Abstract

CONCEPT OF STANYAPANA VIDHI (BREASTFEEDING) IN AYURVEDA ONE OF THE GREATEST WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Dr. Shweta Govind Mulaje*, Dr. Vishakha Pachore and Dr. Vidhya Sarode

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Abstract

One of the most basic necessities of a newborn baby is adequate nutrition. Breastfeeding is widely believed to be the best diet for human newborns. Breast feeding is characterized as a sanskara of kid in Ayurveda, and it should begin with the bewitching of mantras. Aside from the intense bonding it fosters, breast milk is also the ideal food for them. Likewise in Ayurvedic texts, formation of stanya (breast milk), causes of stanya pravriti (or milk ejection), dhatri (wetnurse), dhatri-pariksha (examination of wet-nurse), stanapan-vidhi (breast feeding), stanyasampat (merits of breasts), stanyanasha hetu (causes of cessation of milk formation), stanyaviridhi dravyas (drugs increasing quantity of milk), stanya apanayakala (weaning period), abnormalities of breast-milk and its treatment etc. are discussed in detail.Other than this, the Ayurvedic description of the dhatri (nursing mother) is remarkable. This is an attempt to bring the Ayurvedic concept of breast milk and breastfeeding to the modern era.

Keywords: Stanya, breastfeeding, newborn, stanapan vidhi, dhatri.