SIMANTONAYANA SANSKARA

The first time pregnant woman is scared of the delivery process, she is unsure of the changes going in her body and whether she can bear labour pains. To improve and tone up the psychology of the pregnant woman, in 32nd week of pregnancy Vedic literature, has described “Simantoonayan Sanskara” one of the 16 Vedic Sanskara. Ayurveda has described this Sanskara in the 36th week, commonly known as ‘Dohale jevan’ (a feast in honor of a pregnant woman). The fore most aim of Simantonayana Sanskara is to counsel the pregnant woman and to boost up her psychology so that she finds herself confident during the ordeal of labour. Experienced women guide and mentally prepare her for the delivery. They instruct her about hygiene, labour pain, exercise, explain the principal changes and events likely to occur during delivery and ensure her about her normal labour. This counseling is accompanied by merry making and hearty feast served in silver plate with 5 different sweets and dry fruits of her choice. 5 different fruits are given her in lap as an instance. According to the principle of similarity, these fruits provide nutriment to the foetus. Decoration with flowers, pleasant music, feast and admiration from the near and dear ones in a rich ambience fills her heart with joy and positive energy is transferred to the foetus. Fear, anxiety, nervousness about delivery and labour pain is all gone and the pregnant woman is ready to face the ordeal of labour. But nowadays, intentions of celebration of godd bharaii have drifted far away from the aim described in Simantonayana Sanskara.

Child birth is a natural process and nature has provided all the strength to every woman to bear labour pains. Sometimes unknown fear, unawareness about physiology of pregnancy and labour, bad experiences seen or heard lowers her confidence and the woman demands for Caesarean section.

Although in 85% cases, the delivery remains uncomplicated and uneventful. But fear, anxiety and low confidence inhibit release of hormones which initiate normal labour and may land the pregnant woman in caesar for failure of progressive effacement and dilatation of cervix (opening of the uterine cavity and enlarging the canal to permit the passage of the foetus), absence of uterine contractions (labour pains) etc. Therefore it should be borne in mind that labour is a physiological process and systematic Antenatal supervision ensure a normal pregnancy with delivery of a healthy baby from a healthy mother.