Prenatal Care for Healthy Pregnancy
Pregnancy is one phase of life, where we need to be taking care of your health with utmost care. The ultimate excitement of pregnancy is accompanied with lots of waffling symptoms that can put a damper on your feelings about having a baby. However, taking medications cannot always a good option, as we get concerned a lot about the baby’s health and growth. The best bet in this case it to rely on safer natural remedies that are often passed through our ancestor. Prenatal period can be accompanied with headaches, nausea, hemorrhoids, heartburn, and constipation.
For the first 3 months, there will be a drowsy nausea feeling most of the time. Sometimes, it will also be accompanied by headache also. In such times, you need to take lots of rest and smell lemon whenever, you feel so. There is a fruit named alpakoda (Dry Indian plums) which would help reducing the nausea sensation.
Upto 5th month, you have to keep yourself hydrated and healthy. During these times, to avoid dehydration, you need to take lots and lots of fruit juices. Always go for fresh juices that any artificial ones. You have to take lots of water as well. Drink coconut water and Tangerines as a natural source of hydration. Soon after 5 month, vomiting might get reduced for many. But if it persists, you can continue following the above mentioned until the nausea stops.
After the 5th month, you can start taking protein-rich foods. If you are non-vegetarian, take eggs, chicken, mutton, bone soups, lamb liver, lamb/goat spleen, etc. Vegetarians can take cereals, soya chunks, beetroots, carrots, steamed chickpea, etc. In order to maintain hemoglobin level, it is essential to take dates, beetroot, and figs. Eating green veggies is good for your little one as it fulfills the mother’s need for iron. If you get bored with veggies, you can add them to smoothies to get a better taste.
From 7th month, you can drink milk with saffron. You can also add palm sugar to it.
During the 7th month, you shall have a drink called Methappu. Rice water is a common gruel in Asian countries household. It is obtained by draining the water from the boiled rice.
Rice water – 1 cup
Palm sugar (panangalkandu)- 1 ½ spoon
Butter – 1 spoon
Add Palm Sugar and Butter into hot Rice Water and drink it immediately. This is essential for increasing the baby weight considerably. You can take it in alternate days for the 7th month and from 8th month, you can take it daily until delivery.
After eight months, you can take Urad dal porridge and Fenugreek porridge weekly once, to strengthen the hip bones. Instead of porridge, you can also take Urad dal rice, Urad dal vada, Urad dal balls, as Urad Dal has high amount of dietary fiber and proteins.
A home-brewed Indian drink will bring lots of benefits.
Jeera – 1 Spoon
Black Pepper – 10 Numbers
Fennel Seeds – ½ spoon
Fenugreek – ½ spoon
Water – 1 cup
Butter – 1 Spoon
Roast all the spices separately and keep aside. Boil one cup of water and add the roasted spices ingredients in it. Let it boil until it becomes half the amount and drain it. Add butter now and drink it hot.
This herbal drink can be taken one time in 7th month; twice in 8th month; and weekly in 9th month. It has to be drunk before noon.
From 9th month, you can apply home-made oil and follow a routine for strengthening back bone and increase its flexibility during pregnancy.
Castor Oil – 1 Tbsp
Sesame Oil – 2 Tbsp
Water – few drops
Mix all the three and apply it all over the back and around the belly button. After 10 mins, bend and pour hot water on your back. The best time for doing this is at the nighttime before going to bed.
During 9th month, there comes a false pain due to heat. This can be identified by drinking a herbal home-brewed drink.
Jeera – 1 Spoon
Black Pepper – 10 Numbers
Fennel Seeds – ½ spoon
Palm Sugar – 1 ½ spoon
Water – 1 Cup
Boil one cup of water and add all the given spices ingredients in it. Let it boil until it becomes half the amount and drain it. Add palm sugar to it now and drink it hot. This will reduce the heat and stop the false pain immediately. If the pain continues, it would be advisable to take to a gynecologist.
