The pelvis is usually smaller.

       The nervous disposition of vata mothers means they may experience more pain if not prepared effectively for birth.

       Lots of preparation, both mental and physical, is needed to avoid surgical intervention.

       Lots of low-back massage as preparation for labour will facilitate a manageable labour and gentle birth.

       Vaginal oils and stretching techniques as preparation for birth are invaluable in preventing instrumental delivery.

       Vata mothers need continuous massage during labour. Oil massages on the back, neck, shoulders and lower limbs are very beneficial during labour.

       Vata mothers are more prone to having a retained placenta. This is not a big problem and doctors routinely administer an injection that forces the body to expel the placenta. However, many of my mothers – aiming for a natural birth – are not keen to submit to drugs at this late point in their baby’s birth, so in my self-hypnosis classes in London, I talk the mother through a hypnotic sequence in which she visualizes her body producing a surge of oxytocin (the hormone that encourages contractions) 15 minutes after the birth of the baby, thereby expelling the placenta. I have found this technique to be very effective on my vata mothers. If you are a vata mother, you can guide yourself through a short visualization of this hormonal occurrence – one or two minutes a day will be enough. You don’t need any medical expertise to do this – simply by suggesting this automatic hormonal production whilst your mind is deeply relaxed and receptive, you can pre-condition your body to expel your placenta within 10-15 minutes after the birth.

       Vata mothers can have longer labours due to poor expulsive forces during labour i.e. poor uterine contractions, or uncoordinated uterine action, which can lead to slow dilation of the cervix.

       Skin redness

       Medium-size body frame

       Slightly oily skin

       Fluid retention

       Angry

       Mentally irritable and edgy

       Quick tempered

       Intolerant of others’ behaviour

       Experiences skin burning sensations

       Feels too hot all the time

       Can’t tolerate hot weather

       Hates closed environments

       Prone to feeling faint

       Prone to increased sweating

       Good memory

       Sound sleeper

       Prone to bleeding in early pregnancy

       Prone to post-partum mental problems

       Excessive appetite

       Can have semi-solid stools

       All gentle forms of exercise, e.g. gentle swimming or gentle tai chi, would be beneficial. Pitta mothers must take care not to increase their heart-rate by more than 110 beats per minute as this can aggravate pitta.

       Walks with your partner. Walking in the moonlight is specifically recommended in the Ayurvedic text because it cools you down.

       Pitta mothers need a lot more love and affection than other mothers.

       Avoid hot and spicy foods like pepper, chillies, garlic, vinegar, salad creams, pickles and sour things in general.

       Acidic foods are heat-producing as a general rule and this aggravates pitta.

       No alcohol as it causes your system to heat up, aggravating pitta.

       Avoid foods that are too hot in temperature.

       Avoid cheese as it is very difficult to digest.

       Most vegetables are good – cucumber, marrows and pumpkins are ideal; beetroots and carrots are very cooling and recommended.

       Eat melons as a separate meal – they need special enzymes from your pancreas to digest them. Eating them with other food puts a huge strain on your digestive system.

       Eat grains such as rice, millet, corn and oats in moderation (not more than 1 small cup of any of these cooked grains per meal).

       Try to cut out tomatoes. If you must eat them restrict it to only once a week. Tomato is very acidic and can cause aches and pains. Cooked tomato is worse than raw tomato.

       Coconut is very good for reducing pitta. The white kernel and coconut milk, which is extracted from the white kernel, can be used for cooking. However, use only small amounts of coconut in your cooking, as it is high in fat.

       Apples are very good.

       Avoid citrus fruits as acidic food increases pitta.

       Having a banana once a week can reduce pitta. As a general rule I do not recommend them as they are too fattening and mucus retentive.

       Vegetable soups with herbs are very soothing.

       Congee, an overcooked broth of rice with water and salt, is very easy to digest. To make it more interesting, a little garlic or ginger and a few vegetables can be added to it.

       Milk is cooling and is good for reducing pitta. Ideally it should be goat’s milk – try to avoid cow’s milk unless it is labelled with the A-2 protein as opposed to A-1. The A-1 proteins that are found in the herds of some cows produce undesirable effects in the human digestive system and have been associated with gut problems (specifically colon cancer), coronary disease, diabetes mellitus (Type I), multiple sclerosis and autism. In the near future, it will be possible to segregate the cows that produce A-2 milk from those that produce A-1 milk. This will be done by a simple test on a hair of each cow. (A-2 milk is already on the shelf in Australia and New Zealand.) Closer to home, Guernsey cows produce A-2 milk. However, Jersey cows produce A-1 milk, so if you are buying milk look for pure Guernsey cow milk. (This was reported on BBC Health News, 9 April 2001.)

       Choose cooling herbs like coriander in food.

       The herb Bala (Cida codifolia), a main ingredient