Congratulations! The good news you waited for is slowly tip-toeing around… With every month of your belly waxing outwards to form the baby bump, you step closer and closer to holding the cute bundle of happiness and responsibility in your arm…… Yes being a parent to your newly born will not only be a journey of weaning, cleaning and grinning at your baby… Infact you become a parent since the day of conception…
It has been said that the a man becomes a father the day he holds the baby in his arms, but a woman becomes a mother the day she officially starts nourishing the life residing inside her womb.
Well, no matter how much truth lies in the above dictum… Change is the calling of this era.
Like motherhood, parenthood too should start right from the moment of conception…
Parenting is a shared responsibility… The soil alone cannot grow a plant so cannot the seed.
Our ancestors, deeply interacting with evolution and life, very well understood and acknowledged the significance of prenatal developmental period and thus t
they introduced the satvik ritual of Garbha Sanskar. Garbha Sanskar is not just any custom or a yogic practice... However, it does include yoga as an important aspect of the ritual... It’s more like instilling a culture of discipline,not just in parents or their parenting style, but also the fetus...
Did you know? The proves of garbha sanskaram can be traced in one such incident from the Mahabharata wherein, Arjuna was teaching devi Subhadra the art of breaking into the multi-tired military formation of Chakravyuh, due to which, Abhimanyu, their child, was the only capable warrior in the absence of his father, who knew how to break in without anyone teaching him, unfortunately, Devi Subhadra fell asleep in the midst of learning the warfare art. Thus, Abhimanyu too couldn’t learn the art of successfully coming out of the formation and attained martyrdom on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
From the above instance, we realise the importance of the interconnected consciousness of the mother and the baby.
Following are a few prenatal parenting tips for helping you for attaining your fetus’ right growth and development, so that you can map your garbha sanskar at home without draining your pockets:-
1. Plan your environment- What makes the responsibility of motherhood to be held with highest regards in our society? The fact that she births a resource for nation, environment and mother Earth, who could grow upto be anything beyond aby guesses! The child you bring into the world has the potential to create their own set of family, a society, a community or an institution. It all depends on what kind of environment you give to the fetus. Studies have revealed that maximum numbers of miscarriages happen in struggling marriages or dysfunctional families. Thus, family members must be affectionate towards the expecting mommy as their love will definitely ring in the ears and minds of the developing infant. Afterall which guest would wish to visit a place where they feel uninvited.
Personal tip- Not everyday could be the same in your family, and so will it be in your expected child’s life. Learning and teaching soft skills such as cooperation, problem solving, stress and disappointment management can help both the mother and the fetus in many ways-
Strengthening the spiritual, emotional and psychological bond of the mother and fetus.
The fetus is likely to develop a strong emotional quotient early on.
Learning exceptional qualities such as determination, will power and self-control during the fetal development stage assures you’re birthing a leader for tomorrow.
Your fetus will have a higher degree of good self confidence which guarantees a happy life for them.
Thus, you’re not only creating a life, but shaping the quality they’ll live.
Afterall, “Perception is just a window, everytime you open a new one... you get a different view”. (Read as many good books on mindful consciousness to improve the quality of your life as well as the new life you’re about to welcome, along with yoga, meditation and mindful breathing)
2. Plan your diet- Would be mums must include ¼th additional Portion in their diets at least, for the healthy nourishment of their fetus. They must introduce their fetus to all the varieties of flavours and nutrition to their fetus right then because they have weaker preferences for tastes and food at the formation stage. Feed them enough kale, spinach and gourds at this time for not having to bear with the infamous childhood issue of picky-eating.
Eat foods rich in Iron, protien, follic acids, natural iodine, and other important minerals such as Calcium, pottasium and other vital nutrients
Eat bowl full of whole fruits such as apples, carrots, berries, pomegranate, oranges, bananas, etc. (You can also make a refreshing juice if eating and chewing is taking too much efforts on your tired days)
Eat as many green leafy vegetables and other veggies such as broccoli, okra, spinach, beet, etc. (You can also opt for a delicious, lip-smacking soup incorporating all the vegetables)
Including whole grains in their diet even before they start eating.
Most women with a healthy pre-pregnancy weight must take calories as needed:
First trimester (first 12 weeks) — no extra calories
Second trimester (13 to 26 weeks) — about 340 extra calories a day
Last trimester (after 26 weeks) — about 450 extra calories a day
3. Plan your moves- Did you know your fetus can experience fainter heartbeat due to lack of adequate oxygen which can be very risky for their life and health. In order to maintain adequate oxygen level in them, mothers must practice prescribed breathing exercises, movements and walking. There are countless benefits of maintaining muscle fitness by exercising- healthy blood flow in both fetus and mother, healthy heart, body- kinesthetic energy. You can practice yoga postures such as bhadrasana, Parvatasan under an expert supervision and simple stretching exercises to help fluid retention, and relieve stress.
Lastly, "Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded." — Jess Lair (An American educator and bestseller author). We wish you a happy prenatal journey and healthy child.