“Begatting a child is more than a physical act; it is a grand ritual”.
- Caraka Samhita
India is an over populated country. Still pregnancy is considered as an important event that occur in the life of a woman, next to her marriage.
In the olden days, joint family system existed and the elders took care of pregnant woman and the child. Now that this system no longer exists, pregnancy has to be planned to enable the woman to get the possible care from her or his parents. Fortunately medical science has advanced very much and pregnancy and child care are better than what it was decades ago.
Planning pregnancy
? The great Ayurvedic Gurus, Caraka, Sushruta and Kashyap have studied and conducted extensive research on how to get pregnant, how to maintain it, how to deliver a normal child and post pregnancy mother and child care. Let us see what the ancient Ayurvedic texts say about pre – pregnancy preparations. These rules are to be followed at least 3 months before pregnancy.
? A healthy couple, desirous of offspring, should initially clean and detoxify themselves by evacuative measures. This purging has to be done before planning conception.
? Only a healthy body is capable of producing healthy cells and tissues. What you sow is what you reap. In order to conceive a healthy baby, the man’s sperm and the woman’s ovum should of good quality.
? If the cleaning / detoxifying with panchkarama and other / procedures is not possible then follow these steps.
a) Have a well balanced, easily digestible diet. Include whole grains, pulses, bentils (especially green gram), fruits, cow’s milk and butter milk. Avoid maida, fatty & spicy food, refined sugar, curds and beverages containing caffeine. Acharya Caraka says “After evacuative measures, the man should adhere to a diet mainly consisting of ghee, and milk prepared with sweet medicinal plants and the woman to one with oil ana black gram”. The black gram has to be lightly fried in Til oil. These may be later be cooked to make curries and sweets. Limit coffee / Tea to 1 or 2 cups a day.
b) Stop smoking and consuming alcoholic drinks.
c) There are various herbs in Ayurveda that improve the quaity of sperm. Some of these are Aswagandha, Kapikachu (Mucuna Pruriens). Readymade herbal formulations are also available. Dates and raisins also help in improving quality of sperm. The woman should consume daily, on empty stomach twice a day, 30 ml of the decoction made from Brahmi, Guduchi, Dhurva, Haritaki, etc. These herbs are uterine tonics. This decoction may be continued during pregnancy also as it provides micro – nutrients to the fetus – As said earlier the woman should include black gram in her diet.
d) Take your dinner by 8.30 PM or atleast 2 hours before bed time. A light supper is better.
e) Drink water only when you are thristy. Ayurveda believes that consuming excessive water dilutes the digestive enzyme and slow down digestion.
f) Go to bed early and wake up early.
g) Light exercises like walking, yoga etc can be done.
h) De – stress your mind with meditation, pranayamam, with a hobby like reading etc.
i) Modern doctors advise women to take folic acid (5mg) daily from the time they plan a pregnancy. Taking vitamin pills has to be decided by your doctor.
Now let us come to actual ‘act’ – the intercourse for pregnancy.
When not to have sex (for pregnancy)
? Caraka says that during the menstrual period of 3 days and nights, the woman should refrain from intercourse. Coitus during these days results in vaginal inflammation.
? One should not indulge in intercourse when one is beset with anger, depression, grief, anxiety and other negative emotions.
? Do not indulge in sex on full moon day, new moon day, Chaturthi, Shasti, Ashtami, Chaturdasi etc. Ayurveda believes that cosmic vibes on certain days are not conducive to sexual congress.
? Ayurveda and Rigveda dissuade having sex in the day time and the first and last quarter of the night.
? Do not have sex atleast for 3 hours after a heavy meal. Do not indulge in sex on empty stomach, or when hungry or fasting.
When to have sex and how (for pregnancy)
? It is important to choose the right time, right date and right place to have an intercourse.
? The most fertile period in a woman’s life is from the 7th to 17th day of her menstrual cycle. Every month, the day on which a woman gets her menses is reckoned as the first day of her cycle. Therefore a couple desirous of having a child, should indulge in intercourse from 5 or 7th day of the woman’s cycle till the 17th or 18 th day.
? The ideal time to have an intercourse is from 9.30 PM till mid – night.
? Ayurveda suggests that if possible, choose a propitious day having good constellation of stars.
? Caraka says that before having coitus, the couple should be well aroused and be desirous of the sexual act. Both the man and woman should wear white garments and garlands and approach each other with love and affection. The man should get on the bed with his right leg and woman, with her left. Both should recite two invocatory mantras addressed to the Gods. The couple’s room should have a large and comfortable bed.
? The intercourse should be performed in the “Man – top” position and not prone or sideways which can perturb the doshas. After the act the woman should not get up immediately. She must lie down with a pillow undder her waist for at least 30 minutes.
? The couple should have sexual intercourse on an even date after monthly period (wihtin the 7th to 17th fertile period) for a male child and on an odd day for a female off spring.
Ayurveda details the ways of taking care of a pregnant woman and the
child after delivery.
Begetting a child
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