This ancient Ayurvedic practice is a must-try for every new mom and her baby
Double the effect with Kama’s Mother and Baby range
Bright eyes trained on your face, tiny fingers that grab at anything within arm’s reach, a smile that erupts into heart-melting giggles… Every mother treasures those precious moments spent bonding with her child. The memories that make the sleepless nights, round-the-clock feeds and mystery stains on your favourite clothes seem worth it. Naturally, new moms are eager to create that intimate connection with their little ones.
The most powerful tool in forging an intangible bond with your baby is touch. When a newborn snuggles up to the mother in the delivery room, that skin-to-skin contact acts as a security blanket, soothing separation anxiety post-birth and stimulating the brain.
That explains why one Ayurvedic practice has stood the popularity test of 5,000 years, recommended by doctors, mid-wives and mothers for generations — the traditional Indian maalish. According to Dr Brahmanand Nayak, an oil massage gives your baby a sense of security through touch. Performed correctly, it also improves immunity, boosts blood circulation and could help your baby (and serendipitously, you) clock in extra Zzzs every night.
Modern medical studies from the University of Miami double down on the importance of a daily massage, especially for mothers who cannot breastfeed.
When choosing a safe and gentle oil for your baby’s maalish, look for ingredients like sesame — the base of Kama Ayurveda’s Ayurvedic Baby Massage Oil — which is enriched with protein rich whey to soften and soothe skin.
The best-selling product also has extracts of deodar and dill which keeps colds, coughs and fevers at bay, while the antibacterial nutgrass and licorice extracts fight skin infections.
Once the massage is done, wash off the excess oil with Kama Ayurveda’s natural baby soap Nirav, which has Ashwangandha to soothe and calm sensitive skin.
What’s good for baby is equally beneficial to mama. Given the dramatic changes a woman’s body undergoes throughout her pregnancy, Ayurveda recommends starting a gentle massage protocol right from the second trimester. Using a 100% natural oil like Kama Ayurveda’s Dhanwantaram Thailam Pre-Post Natal Treatment Oil improves skin texture, reducing the appearance of stretch marks.
And if you’re battling the all-too-common dryness and inflammation that comes with pregnancy, drench your skin with the Kama Ayurveda Kokum and Almond Body Butter post-shower. Its intensely moisturising ingredients will banish days of flaky skin and cracked heels to distant memory.
The only downside is keeping the secret of your post-baby glow so that members of your family don’t start ‘borrowing’ from your beauty cabinet.
Check out Kama Ayurveda’s entire Mother and Baby range here.