuses on the first 6 weeks after birth as a time to eat a very balanced and nourishing way. Eating an Ayurvedic diet after birth not only effects the recovery of the mother, but it has a direct impact on the health and well-being of baby, too.
The postpartum Ayurvedic diet focuses on replenishing the digestive fire, also known as Agni.
To bring digestion back into balance, the postpartum menu focuses on soft, warm, soupy foods for the first few weeks. The qualities of the food work on rebuilding the tissues of the body, bringing in a luscious supply of breastmilk, and optimizing the postpartum recovery.
Rest and Warmth
Traditional postpartum care recommends the mother to stay inside the home resting for the first 42 days. Minimal movement, while she nests at home with her new baby and allows her care takers to provide everything that she needs. Her nest is created during pregnancy, and is tended to during this sacred time. Heat therapy, low stimulation, minimal visitors, beautiful adornments and many many naps.
Body Care & Loving Touch
Body care for the new mother include daily warm oil massage (abhyanga), herbal baths, and belly wrapping.
In Sanskrit, the word “sneha” translates to both “oil” and “love”. Massaging the body with warm oils brings a deep amount of love and release into the body. Daily abhyanga balances stress levels, lowers cortisol, promotes sleep, and brings deep relaxation.
Following the massage is a hot herbal bath or sitz bath. Herbal baths are prepared through a decoction of postpartum specific herbs, to bringing maximum medicinal value to her body.
Belly wrapping is a traditional practice for rejuvenating the mother and inviting the empty space in her womb to gentle come back together. Belly wrapping brings comforting touch to the mother, minimizes “empty womb sadness”, brings physical support to her organs, and helps close the pelvis and hips after birth.
Sacred Baby Care
It is said that daily baby massage and a mothers milk are a baby’s best life insurance.
The care and nourishment received as a newborn will serve them throughout their whole lives.
Warm oil massage for baby is a daily ritual that has many benefits for both parents and baby. Massaging the baby is recommended everyday for the first year of baby’s life, beginning around weeks 4-8, depending on how mama feels. Massage eases digestion, promotes deeper sleep, melts tension, sharpens the mind/body connection, builds immunity, and builds a deep bond with caregivers.