Mustard Pillow (Rai Ka Takiya) for Babies – Benefits and How to Make at Home

India is a land of traditions and superstitions when it comes to childbirth and bringing up kids, but despite all the myths, the nation has some ancient science-backed remedies and secrets which are science-backed and work. During birth, the baby’s head is the softest part of the entire body and can be moulded very easily. Sometimes the stress of passing through the birth canals elongates or deforms the head’s natural shape. This is where using a mustard pillow as a remedy comes in. We talk more about that below.

What is Mustard Seed Pillow?

A mustard pillow for a newborn is simply a pillow that is filled up with mustard seeds. The fabrics are soft and breathable and the cushioning effect is such that it’s perfect for rounding the head of the babies.

When and Why to Use Mustard Seed Pillow for Babies?

You should use a mustard pillow for your child if you want their head shape to turn out round. The bones in their body (including the skull) are soft and can be moulded within 18 months from the time of birth, giving you plenty of time to take advantage of this natural solution. However, you’ll lose hope if two of the baby’s fontanelles close up so you have to start using this early for best results.

How to Make Mustard Baby Pillow at Home?

Making a rai pillow for a newborn baby is easy. Here’s how you make one at home.

• Rinse the mustard seeds in water and sundry them completely until no moisture remains
• Get a meter of muslin cloth, wash it in hot water, and dry it thoroughly. Drying the cloth and the seeds are very important since any moisture left may lead to the growth of fungi or moulds in the pillow.
• Make a 10×15 inch pillow out of that and stitch up 3 out of the four sides, keeping one as the opening for the filling
• Fill up 3/4 of the pillow with mustard seeds and leave a 1/4 gap. Too many seeds make the pillow hard while too little make it way too soft so you’re ideally striking a balance.
• Seal up the fourth side to finish the pillow and restitch all the sides three to four sides to make sure the mustard pillow lasts through repeated uses
• Buy a bunch of extra muslin pillow covers so that you can wash them and keep for later use

Benefits of Using Rai-Filled Pillows for Babies

There are numerous benefits of using a mustard pillow for infants. Here’s what you want to know about them below.

1. Provides Ergonomic Support to The Baby’s Head

A mustard pillow effectively cushions the baby’s head and provides ergonomic support. It’s cushioning effect is perfect for tender skulls and it gently reshapes the head in three to four weeks without adding any stress or pressure

2. It Adapts to The Baby’s Movement

Mustard pillows don’t lose their shape easily. In fact, whenever your baby turns their head around, it’ll conform to their movements, be it left and right. This helps to make sure their head shape stays uniform and doesn’t tilt or get too exaggerated on either side.

3. Warms The Head Naturally

Mustard seeds have certain vitamins, minerals, and properties which warm up a baby’s head naturally. If your baby is suffering from the common cold or cough, you’ll find that a mustard pillow will provide them with the much-needed relief.

4. Prevents Placing Pressure on One Side

Another benefit of using mustard pillows is that it doesn’t allow your baby to put pressure on their head when they sleep on their desired side. Sometimes babies have a tendency to tilt or fix their heads in a certain position, which further adds pressure to the neck and skull, thus deforming it. But this pillow prevents that by adapting to those positions and taking the pressure off.  It’s just impossible to stress the bones with a mustard pillow below their head.

5. Fixes Bumps and Dents

If your baby has any deformities in the skull post-childbirth like dents, bumps, depressions, or any weird shape to the skull, a mustard pillow will fix that. The best part is that these pillows lower the risk of a baby acquiring a flat head.

You should avoid massaging a baby’s head forcefully when you’re using these mustard pillows. This is because a baby’s fontanels are too delicate and too much pressure may permanently harm the baby. Just make sure your baby uses the mustard pillow and keeps his head on that often. This way, you’ll slowly but surely notice the results coming out with the least possible harm.

Also Read:

Benefits of Mustard Oil for Baby Massage
Why Infants Need to be Held All The Time
Baby Crying While Bathing