Postpartum Confinement
What is postpartum or postnatal confinement or 坐月子 (zuo yue zi)? It is a traditional Chinese custom practiced by a lot of Chinese mothers as well as mothers from other Asian countries. Postpartum confinement is better known in English through the saying “sitting the month”. The old traditional practice offered a range of rules that help a mother to both physically and mentally recover from childbirth. Those rules included staying at home, not having any visitors, not doing any housework, or not showering for the first 30 days after giving birth. Nowadays it is more common for the mother to use elements from the ancient practice to enrich the early postnatal period rather than following all the rules by the letter. Postnatal confinement ladies can personalize the first month depending on every mother and family’s wishes and requirements.
The confinement custom stems from a belief that this first month is crucial for the mother as well as the baby to recover as their immunity is low. Moreover, it is said that confinement prevents any long-lasting ailments caused by childbirth. Certain types of food are recommended to help boost the mother’s blood circulation, increase her milk supply, and give other advantages. The mother is asked to eat 6 to 7 small meals a day. Food should be high in protein and low in fat, have adequate calories, be rich in iron and include dietary fibre. Keeping hydrated is also very important in that period.
Chinese and Asian mothers often rely on their mothers or mothers-in-law to support them through this month. However, with more people moving far away from their parents, postnatal confinement ladies can relieve the burden and the stress of the early stage after giving birth. Mothers – and fathers as well – are always grateful for that support so they can start enjoying time with their newborn.
In my next blog on confinement, I will outline some of the foods that are often recommended during that first month after childbirth and disprove some myths that have gone around about confinement.