Pregnant women and baby, Part 3

Caring for Pregnant women

FAQ

1. How many ways does growth in the animal population takes place?
2. When is life of a child-bearing woman endangered?
3. What is garbhashauṋku?
4. From where did mother’s milk transmute?
5. What are the animals that having range from oviparous creatures to mammals?
6. What are the organs not working properly just after the baby is born?
7. When does mother develop nausea?
8. What kind of work are pregnant women allowed to do?
9. What will happen when pregnant women perform strenuous work?

• What kind of fruits will harm foetous?
• What kind of things are forbidden for pregnant women?
• What is the bath rule for pregnant women?
• What kind of bed and room do pregnant women have to use?
• How family member has to treat the mother of girl child?
• What kind of food pregnant women have to be provided daily?

Growth in the animal population takes place in three ways. First mammals grow in the mother’s womb in a membrane (placenta), and after attaining their full size, they become restless in the womb and are born with the placenta tied to the navel. The nurse severs the link between the navel of the baby and the placenta, which we can describe as analogous to the shell of an egg.  Just as the interior of the egg is covered with a shell, the embryo of the mammal similarly remains encased in a placenta. In spoken language, this placenta is called phul (in Nepali language, the egg is called phul).

The life of a child-bearing woman is endangered if the placenta takes a long time to come out of the womb, after the birth of the child. After the placenta comes out of the womb, it is either burned or buried in the ground [in traditional societies]. For the proper extrication of this placenta, there are certain homeopathic medicines. In ancient Indian therapeutics, certain instruments were recommended or used for extricating the dead baby from the womb, for bringing out the placenta, or for bringing out the live baby from the womb; they were called garbhashauṋku.

These mammals have to depend on the mother’s milk after their birth. If the baby continues to be fed wholly on the mother’s milk, without being given any other food for quite some time, it will still be hale and hearty, just like the children of cows, buffaloes and other animals. That which comes out of the mother’s body as milk essence, which is a metamorphosed form of motherʼs blood, is termed as stan – root verb + yat suffix = stanna. Stan + ac = Stan [breast] means “the motherʼs milk which provides essential calcium for the nutritional well-being of the baby”.

Be it formula milk, milk from the midwife, powdered milk, or the milk of the female donkey – none is comparable to the motherʼs milk. So, those who deprive the baby of motherʼs milk do maximum harm to the baby. How much humans or animals are indebted to their mother becomes evident    from the fact that, right from the earliest stage in the womb, the blood and vitality of the baby come from the motherʼs body. Even after birth, for quite some time the baby is nourished from the motherʼs milk which was transmuted from the motherʼs blood. So in ancient India, probably for this reason, the father is compared to heaven by saying:

Pita svarga pita dharma, pitahi paramantapah Pitari priitimapanne priiyante sarva devalayah.[The father is heaven, the father is dharma, the father is supremely adorable; if the father is pleased, all the gods are pleased.]

But the mother is coupled with the motherland. It is said:

Jananii janmabhumisca svargádapi gariiyasii. That is, the mother is something even superior to heaven. That is why Tantra has asked all people to treat every woman as akin to a mother.

The transformation from oviparous creatures to mammals has led to significant complexities in the animal body. In some countries of the world, there are animals that are midway between the oviparous and the mammal stages. The (duckbill) platypus is such a creature. Closely related to the cat; the duckbill (platypus) lays eggs, yet it is a mammal. Bats are much closer to mammals than the duckbill (platypus). They give birth to young ones, which remain in an immature state after birth. Akin to the bat order – perhaps its sub-order – is the vampire [bird; Geospiza nebulosa or sharp-beaked finch] and the titmouse (cámciká). These two belong to the same order.

Whether they are oviparous or mammalian, the progeny of all creatures remains helpless after birth for some time. The home for these helpless babies is the “lying-in-room” or “birthing room”. The newborn child is entirely helpless – frail and helpless (árta or átura). That is why the birthing room is called the room for the helpless; in colloquial Bengali it is called áturghar (áturálaya) or “sick-room”.

After the baby is born, so long as its different sense organs do not work properly, it is treated as if it were still in the womb or garbha. The human baby is assisted by the nurse to enable its sense organs to function. When she inserts something in the mouth, the baby expels the accumulated saliva and then, stimulated by this action, cries out. If the baby does not cry, it should be understood that it has little chance of survival. So, the mild sound of the first cry of a  human or animal baby is the very sign of life.

