Gentle Ways to Introduce Ayurveda to Newborns

“Parenthood is not about perfection, it’s about loving and guiding your child through their imperfections” - Anonymous.

Engineer, doctor, scientist, teacher, and a zillion more professions, nothing compares to the joy of being a parent. When you hold the tiny bean of happiness, your life changes forever. You instinctively start thinking about showering your little one with the best care, amenities, and environment.

For this, the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda can be one of the most trusted companions. The Indian system of medicine offers a precious wealth of knowledge for nurturing newborns with gentle and effective holistic care.

From herbs to ingredients to procedures - Ayurveda is a treasure trove to aid the growth and development of infants.

In this article, I will explore potent ways to infuse Ayurveda for newborn care, leading to a healthy foundation. Let’s start:

What are Doshas in Ayurveda?

In Ayurveda, doshas are elemental energy forces that govern a person’s physical and mental well-being. The three main doshas, as defined in Ayurveda, are - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha represents five elements: space, fire, air, water, and earth.

Vata Dosha: Consisting of air and space elements, Vata governs movement, creativity, and alertness. These individuals think out of the box and are quick learners. However, they get easily distracted and have frequent mood swings. Moreover, they are sensitive to colds and face digestive issues.

Pitta Dosha: It denotes fire and water. Those born with this dosha are motivated, goal-oriented, and competitive. They are quick learners, natural leaders, and very athletic. On the negative side, they can be aggressive, moody, sensitive to hot temperatures, and susceptible to inflammation.

Kapha Dosha: This dosha relates to earth and water. People with this dosha are strong, empathetic, and have a strong physique. Kapha controls growth and structure, giving these individuals strong bones, joints, and immunity. Their weaknesses include slow metabolism, low motivation, and sluggishness,

Now that you have learned about doshas, you can understand how correlated Ayurveda and human bodies are to each other. So, if you want to give your child a healthy mind, body, and soul, Ayurveda can play an important role. To know more, stay with me till the end of this article.

Bathing Rituals

Ayurveda describes a detailed two-step bathing ritual for newborns. The section below elaborates on it:

1. Abhyanga

Abhyanga is the sacred tradition of massaging infants with Ayurvedic oils. The Ayurveda baby massages promote growth and development, stimulate blood circulation, and aid body relaxation. Besides, the time you spend with your kids during massages helps strengthen your emotional connection with them.

For this, you can pick a gentle Ayurvedic oil, such as coconut, almond, olive, sesame, or any other oil of your choice. These oils are loaded with nutrients and vitamins that offer holistic nourishment to your kid.

You can choose BabyOrgano Soothing Baby Massage Oil to provide the best massage experience for your precious baby. This gentle solution is free from chemicals and has a mild fragrance. Its key ingredients include almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil, and wheat gram oil.

After choosing the oil:

1. Ensure that it is lukewarm.
2. Take a small amount of oil in your hands and gently rub it onto your baby's skin in circular motions.
3. Give extra attention to areas likely to dry, like knees, scalp, and elbows.

2. Herbal bathing for cleaning

After an oil massage, you can opt for a herbal bath to rinse off the greasiness from your kid’s body. In Ayurveda, herbal baths are prepared with natural ingredients like turmeric, rose petals, chickpea flour, etc.

These herbs lock the soft texture of your baby’s skin and offer the required nourishment. Plus, they cease common skin problems like rashes, irritation, and itchiness.

To prepare an herbal bath at home, mix Ayurvedic herbs in the desired quantity with water to get the right consistency. Apply it on your child’s body while massaging slowly to clean and exfoliate the dead skin cells. Once satisfied, clean the mix with warm water and gentle rubs.

Herbal baths are a perfect substitute for bathing soaps made using chemicals and artificial fragrances. Keeping this in mind, we have created our BabyOrgano Gentle baby wash.

The product is loaded with the goodness of natural ingredients like aloe vera, turmeric, cucumber, manjishtha, neem, and gotukola. It nourishes and soothes skin, prevents infections, and has a kid-friendly scent.

Ubtan Rituals

No matter how modern society gets, the power of a good herbal ubtan will never cease to exist. This homemade solution suggested by Ayurveda for newborn babies has been one of the most trusted companions for mothers for generations. It is made using natural items that nourish, cleanse, and exfoliate children's tender skin.

Usually, the main components of ubtan are household ingredients like turmeric, sandalwood, rose petals, neem, chickpea flour, and more. You can use your favorite items and add water or milk to create a mixture. After this, apply the ubtan on the kid’s face and body and rub gently in circular motions. Leave it for 3-5 minutes and rinse with water while scrubbing.

