Following the delivery of the placenta, the mother can be given a
massage with oil and ghee, followed by a sponge bath, and
a drink of tea or warm milk. The first hours are a special sensitive period in establishing the bond of love between the mother and baby. The baby experiences the warmth of the mother’s body, the caress of her touch, the familiar sound of her voice and the nourishment of the first breast feeding. Family and friends take turns staying with the mother and baby day and night for the first ten to twelve days following delivery.
To help the mother recover as quickly as possible it’s important with daily oil massage, warm baths, good food, herbal compounds and plenty of rest. Rest when the baby rests. Practice TM twice daily. Eat light, warm, liquid, easily digestible foods. Avoid worry and anger. Keep your activity settled and quiet. Baby care include oil massage, breastfeeding, and weaning. The father’s support is absolutely essential. His main focus should be to help you rest. You also need his love and support, need him to be with you and the baby sharing the bonding process, helping with the diapering and rocking the baby, etc. both parents need to make sure that any older children are receiving enough affection and attention as they adjust to having a new baby brother or sister. Sexual relations are not recommended for six weeks after birth, until the tissues heal and recover.
Vedic texts recommend that both mother and baby
stay mostly indoors for the first few weeks. (It is fine to walk in your yard if the weather is warm.)
Protect your child from crowds and noise. Avoid wind, cold, harsh lights, and dust.
Control the influences you subject you new baby to. Create a protective, nourishing, loving environment. Arrange for someone to take care of the cooking, cleaning, and laundry for the first weeks. Keep a quiet, soft atmosphere so your baby can feel relaxed and comfortable.
Keep the mother and the baby warm. Start your evening routine early. Limit visitors during the first precious weeks to your immediate family and close friends.
Milk is by far the most important food for a nursing mother. It gets converted directly to ojas. Drink warm. Add a little cardamom or ginger while it is boiling. Add raw sugar or honey after it has cooled a bit. Drink organic milk.
“The infant should be lifted gently… not awakened suddenly…not thrown in the air… He should not be made to sit very early lest he may suffer from kyphosis (curvature of the spine). He should always be consoled by hundreds of pleasing things. The child should be protected from the wind, bright sun, lightning, creepers, vacant houses, low-lying areas, and infections. The child should not be left in places which are dirty, open or uneven, nor kept in a hot or windy place, nor in the rain, a dusty or smoky place or in water.” – Sushruta Samhita