Ayurvedic Doshas in Pregnancy: The Pitta Edition
What is Ayurveda and the three doshas?
New to Ayurveda? Learn more about the fundamentals of Ayurveda and the three doshas here!
Ayurveda is the science of life. This ancient, holistic medical science offers guidance and study to the life within us and our relationship to the life around us. This South Asian system is thousands of years old and is rooted in understanding your own constitution and how to live in harmony with your environments and yourself.
Our foundational article, Ayurveda Doshas In Pregnancy, sheds light on the three doshas (constitutions) guiding you through the shifting relationships of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha during this significant phase of life.
Note: While everyone is born with a unique constitution (or make up) of Vata or Pitta and Kapha, remember that your dominant dosha is not your “identity”. Each person has all the doshas and elements of nature within them, and they can increase and decrease throughout each season, phases of our lives, and even at different times of the day!
What is pitta dosha, and how can it show up in pregnancy?
Pregnancy is a season of profound transformation for the mind, body and soul. Thus, pitta, the dosha that rules digestion, sight, and problem solving, is important in pregnancy because it allows room for you to process, follow through, and change in this season of life.
The qualities of pitta are sharp, pungent, spreading and mobile, hot, and bright.
Pitta dosha is made up of two elements: fire and water. Consider the qualities of fire, and how its nature is to be hot and sharp. Think of the qualities of water (or even oil), how it’s nature is to spread and be mobile.
The key is to remember that the qualities of pitta are just that - qualities! They are neither good nor bad, and the way they manifest in each person is different. For example, one person’s pitta imbalance may show up as heartburn, while another person’s may show up as irritability.
Physical:
Excess pitta has a myriad of ways of manifesting in the physical body during pregnancy.
You may notice heartburn, night sweats, or even increased headaches all of which can be signs that excess pitta is present.
Skin Issues like increased breakouts, rashes and other skin irritations can also arise as a result of increased pitta.
Heartburn and indigestion in pregnancy are common, due to the increased heat pitta can bring. , which can cause your digestive fire to be overactive.
Mental and Emotional:
Because pregnancy can be a time filled with to-do-lists, constant planning, and increased expectations, pitta naturally increases as your inner fire drives you to get things done and prepare for birth.
Excess pitta can often show up emotionally as feeling competitive or jealous of others, as your mind can be more critical of yourself and push you to create unrealistic standards.
The pressure to have the perfect pregnancy or be the perfect parent can be an expression of pitta, as the fieriness in you propel you into a perpetual state of “doing” rather than “being.”
Our 3 recommended ways to pacify pitta during pregnancy:
In mainstream Western wellness culture, Ayurveda is typically presented as a food based wellness system in which you’re given a list of foods to eat and avoid. While food can play an important part in balancing your doshas, integrating the qualities below can offer a more expansive and fulfilling experience.
Bring in the opposite qualities of pitta dosha into your daily life:
In pregnancy, it’s important to balance an accumulation of pitta with its opposites. Balance an excess of pitta’s hot, sharp, and mobile qualities, by leaning into qualities like cool, smooth, and stable.
A few ways to bring in the opposite qualities of pitta are:
Spend more time in water, whether it’s taking a bath, joining your local pool, or being extra mindful to stay hydrated.
Take some time each week for unstructured rest or play – with no “objective” or “outcome” in mind.
Incorporate floral scents (i.e jasmine, rose, geranium), and/or flowers into your home. This can be as simple as placing a few roses on your bedside table or having an aromatherapy diffuser in your home.
Spend a few minutes journaling before bed to mentally unload your to do list.
Engage in slow, restorative practices:
Try restorative yoga!
Long, slow stretches will also ease an agitated fire. Try to connect with your sense of spirituality. This can mean speaking affirming mantras and connecting to gratitude. Begin your day by thinking (or journaling) of 3 things you’re grateful for. Take the focus off of yourself for a moment to calm the fire in your mind. Additionally, if you want to take a vacation, now is a great time to do it.
Practice softening rigidity and excessive structure:
Soothe the need to do things perfectly or to be in constant motion.
Try to create space in your week for unstructured play and creativity, such as making art, lounging outside, or restorative yoga.
Cultivating a sense of gratitude for where you are in your life and how far you’ve come can help soften harsh expectations you may have of yourself and ease an agitated fire.
How to begin! Expecting: Meditation Program
From our extensive experience in working with pregnant and postpartum folks, one of the challenges we’ve seen is finding wellness practices that resonate with you and see you for the wholeness that you are. This is why we created the Expecting Meditation Program, to affirm your unique experience and all those who haven’t felt seen in pregnancy and postpartum wellness spaces. This program draws from generations of ancestral wisdom and combines it with a compassionate understanding of the challenges of being pregnant and postpartum in today’s world.
TL:DR: Pregnancy can be hard, and building a meditation practice can allow for more glimpses of calm, connectedness, and attunement to your body. Don’t forget, you exist as more than a vessel, and having accessible practices are key to supporting your whole wellbeing.
Learn more about our Expecting Meditation Program here.
About The Shah Sisters
Hi, Shalini and Melissa here! We are two Indian-American sisters who are radically reclaiming our roots within reproductive wellness.
Returning to these roots means honoring community, solidarity, and collective well-being.
We offer empowering, progressive practices steeped in the wisdom of our ancestors to support those in their reproductive phase of life.