The First Forty Days, Reimagined: A Daily Ayurvedic Postpartum Guide for Modern Mothers

Photo by: Sarika Tasadia

By Courtney Lafourcade — Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula, Holistic Chef & Founder of Mothersource

If you’re reading this in the days surrounding birth — whether still in the hospital or finally home — you’re likely navigating two very different realities at once.

The outside world sees a celebration. Inside your body, everything is shifting at a speed no one prepares you for. Hormones drop, milk comes in, digestion slows, emotions rise, sleep fragments, and your nervous system tries to interpret it all.

If we were speaking in person, I would tell you exactly this:

Postpartum isn’t something you “figure out” — it’s something you support, intentionally and consistently.

Most families are discharged with feeding guidance for the baby but little direction on how to care for the mother. Yet her recovery sets the tone for everything else: milk supply, digestion, mood, bonding, hormones, energy, identity.

In the Mothersource approach — rooted in Ayurveda and informed by years inside real postpartum homes — mother care is not an afterthought. It’s the center.

This guide reflects exactly what I teach my clients and their partners when they say, “What should we be doing every day until you arrive?” It’s structured, clear, grounded, and intentionally simple. Because postpartum doesn’t need more noise — it needs direction.

Use this as your daily operating manual for the first forty days: modern, culturally relevant, physiologically accurate, and designed to make your recovery feel supported rather than survived.

The Mothersource Postpartum Framework

Ayurveda views postpartum through a lens most modern systems overlook: it recognizes that birth temporarily increases vata — the energy responsible for movement, circulation, digestion, and the nervous system. When vata rises, mothers often experience:

• feeling cold easily
• gas, bloating, slowed digestion
• restlessness or anxiety
• overwhelm or emotional swings
• difficulty sleeping even when exhausted

This is not pathology — it’s physiology. And it is manageable with the right structure. The Mothersource method organizes care into four pillars:

• Diet / Nourishment — Warm, cooked, digestible meals with adequate ghee and spices for repair and stability.
• Rest — Predictable quiet periods, reduced movement, and intentional protection from overstimulation.
• Herbs — Simple teas, spices, and tonics that support digestion, circulation, and milk supply.
• Body Care — Warm oils, foot soaks, abdominal wrapping, and small rituals that regulate the nervous system.

When these four pillars are met, postpartum feels steadier, clearer, and easier. When they’re missing, mothers feel like they’re “falling apart,” even when they’re doing everything “right.”

What to Feed a New Mother: The First Ten Days

The digestive system is one of the first places postpartum imbalance shows up. Digestive fire (agni) is naturally weaker after birth — meaning food needs to be warm, simple, and supportive. These are the meals I prepare for my clients right after delivery, and they form the foundation of early postpartum healing.

1. Warm Rice Porridges (Non-Negotiable)

A postpartum-classic across many cultures — Chinese congee, Ayurvedic kheer, Middle Eastern harees — rice porridge is grounding, hydrating, and stabilizing. It provides steady energy without taxing digestion.

• white basmatic rice, quinoa, or millet cooked until soft
• 1–2 tablespoons of ghee for tissue repair, cleansing and lubrication
• spices like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, or gentle turmeric

For the first week, porridge can be breakfast and lunch. This is intentional — repetition supports digestion and hormonal rhythm.

2. Stewed Fruits

One of the simplest ways to support elimination after birth. Cooked fruit with ghee helps mothers avoid straining — a common fear after vaginal or cesarean delivery.

• stewed apples, pears, figs, or peaches
• a pinch of cinnamon for warmth
• a spoon of ghee for lubrication

This is best served first thing in the morning to gently stimulate digestive fire.

3. Nighttime Milk Tonic

This is my go-to evening support for mothers — simple, warm, and calming.

• 1 cup warm organic milk or homemade nut milk
• 1 tsp ghee
• a pinch of cardamom
• a small touch of cinnamon
• a trace of turmeric

Optional once digestion stabilizes: saffron threads or a small amount of fresh ginger.

This tonic supports sleep, digestion, and milk flow. Think of it as the postpartum equivalent of a grounding exhale at the end of the day.

The Postpartum Daily Rhythm

Postpartum is unpredictable, but rhythm creates stability. Not a rigid schedule — a pattern the body can rely on.

Morning: Reset + Assess

• warm tea at bedside (ginger, chamomile, CCF)
• a small bowl of warm stewed fruit
• a check-in on bleeding, energy, pain, and sleep
• note bowel movements (vital in postpartum)

Midday: Nourish + Protect Energy

• a warm, ghee-rich porridge or postpartum soup
• warm water or tea throughout the day
• a dedicated rest period — lying fully horizontal
• low stimulation environment — soft lighting, quiet rooms

Evening: Downshift

• nighttime milk tonic
• warm socks, covered back, limited movement
• Rescue Remedy if she’s using it
• dim lights — the body follows cues

The goal isn’t perfection — it’s consistency. When repeated daily, these rhythms regulate hormones, digestion, and mood.

The Partner’s Checklist

Partners often want to help, but don’t know where to focus. This checklist gives structure and ensures nothing essential is missed.

1. Digestion

• Did she have a bowel movement today?
• Was there discomfort, gas, or straining?
• Did any food clearly not sit well?

2. Mood + Hormones

• Is she more tearful, flat, overwhelmed, or anxious?
• Is she easily overstimulated?
• Does she feel supported and seen?

3. Milk Supply

• Is baby feeding regularly?
• Any engorgement, tenderness, or clogged ducts starting?
• Is she drinking warm fluids consistently?

4. Warmth + Meals

• Has she eaten at least two warm meals?
• Is she staying warm — especially lower back, feet, and abdomen?
• Any signs of depletion or shakiness?

5. Notes

Write down anything that repeats — patterns matter. This is incredibly helpful once your postpartum doula arrives.

Flower Essences & Emotional Support

Flower essences are subtle but gentle emotional companions. They’re not supplements or medications — they are vibrational supports often used during transitions.

• Rescue Remedy: for overwhelm or acute stress
• Star of Bethlehem: for emotional processing after birth
• Rose Essence: to soften emotional edges
• Walnut Essence: for periods of identity shift