Rewards of Confinement after Delivery
Old Chinese saying : "Confinement well done, your troubles thereafter are none."
- Taken from MakanTime.com.
When DD1 was born, my mother and sister were here to help us out for one month.
My mother told me once that many young mothers confided in her they have health issues e.g. headache, body ache etc after giving birth. When my mother asked them if they followed confinement rules, they said no.
As a Chinese, I strongly believe in the benefits of following confinement rules after giving birth. So I choose to listen and follow my mother's instructions for 40 days. Although this time my mother is unable to travel to be with us, I am still following the rules to the best that I can.
Here is my confinement diet:
First 14 days After Delivery:
- Mahi mahi or other firm white fish fried in sesame oil, fried shredded ginger and rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Benefits: Fish helps to heal the wound. Sesame oil, besides, being rich in Vitamin E, Iron & Calcium, helps heal the womb and rid it of "dirty residual". Sesame oil also helps the uterus to shrink back to normal size. Ginger expels wind from the body.
- Green papaya, sliced ginger with large ikan bilis soup. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 hours. Discard the content and only drink the soup. Benefit: Increase the flow of breast milk.
- Chinese red dates, dried Long-Ann and red sugar. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Benefit: Restore energy to the body.
(Do not eat chicken or eggs for the first 14 days as the wound may get infected after eating these food.)
Last 16 Days
- One chicken daily to cook with Chinese herbal soup, fried shredded ginger and rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Benefits: Chicken provides easily digestible protein.
- Green papaya, sliced ginger with large ikan bilis soup.
- Chinese red dates, dried Long-Ann and red sugar.
Vegetables: I believe that eating vegetables can create 'wind' in the stomach as my body is still weak, so I refrain from eating veggies for 30 days and instead eat dried prunes to reduce the problem of constipation.
Exercise: NO! When my mother and sister were here, I was sent to lie down on the bed whenever possible while they took care of DD1. This time husband is taking vacation leave to take care of DD1, cooking, cleaning and run errands for three weeks. So I try to rest as much as possible. My dear sister who skypes with me every day also reminds me to rest as much as possible. During the fourth week when husband goes back to work, we plan to send DD1 to a babysitter so that I can focus on taking care of DD2.
Bathing and showering: I choose not to do so for 30 days. I believe that the body is still weak from the delivery and water may introduce 'wind' into the body. My mother said that I can boil sliced ginger in water and use the hot liquid to wipe down if needed.
Conclusion:
I have to say that I pretty much was back to my usual self after I followed the confinement restrictions following the birth of DD1. I firmly believe that restricting myself for 40 days after delivery allowed me to recover fully and not suffer any negative health effects.
Update: I forgot to mention that my mother told me to eat crackers/cookies and have a hot drink e.g. hot chocolate for breakfast or afternoon snack time so that my energy level can be replenished quickly.
- Taken from MakanTime.com.
When DD1 was born, my mother and sister were here to help us out for one month.
My mother told me once that many young mothers confided in her they have health issues e.g. headache, body ache etc after giving birth. When my mother asked them if they followed confinement rules, they said no.
As a Chinese, I strongly believe in the benefits of following confinement rules after giving birth. So I choose to listen and follow my mother's instructions for 40 days. Although this time my mother is unable to travel to be with us, I am still following the rules to the best that I can.
Here is my confinement diet:
First 14 days After Delivery:
- Mahi mahi or other firm white fish fried in sesame oil, fried shredded ginger and rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Benefits: Fish helps to heal the wound. Sesame oil, besides, being rich in Vitamin E, Iron & Calcium, helps heal the womb and rid it of "dirty residual". Sesame oil also helps the uterus to shrink back to normal size. Ginger expels wind from the body.
- Green papaya, sliced ginger with large ikan bilis soup. Bring to boil and simmer for 1 hours. Discard the content and only drink the soup. Benefit: Increase the flow of breast milk.
- Chinese red dates, dried Long-Ann and red sugar. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Benefit: Restore energy to the body.
(Do not eat chicken or eggs for the first 14 days as the wound may get infected after eating these food.)
Last 16 Days
- One chicken daily to cook with Chinese herbal soup, fried shredded ginger and rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Benefits: Chicken provides easily digestible protein.
- Green papaya, sliced ginger with large ikan bilis soup.
- Chinese red dates, dried Long-Ann and red sugar.
Vegetables: I believe that eating vegetables can create 'wind' in the stomach as my body is still weak, so I refrain from eating veggies for 30 days and instead eat dried prunes to reduce the problem of constipation.
Exercise: NO! When my mother and sister were here, I was sent to lie down on the bed whenever possible while they took care of DD1. This time husband is taking vacation leave to take care of DD1, cooking, cleaning and run errands for three weeks. So I try to rest as much as possible. My dear sister who skypes with me every day also reminds me to rest as much as possible. During the fourth week when husband goes back to work, we plan to send DD1 to a babysitter so that I can focus on taking care of DD2.
Bathing and showering: I choose not to do so for 30 days. I believe that the body is still weak from the delivery and water may introduce 'wind' into the body. My mother said that I can boil sliced ginger in water and use the hot liquid to wipe down if needed.
Conclusion:
I have to say that I pretty much was back to my usual self after I followed the confinement restrictions following the birth of DD1. I firmly believe that restricting myself for 40 days after delivery allowed me to recover fully and not suffer any negative health effects.
Update: I forgot to mention that my mother told me to eat crackers/cookies and have a hot drink e.g. hot chocolate for breakfast or afternoon snack time so that my energy level can be replenished quickly.
Labels: health
posted by Jiru at
6:22 PM
