Each day began with a warm glass of milk infused with the gentle sweetness of Panjiri (Made of Sprouted wheat, Gond and Nuts) or Panchamrutham. 

 My meal was a combo of colors and textures, filled up  with seasonal vegetables like leafy greens, carrots, and gourds, cooked with fragrant spices like ginger, turmeric, and cumin (traditional Indian recipes) These dishes not only tantalized my taste buds but also balanced the vital energies within my body. 

 Ragi, a millet rich in calcium and iron (now the protein rich porridge) found its way as a snack everyday in the form of delicious porridge, providing strength and nourishment to both me and my growing baby. What can I say more about this recipe, I wasn’t advised to have a single pill of iron during both my pregnancies.

 Raisins, soaked overnight, Chikkis and other homemade munch ons are few suggestions from our ancestors and I literally got these everyday from my neighbours. 

 Keeping the diet simple, colourful and preservative free is the agenda to have a safe and healthy delivery.  Mandal arts, Rangoli, Yoga, Music and Pravachanas made my days so peaceful and worthy. This could be one of the reason for having a physically and mentally healthy baby (you can see a smile on my face now)

 After my precious one arrived, the focus shifted to promoting lactation and I am very lucky to have a person like Mom and Grandmom who had a great wisdom on food and other traditional practices that are to be followed after delivery. Like applying sesame oil everyday after 11days of delivery and Abhyanga, the Nadi Kattu (the traditional waist band), Dhoop everyday for the hair care and limited food that is freshly prepared and cooked all these were mandatory in our family. Using lots of Garlic, Greens and Thelaga Pindi (Sesame seed flour), curry powders like methi powder, ajwain powders etc were best practices of reintroducing the food after delivery by our ancestors. 

Katlu, a sweet and energy-boosting  made with sprouted ragi or wheat,  ghee, nuts, and jaggery, became a staple in my post-partum diet. This gave a very good quality of milk that boosted by kiddos immunity indirectly.  Jowar porridge, packed with protein and fiber, provided sustained energy  and ample of breast milk throughout the day. And for those cozy evenings, a warm bowl of rice porridge, seasoned with a touch of ghee and pepper offered comfort and nourishment but strictly no rice or meals after 6:00pm for about 3months (this is our family tradition to keep mother’s back strength and weight management).

Embracing these traditional practices not only nourished my body but also filled my heart with a sense of connection to generations of mothers who had walked this path before me. It was a journey of self-care, mindful eating, and deep appreciation for the miracle of life unfolding within me.