Welcome to Birthing Ayurveda, where we follow one woman's pregnancy experience week by week—from a positive home pregnancy test all the way to delivery.
In Ayurveda, the kidneys and adrenals process vata and are very responsive to changes in vata (much like the liver holds and processes pitta). The kidneys are also the opening to the water channel (ambu vaha srotas) and the adrenal glands are the root of the fat channel (meda vaha srotas).1 And so we see that the two organs are important in the balance of the earth and water elements. They pull on the reserves of these two elements in the body to bring balance to and nurture vata.
This week I experienced some disturbances with the kidneys specifically. To start with, I had my first urinary tract infection in years. If you recall from last week's blog post on anemia and how it can cause inflammation in the body, seeing this occur right after being told that I have anemia was pretty interesting (though incredibly uncomfortable!). I had been traveling a bit and I knew my vata was imbalanced, and so it did not surprise me to see the inflammation manifest in the urinary tract.
Secondly, after a flight, I noted that my feet and legs were quite swollen. Again, though a common complaint in pregnancy, this is a sign that the kidneys are having to process more and are having a hard time.
I will again put in a note here that you should let your health care provider know immediately if you have either of the above two concerns. A urinary tract infection, if not cared for successfully or in a timely manner, can lead to pyelonephritis (a kidney infection) which can worsen quite quickly and dramatically in pregnancy. And swelling can be a sign of other pregnancy imbalances, like preeclampsia.
For the urinary tract infection, I tried a number of helpful things before seeking more help from my midwife. The following pointers can be very supportive:
- Increase hydration and pee often. There is no better way to flush out the urinary tract than lots of water and keeping things moving.
- Unsweetened Cranberry juice. This is the go-to for natural ways to care for a urinary tract infection, though recent studies question this benefit.2 The theory is that the sugar in it, D-Mannose, which is also found in other fruits like apples and blueberries, binds to a common bacteria in urinary tract infections, E. coli. You can get it through your diet through those fruits, or take a supplement.
- Take some Vitamin C. By making the urine more acidic, vitamin C is supposed to decrease the growth of bacteria in the urinary tract.
- Drink water with a teaspoon of baking soda. The baking soda makes the urine more alkaline, which will specifically help with the burning.
- Other foods that can be helpful are parsley, celery seeds, and cucumbers.
Well, there was a point where I just couldn't handle it. It felt like it was coming and going, and I did not want to risk getting a kidney infection so I caved in and took a course of antibiotics. I have made sure to take probiotics daily since then to support my gut flora, which will also impact my vaginal flora, and thus Charlie's (what we call the baby) flora as well (the vaginal flora is thought to start colonizing the baby's gut during delivery).
I noted that gokshura is recommended in the ancient Ayurveda texts during the third trimester because of the stresses of pregnancy on the urinary tract (even anatomically—imagine your large uterus compressing the kidneys and ureters especially when you lie down) and its benefits on the reproductive tissues, in general. But, unfortunately, there have not been enough or adequate studies to show its safety in pregnancy in human beings. Here are a few other pointers for caring for your urinary tract and helping with the common occasional swelling that proved to be helpful to me.
- Rest! Remember the kidneys are highly sensitive to vata. After noting the significant swelling in my legs, I spent the next three nights falling asleep early and waking up when I could not sleep any more. My swelling responded amazingly well to this. When I am not taxed, I have not had any issues with swelling. Take it as a sign!
- Massage. I do a daily self-massage with oil, spending time on my extremities to massage towards the heart. This helps move lymph and is calming to vata (and hence, likely good for the kidneys).
- Use pressure (marma) points. A couple of good kidney marma points are just behind and slightly below your inner ankle bones on both feet and just below your outer ankle bones on both feet (called gulpha marma).3 Another is on the back, on either side of the spine, about two-thirds of the way down the back (just below the ribs) (called the vrukka marma).4 Have someone apply gentle pressure on each of these points.
- Keep your legs propped up when possible and sleep on your side. If you prop your feet up, your heart has an easier time working against gravity to bring the blood back from your legs. This also helps the lymph move fluid back up to the heart.
- Get some movement. The way lymph moves in the body is by contraction of muscles. Make sure you take a walk or at least pump your legs every day.