Tulsi jab tum jag men áyo jag haṋse tum roye, Aesii karńii karke calo háṋso tum jag roye. [Tulsi, when you came into this world, people smiled and you wept. Continue your noble deeds so that when you die, you will smile and the world will weep.]

So long as the baby does not cry, declaring its existence, it is considered to be still in the motherʼs womb. When the nurse extricates the accumulated saliva from the babyʼs mouth, in rural Bengal, this is called “making a start with the mouth.” When an adolescent speaks impudently in the presence of elders, the elderly person might say, “Listen, listen to his impudent words. Even now  he has not made a start with his mouth; listen to the hollowness of his words!”

When the foetus in the motherʼs womb becomes somewhat developed, its hair starts to grow. The mother may develop nausea. Sometimes she develops a special fascination with certain edibles and inedibles, and some peculiar distastes as well. In ancient Bengal there was a social custom to provide an opportunity for a pregnant woman to eat foods of her choice. This was known as sadhbhaksan.

Normally, in the advanced stage of pregnancy, women are not permitted to do physical labour. This is wrong. Women in that condition should be allowed to do a little work. (The same principle applies to pregnant animals.) Otherwise, there remains a risk during labour. Pregnant women and female animals may work half of what they usually do at other times; but under no circumstances should they be allowed to do strenuous work, as it may lead to premature delivery or stillbirth.

Foods which are highly acidic, such as acidic citrus fruits, overripe pineapples, overripe jám, cottonseed flour and spicy pickles, should be carefully avoided as they may harm the fetus.

Bending over in a stooping posture to lift anything heavy is strictly forbidden for pregnant women. Although there is no objection to carrying loads for those who are accustomed to it, they must not stoop over to lift a heavy load onto their heads. It is better if others will help them to lift it up. In this stage of pregnancy, a daily bath is a rule, but one must not bathe after sunset. It is better  to lie down on a hard bed.

It is desirable that the best room in the house be used for confinement. In certain parts of rural Bengal, the worst room, or the cowshed, is used for confinement out of superstition. This practice is certainly wrong – more than that, it is a crime.

There are many people who affect respect, loudly praising women as a race of mothers, but who ..in practical life suppress them underfoot, sending them into the jaws of premature death by depriving them of happiness and the comforts of life. The conscientious should be vocal against these heinous acts. We must pay due honor to women as mothers and help them to live long lives.

The family should see to it that the woman is not forced to walk to the outhouse on foot for at least twenty-four hours after delivery. The delivery room should be fitted with a bathtub and commode.

If a girl is born, no one in the family is to point an accusing finger, either directly or indirectly, at the mother. It may create undue pressure on her heart. There was one lady of my acquaintance who was unable to bear the humiliation brought down by her family just after the birth of her seventh daughter. She cried out, “Again a daughter, again a daughter, again a daughter!” and immediately expired.

A pregnant woman must certainly be provided with nutritious food. No constipation-creating foods should be supplied to her. This is as applicable to animal mothers as it is to human mothers. Sweet-pea leaves, or if not available, then spinach, nat́e shák or gourd leaves should be taken daily in small amounts. PuṋI shák should be strictly avoided.

All that I have said in the above is as applicable to pregnant animals as it is to human mothers. In the case of the first delivery, one should consult a physician or experienced midwife after one month. If one follows the above instructions, death during delivery will become a rare phenomenon.

Some people cultivate their land using cows, and others even use them to draw carts. I do not know what other tasks are performed with the help of cows, but I would dissuade people from compelling pregnant cows to till their soil, draw their carts and run their oil mills. This is an inhuman act and is contradictory to principles of Neo-humanism.

For cows whose pregnancy is very advanced, green grass is indispensable. If, at that stage, the cows are not able to graze in the field, their caretaker must bring cut grass to give them. Whether it helps that caretaker to reach heaven is immaterial; but it is sure to lay the foundation of Neo- humanism.

Gokal gokule bás Gabeer mukhe diye ghás Ámár habe svargavás. [The cow lives at Gokula, Making the grass available to the cow, I will surely go to heaven.]

Whether the person goes to heaven or not, at least they will be performing a great duty.

Footnotes

[1] The foregoing fourteen paragraphs are from Shabda Cayaniká Part 20, Discourse 162.

Source – Natural Medicine – By Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar      Chapter -5 Marghavi