Breastfeeding is a unique experience for every mother, and the optimum way to go about it is individual to every woman! To have successful breastfeeding sessions, follow both your natural instincts as a mom and the principles of Ayurveda.
Breastfeeding the Ayurvedic Way
1. Breathe Consciously
Sit comfortable with a straight spine or laying down. Touch your hands to your belly to bring awareness to your breath. If your belly seems tense, massage it right around the outside of your belly button. Notice how your belly may begin to relax. If your belly is still not relaxed and is not moving as you breathe, press down with your hands as you exhale. Then as you inhale, gradually release the tension. Try this for 15 to 20 minutes.
Take it a step further and imagine that your breath is moving up your spine to the top of your head on the inhale, pause, then exhale while imagining your breath moving down the spine, pause again.
Practice in the morning and at night for greater relaxation and peace.
2. Schedule time to connect with Mother Earth and Nature!
Take a relaxed walk in a park or through the woods, sit by running water like a river or go for a swim in the sea. Be sure to enjoy the sunshine, listen to the birds, smell the flowers. Take in mother nature and see how much you are like her. Allow yourself to just be, to be one with Mother Earth.
Your Baby’s Best Life Insurance
According to Ayurveda and many other natural health traditions, breastfeeding is very important. Charak Samhita says that the best life insurance for a baby is mother’s milk and daily oil application, basically a baby abhyanga. Ideally, a baby lives exclusively on breast milk for at least 6 months and continues to nurse for as long as possible, until two or three years old.
Fortunately, more and more Western doctors are realizing the benefits of extended breastfeeding. Perhaps surprisingly, experts actually consider 4 or 5 years to be the average age of weaning worldwide. More and more professionals are encouraging extended breastfeeding. The current recommendations of the World Health Organization and UNICEF are for all mothers to breastfeed until age 2 or even beyond. Research confirms what has been known in Ayurveda for thousands of years - the antibodies and immunities in a mother’s milk are more concentrated the longer she nurses. Recent studies also indicate that extended periods of breastfeeding is protective against breast cancer!
Disclaimer
All views and information shared here is only for the sharing of Ayurvedic knowledge. Please do not try or prescribe or take any of the remedies and suggestions here without talking to your regular, qualified doctor. Kottakkal Ayurveda and no other person associated with Kottakkal is responsible for unwanted side-effects or contraindications in your health.
