Deciding to have your baby in the hospital doesn’t mean you can’t have a birth supported by Ayurveda. Here are a few items we recommend having at the ready. You will find many lists of the usual items to take with you to the hospital to give birth, like comfortable clothing, pads, nappies, etc. Here are a few things you can pack for natural support during and after birth. 

During labour, you can make use of the following tools to ease discomfort and support progress.

Rebozo Shawl 

Rebozo is a set of techniques, traditionally from Central America, and we have found it very effective in our practice. You use a shawl to support the woman when she is giving birth by either applying counter pressure or taking pressure off certain body parts. You can use any strong shawl, at least 2.20m long and around 70 cm wide. There are many video tutorials and blog articles online explaining the different techniques. Just search rebozo for labour.  

Essential Oils 

These powerful oils can support you mentally and emotionally during your birth and beyond: Frankincense applied on temples helps to uplift the soul and improves confidence. A few drops of lavender near the heart have a calming effect. Clary sage may help to induce, establish labour or speed up labour. Its strong scent also creates a sense of euphoria. Apply a few drops to your ankles, have a bath or diffuse the smell near where you are labouring. 

If you have an electric essential oil diffuser, you are allowed to take it to the hospital. Making the room smell like home will help you feel safe and comfortable. You can also prime yourself to respond to certain smells by diffusing certain essential oils when practising birth meditation or visualisations. Over time your body and mind will associate the scent with relaxation and provide you with a shortcut to your inner calm.   

Music + portable speaker or headphones

The same principle works with sounds. Download mantras or calming music on your phone or music playing device. Take a (charged!) Bluetooth speaker and or headphones and wrap yourself in a blanket of sound. You can also go the more traditional route and chant mantras. 

We use mantras and music in our weekly Artful Nurturing Pregnancy and Birth Preparation meditation sessions. 

After your baby is born, there is a lot you can do to support your recovery from day one.

Postnatal Belly Wrap

They are also called belly bands, postpartum belts, or girdles. You can either use the modern ones with velcro and made from stretchy fabric or tie your own with long, thin pieces of cotton fabric. The purpose of belly wrapping is to help it go back to its normal size and to make you feel safe and supported. In Ayurveda, our most important task after birth (other than caring for the baby) is to keep Vata in check. Since Vata is composed of the elements, air and space, the empty space in our bellies is an ideal place for Vata to take hold. By wrapping our abdomen we reduce these empty spaces so Vata cannot settle there. 

Thermos

Take a thermos to the hospital – fill it with hot water or your favourite infusion before you leave, or ask for it to be filled with hot water when you get to the hospital. 

Ayurveda recommends only having warm water for the first 6 weeks after birth to support the weakened digestive system.

Postpartum Infusion

Make your postpartum tea spice mix and take a jar and a tea strainer with you to start drinking it from day 1. It encourages breast milk production and supports your digestion. To make it mix 1 cup Dill seeds, ½ cup ajwain seeds,  ½ cup fennel, 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds, 1 tbsp whole black pepper.

Food thermos 

Buy a couple of food thermoses if you expect to stay in hospital for a couple of days. Your partner or family can bring you freshly prepared soups and other easy-to-digest, warm meals. You can also prepare some raab (recipe in our Artful Nurturing Postpartum Guide), and depending on the quality of your thermos, it will still be warm after you have given birth. 

Artful Nurturing Detox Cubes 

These are made from a base of millet flour infused with Ayurvedic herbs. You can eat one along with some ginger tea straight after the delivery (rather than the white toast the midwives or nurses will kindly offer to you). 

Hot Water Bottle 

A handy friend to have with you in the winter. You can use it to keep your back warm and ease back pain.  

And a few more Ayurvedic Goodies:

Massage Oil 

You can use it for a mini back massage during labour or do the reduced abhyanga (just head and feet) during your hospital stay. It will help you to ground and balance Vata from day one. 

Nasya Oil

Rub a drop into each nostril and sniff the oil up to protect yourself. Nasya is an excellent and simple way to calm Vata and the brain. Lubricating our mucous membranes also helps them to protect you from unwanted pathogens entering your body. 

Cotton Balls

Put a drop of warm oil on your finger and rub it into your ears, then put some cotton balls on. The ears are one of the sites of Vata. With this simple technique, you can avoid Vata entering or increasing.

Brahmi Ghee

It helps to keep you calm. You can rub some on your feet for grounding or take 1/2 tsp with warm water. 

We hope these tools can help you feel comfortable during your hospital stay.