No words can describe the power, beauty and majesty of a mother’s love for their children. However hard we try; we cannot compare to a mother’s love. But today, let’s talk about another, completely different perspective of motherhood. Since childhood all of us have known that every year, the second Sunday in the month of May is celebrated worldwide as International Mother’s Day. We do not need a specific day to make our mothers feel special but each passing day has to be counted upon for the special contribution of these unsung heroes of our life. The maternal bond runs far deeper enveloping a mother figure in our life or someone who cares for us like a mother, whether at home or at office space.

We may express our gratitude to our mothers by writing letters, giving flowers, or presents. But one way, which is crucial in determining the wellbeing of young mothers or mothers to be, is postpartum care. According to a report, 40 days of postpartum care is equivalent to 40 years of care and nourishment. Any carelessness in this regard may pave a path for greater health risks and ailments in the future.

Bearing this in mind, iKeva tried to do its bit in ensuring that fathers, new mothers, mothers to be, and in general, the community comprising members and associates of iKeva, understand the concept of postpartum care, and that too, the Ayurveda way. In this purview, iKeva Sanali Spazio organised a speaker session with Dr. Amrutha S, Head of Department (Gynaecology) practicing at Sri Sri Holistic Hospital. The distinguished speaker is a qualified BAMS, MS(AYURVEDA) and DIP Panchakarma. The event was held on Friday, the 19^th of May 2023 at the pantry of iKeva Sanali Spazio. The interactive session was open to both male and female members and associates. In this session, that was held in the early evening, all members and associates who have and/or are yet to embrace motherhood and/or know someone who is going through the same were present. Interestingly, fathers too attended the session eliminating the age-old taboo of considering parenthood a single-handed responsibility of women.

Ayurveda is a system of traditional Indian medicine, which undertakes a holistic point of view of health and overall well-being, including Panchkarma that can be literally translated to five actions like Yoga, massage, acupuncture and herbal medicine. Ayurveda, in its essence, is not just therapeutic but also preventive. In this context, an interactive speaker session on Ayurvedic wisdom for new mothers was conducted at iKeva’s enterprise office center. Stressing on the importance of reproductive health of women, Dr. Amrutha stated that health is a state of happiness and disease is a state of sorrow. This is because the health of a woman is a mirror reflection of the health of the society. And rightly so, a healthy and active woman raises content and lively children.

We mostly talk about women’s role from the perspective of motherhood. It is because of the reason that it is the single most dominant role she plays. Other roles that of daughter, sister or spouse may be equally challenging and rewarding as that of a primary caregiver. One of the toughest challenges thrown at new mothers is Postpartum depression or in its milder form, postpartum blues.

Dr. Amrutha pointed out that 1 out of every 8 mothers experience postpartum depression. Its symptoms may include persistent anxiety, irritability, mood swings, crying spells and eating and sleeping problems. The probable causes of such a condition can be one or a combination of nutritional factors, emotional factors, physical changes and lifestyle changes. However, Ayurveda has its own set of holistic wellbeing approaches to tackle these issues that can negatively affect the tender bond of a newborn and the mother, besides clouding or interfering with the joy and bliss of new motherhood. Such means include regular practice of yoga, dietary changes and lifestyle modifications.

Care in terms of nutrition to the postnatal mother accelerates recovery and eliminates weakness. Discussing the ayurvedic postulates of poshana and dhatuvardhana, Dr. Amrutha demonstrated how the loss of essential nutrients during pregnancy and childbirth can only be replenished with the help of balanced diet and mineral dense foods. It also promotes lactation for the wholesome nourishment of the neonate. Agnideepti, which is the intensity of appetite indicating proper digestion can be balanced by vaataniyaamana. These are the two means to attain brhamana, an increase in height and weight in a healthy direction.

Exercise in the form of yoga promotes physical, mental and emotional well-being. It improves concentration levels, mental agility and has pacifying effects on the psyche. It drastically minimises the stress levels arising out of demands of child rearing. A few yoga poses like the shavasana, mountain pose, pranayama, vrikshasana and other such yoga poses were also demonstrated. Ayurveda has a set of 5 procedures that aid in cleansing the body and eliminating toxins by the means of applying lubrication. These are called panchakarma and are extremely beneficial for rejuvenation and act as a promotive action, preventive barrier and curative for various illnesses. Lastly, the proficient speaker emphasized on the modifications in lifestyle like sleeping habits and discipline that facilitate upbringing.

After the speaker session, a question-and-answer round was organised so that any member of the audience could pose questions to obtain clarity on their respective doubts. A few members also shared their personal experiences and exhibited their own heuristics and shared their own stories of parenthood. Respecting the privacy of our community, iKeva ensured that a one-on-one private session was also held where they could privately seek clarification on doubts, explore the depths of Ayurveda and understand its applications and benefits in practical life.

Without a doubt, welcoming a newborn in your family can trigger a plethora of emotions. From demands to reward, from challenges to privileges and from criticism to honour; you are set to face every phase in this roller coaster ride. But at iKeva, we put in our best efforts to make your little milestones, simpler and memorable. The reason we celebrate not only birthdays and promotions but also Mother’s Day is because we give due importance to human values and understand the pivotal role these shape our professional lives. We firmly believe that at iKeva, we aim to provide our vibrant and engaged community with togetherness and companionship. Our perspective is not only to provide you custom-designed managed offices but also to engage our valuable community.