Lactation is the secretion of milk from breasts. It is a child's privilege as well as a mother's pleasure to breastfeed. However, it is a natural phenomenon and we all know that it benefits both the mother as well as the baby (therefore it should not be avoided). Ayurveda has defined breastfeeding as the best method to give love to the child.
Posture: Formation of Stanya
Stanya is formed from, rakta (means blood/ red blood cells and also involves blood vessels, liver, and spleen) and rasa (rasa-Prashad bhag or bodily fluids), during pregnancy period. Milk is produced as a result of the interaction of hormones and reflexes (prolactin, oxytocin, rooting and sucking reflexes). During lactation and pregnancy, the glandular tissue is stimulated to produce milk due to various hormonal influences. The suckling stimulus on the nipple of the breast causes signals to be transmitted through sensory nerves to the hypothalamus, which causes the release of prolactin and oxytocin from the pituitary gland. These hormones are then carried by the blood to the breasts, where it promotes the secretion of milk and contraction of myoepithelial cells of the mammary glands leading to the ejection of the milk from the glands. In less than a minute after the beginning of suckling, milk begins to flow
Stanya-Sampat (Characteristics of Normal Breast Milk)
Also Read: Cure Asthma The Natural Way With Shigru
According to Acharya Charaka, the milk which is normal in color, smell, taste, and touch, mix evenly when poured into water is known as pure milk. This milk provides good health (aarogyum) and nourishment (pusttikar) to the child. The climate sheet (cold), clean, free from impurities, sankhabh, sweet in taste, mixes evenly in water, not producing any froth or streaks when mixed in water. This type of milk provides:
- good health
- growth
- development of body
- strength to the body
Posture
Sit comfortably with a straight spine or lie down, touch your hands on your belly to bring awareness to the lower lobes of your lungs. Watch how your breathing responds. You may have noticed a several times that your belly wants to expand as you inhale and retract as you exhale. Let this happen but do not try to force it.
If your belly seems tight, massage your belly, especially right around the outside edge of your belly button. You will start noticing that how your belly will begin to soften and 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 several times.
Also Read: An Ayurvedic Diet Is Essential To Boost Immunity During Monsoon: Says Dr. Anu Jaiswal
Breathing measures
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 and feel an expansive sensation, then exhale while perceiving your breath moving down the spine, pause at the base and feel a grounding sensation. Continue this conscious breathing for at least 20 breaths. Practice in the morning and at night or whenever you have 5 minutes to center yourself, feel more peaceful and want greater clarity.
Few Ayurveda products that can be taken for healthy breastfeeding:
Kasheer Bala Thailam - It helps in proper secretion of milk
Application – Its outside application, breast massage can be given from bottom to top and top to bottom, it helps in proper secretion of milk, give gentle massage for minimum 15 mins and remove it with warm water before breastfeeding.
Kairbossom – For strengthening breast muscles
Application –Take 15 ml of warm oil and apply on breasts in a circular and upward motion. You have to retain it for fifteen minutes and wash it off with lukewarm water. Best results when apply daily
Dasmoolarishtam & Mustharishtam – For healthy milk formation
Application - for internal application – 15 ml with 90 ml of warm water after food twice a day after food. But in case of the mother is diabetic then please avoid this and consult an ayurvedic doctor.
Hence, Ayurveda being one of the ancient practice of medicine has various ways to nourish and nurture the development of an individual in the most natural way possible.
(With inputs from Gita Ramesh, Jt. Managing Director, Kairali Ayurvedic Group)
Read more on Ayurveda