Month-wise Regime:

The requirement of mother nutrition varies according to the development of the fetus and changes month-wise.

• First month

  A pregnant woman should take natural supplements like grapes, dates, and sweet herbs with milk.

• Second month

  Have milk mixed with the above-mentioned natural supplements.

• Third month

  Have the same sweet natural supplements, but now mix them with milk, honey, and ghee.

• Fourth month

  Continue taking the same sweet supplements with milk. This time replace ghee with butter [12 – 15g] made from milk.

• Fifth month

  Continue the supplement regime of the fourth month. Oil application and gentle massage followed by a bath with lukewarm water are recommended. Continue this till delivery.

• Sixth month

  Continue the supplement regime of the fifth month.

• Seventh month

  Mothers-to-be may feel an itchy sensation on the breast and abdomen or a burning sensation in the chest or throat due to the increased size of the fetus. Eat food in smaller quantities, frequently, and a bite of sweet something with a little ghee or oil that is easy to digest. Ensure that your salt intake during this period is reduced to a minimum. Also, avoid drinking water immediately after a meal.

• Eighth month

  Eat rice prepared with milk in semi-solid or liquid form with ghee.

• Ninth month

  Follow the same diet as in the eighth month. Meat soup with cooked rice gruel with ghee.

Ayurveda advised that Garbhini (pregnant lady) should take a sweet, liquid, nutritive diet with a good quantity of milk, freshly cooked rice, meat or meat-soup, butter extracted from milk, milk cooked with Madura group of drugs, and other congenial diets.