While using ubtan is easy, creating it can be messy. Thankfully, BabyOrgano offers a Natural Ubtan for children one month and above. It has sandalwood, manjishtha, chickpea, rose petals, and turmeric. The ubtan provides skin nourishment, moisturization, and protection from skin problems. Moreover, it helps brighten the child's skin tone by reducing sun tan and removing dead skin.

Ayurvedic Hair Care

Who doesn’t love the soft hair curls of babies? However, the hair tends to lose its softness with the constant use of chemical shampoos. So, why not leverage Ayurvedic wisdom to offer your little ones the best hair health? These easy remedies can help you improve your hair growth naturally.

Ayurveda suggests the following practices for healthy hair care:

• Include natural foods in the diet
• Keep your kid hydrated
• Massage scalp with herbal oils
• Use herbal shampoos like BabyOrgano Tomatino Baby Shampoo

The BabyOrgano Tomatino Baby Shampoo has wholesome ingredients like aloe vera, tomato, methi, amla, and shikakai. It cleans the scalp, relieves irritation, and minimizes the risk of dryness and dandruff.

Plus, the special formulation makes it a tear-free shampoo with a pleasant smell that doesn’t overwhelm the kids.

Nutrition and Food

Scientific research and global healthcare organizations suggest breastfeeding from birth to 6 months for kids. Breast milk offers newborns all the necessary nutrients for growth and holistic nourishment.

Its perfect composition meets their dietary needs and gives antibodies to develop the immune system.

Ayurveda also suggests additional dietary rituals beyond breastfeeding in kids after six months. It encourages parents to feed warm and easy-to-digest foods to the newborns because of their delicate digestive systems.

These Ayurveda baby foods can include mashed fruits, cooked vegetables, porridge, soups, etc.

Besides, Ayurveda has some amazing superfoods you can include in your newborn’s diet for an extra nutrient intake. These superfoods are honey, ghee, ginger, amla, etc.

Moreover, Ayurveda suggests certain herbal supplements for the well-being of newborns. They are Shankhpushpi, Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Triphala, Shatavari, and many more.

If you plan to use Ayurvedic herbs' power to strengthen your baby's immunity, then BabyOrgano Suvarnaprashan Drops are the best solution.

With 24CT Gold Ash and 10+ Ayurvedic herbs, this magical remedy is ideal for children aged 0 to 15. It improves immunity and caters to your kid’s holistic growth.

Simple daily activities

There are some effective everyday activities that can easily help you strengthen the bond with your kiddo. Let’s take a look at them:

• Musical mornings: Let your baby greet the morning with soft, calming sounds. You can play gentle music inspired by nature, birds, or religious chants. Ensure the sound is low.
• Cuddle time: Sparsha or skin-to-skin touch is an effective way to start your baby’s day. Spend some time cuddling them and speaking words of affection.
• Playdates: Squeeze some time from your busy schedules to play with your newborns. This can be a good bonding activity for your family.
• Observe more: While interacting with your baby, observe their responses to each activity. Make changes based on this to keep them comfortable.
• Peaceful ambiance: Keep the lights dim and create a serene environment around your newborn. This will save them from getting startled and overwhelmed.

Things to keep in mind

When adopting Ayurvedic practices in your newborn’s routine, keep the following things in mind:

• Consult an Ayurvedic practitioner - Most practices mentioned in this article are safe. However, consulting a certified Ayurvedic practitioner for personalized guidance before choosing Ayurveda baby care is always advisable. This becomes even more important for kids with health problems.
• Slow and gradual introduction - A popular proverb says Slow and steady wins the race. When using Ayurvedic practices, ensure to make gradual changes. Every child is different, and their response to changes can vary. So, please be mindful of your child’s body response before adopting something.

Conclusion

Embracing these simple yet effective Ayurveda-inspired practices will likely bless your newborn with a healthy body, mind, and soul. These solutions can help create a nurturing environment where they grow and develop in a cocoon of natural offerings. Keep learning and catering to your baby's whims with a smile.

FAQs:

Are there Ayurvedic herbs for infant growth?

Some popular Ayurvedic herbs supporting infant growth are Tulsi, Brahmi, Ashwagandha, Baalprashan Swarnaprashan drops, and turmeric. These Ayurveda infant care herbs offer holistic development in kids.

Is Ayurvedic medicine safe for babies?

Yes, Ayurvedic medicines are safe for babies. However, you must consult an Ayurvedic practitioner before starting the medication.

Is Shankhpushpi an effective brain booster?

Yes, Shankhpushpi is renowned for its brain-boosting capabilities. It is known to increase memory and intellect.