The Gentle Birth Method: The Month-by-Month Jeyarani Way Programme

Ayurveda and The Gentle Birth Method

Ayurvedic remedies and philosophies feature strongly in The Gentle Birth Method. Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that has become fashionable in the West in recent years, but it is an automatic reference tool for me – something that I grew up with which complements my conventional medical training. Literally translated, Ayur means ‘life’ and Veda means ‘science’. In India, where this ‘life science’ has been practised for thousands of years, it is a deeply respected and credible medical authority but I am particularly drawn to its holistic approach, especially its emphasis on emotional – as well as physical – caring for the pregnant mother and her unborn child.

Ayurveda groups the study of gynaecology, obstetrics and paediatrics together in a section of text called Kumara Bhritya, meaning ‘how to take care of the child’ and it draws a clear link between the mother’s well-being and the health of the embryo, including its impact on the implantation process, early foetal development and the whole pregnancy.

Ayurveda expounds that the character, physical attributes and health of a child begins with the mother and her pre-conceptual status – in terms of how well nourished, rested and emotionally prepared she is for pregnancy and motherhood. It also emphasizes the great need for the mother to be surrounded by the love and care of her partner. These values all align very closely to my own instincts about how we should care for expectant mothers and it is for these reasons that I allude to Ayurvedic wisdom throughout the programme.

Yoga is also an intrinsic part of Ayurveda and forms an important part of birth preparation. The section on exercise (see pages 75-83) outlines the benefits of yoga in pregnancy.

Ayurveda as a Diagnostic Tool

Ayurveda isn’t just a support system for my own beliefs. It is also a great clinical guide and its teachings on constitution and body type are used in my programme in order to further eliminate pregnancy symptoms and rebalance the body for birth.

In fact, these guidelines are so detailed and accurate that whenever a new mother enrols at my clinic, I can tell within moments the problems she is likely to encounter during her pregnancy. There’s nothing magical about it. In fact, many of you will be familiar with the physiological names given to physical builds – mesomorph, ectomorph and endomorph. Ayurveda works on a similar model.

In Ayurveda your body constitution is called your ‘prakruti’. Each person’s prakruti is composed of three body humours, or doshas, called vata, pitta and kapha. These represent a combination of the elements – water, air, fire, earth and so on – that, according to Ayurveda, make up the human body. Each dosha is responsible for different functions and parts of the body (see box below) so we each have all three doshas, although one or maybe two usually dominate. The dosha that dominates gives rise to a person’s prakruti, which governs their physical and emotional characteristics.

If a person lives a healthy life according to their ‘baseline’ prakruti (at birth) then they can remain healthy and in balance – as long as they do other things to keep themselves healthy, such as exercise and avoid drugs and too much alcohol. However, many people do not live healthy lives and their normal levels of vata, pitta and kapha become unbalanced, which can lead to ill health. In pregnancy particularly, there are sets of symptoms that each prakruti will be susceptible to, hence, by identifying which body composition you are, you can further tailor your diet and lifestyle to prevent some of the related problems.

So What Do Vata, Pitta and Kapha Govern?

Vata represents wind and movement. It governs motion, activity and sensory functions; it controls the activities of the nervous system, blood circulation, contraction and expansion of the lungs and heart, intestinal peristalsis and elimination, and the contractile process in muscle. Pitta represents fire and heating. It is responsible for all digestive and metabolic activities, regulating digestion and the secretions of the exocrine glands and the endocrine hormones.

Kapha represents liquid and cooling. It provides the static energy (strength) for holding body tissues together. It also provides lubricants at the various points of friction.

If any of the doshas become too dominant then the processes outlined above can cause complications.

On the following pages I have provided a basic breakdown of Ayurvedic principles, which you may find interesting and useful for more detailed diagnosis of how best to manage your pregnancy. However, whilst I am able to accurately use the Ayurvedic model in clinical practice, it takes many years to become an expert in the intricacies of Ayurveda, and it is not the aim of this book to list them here. I have kept the categories as simple as possible, but for those readers who still feel there is too much new information to absorb, stick to the general dietary guidelines at the beginning of this chapter. If, on the other hand, you are intrigued by the depth of an Ayurvedic assessment, I strongly recommend a personal consultation with an Ayurvedic practitioner, who can offer more comprehensive and accurate guidance.

Prakruti Analysis

Read each of the following statements and score them individually on a scale of one to five according to how accurate they are for you (0 = completely inappropriate, 5 = an accurate description). Add up the scores for each section – vata, pitta and kapha – and analyse the final scores to find your predominant dosha. Remember, the chart is a rough guide.

Your highest score indicates your dosha predominance. You could be a vata, pitta or kapha mother. I have described each type of mother below and provided advice on working with your predominant dosha in order to restore balance and optimum health. You may find two scores are very close – as many people are a combination of doshas rather than one distinct category – but regardless of how close the score, follow the guidelines for your dominant dosha.

Vata Mothers

Typical Characteristics

Lean, small frame

Dry skin

Mentally excitable

Weak constitution – prone to colds and illnesses

Poor circulation

Poor digestion with tendency to constipation

Low energy

May experience fainting

Vata in balance: alert and spontaneous

Vata out of balance: worried and experiences mood swings

During pregnancy

May show signs of clinical anaemia.

May feel mentally slowed down, sometimes leading to depression.

May experience aches and pains all the way through pregnancy.

May experience nausea in early pregnancy.

Note: Vata is often heightened during pregnancy, regardless of which prakruti you are.

How to Counteract Vata

Exercise

Exercise in moderation, as the vata mother is rather weak – engage in mild to moderate exercise only.

Walking and swimming are good.

Do indulge in some form of exercise – it has a mood-elevating effect.

Avoid going to the gym, especially in the first three months of pregnancy.

Food

Eat 3 to 4 regular light meals a day that preferably contain a representation of all the tastes like salty, sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and astringent.

Avoid snacks in between meals.

Choose clear soups.

Avoid mushrooms.

For non-vegetarians, chicken soups are recommended.

Fish is also good if you can tolerate it.

Avoid cheese as vata mothers have poor digestive power, especially in early pregnancy.