What is it?
How long for?
Practices and restrictions
Special diets
What is it?
Traditional confinement practices believe
your body is considered 'out of balance' as you enter a 'cold stage'
due to the loss of blood and energy from the birth. The confinement
period focuses on re-energising your body with the 'warmth' that has
been lost.
Chinese, Malay and Indian communities all have their respective confinement practices. The common thread amongst the races is to help you and your body recover from the intensities of childbirth.
Traditionally, your mother or mother-in-law will take care of you during the confinement period. Many Chinese mothers however, hire a confinement nanny, a pui yuet (Cantonese for 'companion for a month') who will see to your needs as well as your baby's.
The nanny will cook special foods for you, bath your baby and do your baby's laundry. She will also take over the night feeds so you can rest. Breastfeeding mothers will normally express milk so the nanny can carry out the night feeds.
The catch to all this rest? You will have to adhere to a list dos and don'ts and follow a strict diet - some of which can be rather restrictive!
Chinese, Malay and Indian communities all have their respective confinement practices. The common thread amongst the races is to help you and your body recover from the intensities of childbirth.
Traditionally, your mother or mother-in-law will take care of you during the confinement period. Many Chinese mothers however, hire a confinement nanny, a pui yuet (Cantonese for 'companion for a month') who will see to your needs as well as your baby's.
The nanny will cook special foods for you, bath your baby and do your baby's laundry. She will also take over the night feeds so you can rest. Breastfeeding mothers will normally express milk so the nanny can carry out the night feeds.
The catch to all this rest? You will have to adhere to a list dos and don'ts and follow a strict diet - some of which can be rather restrictive!
How long for?
For the Chinese, the confinement period
lasts for a whole month from your baby's birth day. For the Malays, this
period lasts 44 days long.
For Indians, the period varies between 30-40 days. Traditionally, the number of confinement days depends on which region in India your family originated from. A Ceylonese mother for example, will observe a 40-day confinement.
Some mothers may choose to extend their confinement period in certain situations to receive more help and care. For example, you might not have family living close by, or you are taking longer than expected to recover from a caesarean section.
For all races, the confinement period is a time for you to rest and avoid any physical work. During this time, sex is not allowed as you are not considered fully healed.
Bear in mind, you are expected to stay indoors during the entire confinement period. If you intend to follow this rule, do expect to experience a degree of cabin fever!
For Indians, the period varies between 30-40 days. Traditionally, the number of confinement days depends on which region in India your family originated from. A Ceylonese mother for example, will observe a 40-day confinement.
Some mothers may choose to extend their confinement period in certain situations to receive more help and care. For example, you might not have family living close by, or you are taking longer than expected to recover from a caesarean section.
For all races, the confinement period is a time for you to rest and avoid any physical work. During this time, sex is not allowed as you are not considered fully healed.
Bear in mind, you are expected to stay indoors during the entire confinement period. If you intend to follow this rule, do expect to experience a degree of cabin fever!
Practices and restrictions
There are many observations that you will
be asked to follow, sometimes religiously! Some of these practices can
be rather restrictive, especially for a modern mum.
Chinese confinement restrictions include:
• Strictly no washing of hair for the entire confinement period. Some mothers get around this rule by using dry shampoo instead during this time
• Avoiding exposure to cold elements such as cold water. Low temperatures from an air-conditioner or fan must be avoided too
• Bathing only with specially prepared warm water that is infused with herbs.
These prohibitions help ensure that your body is not made any 'cooler' and you retain as much heat as possible. It is believed this will help avoid health problems later in life such as rheumatism, arthritis, headaches and body pains.
Some Malay practices:
• Hiring a traditional Malay masseurs (bidan) to massage the abdomen and bind the tummy with a long cloth (bengkung)
• Using hot stones on the abdomen to cleanse the womb (menaikkan rahim).
The Malays believe the massage and binding, together with the hot stones help your uterus to shrink faster and expel 'wind' or any impurities from your womb. This is also supposed to help you regain your pre-pregnancy figure sooner.
For Indians, observations include:
• Bathing only with herbal water
• Daily massage with special oil blends, such as mustard seed oil.
Indians believe the daily massages will help you relax and get into shape sooner.
Chinese confinement restrictions include:
• Strictly no washing of hair for the entire confinement period. Some mothers get around this rule by using dry shampoo instead during this time
• Avoiding exposure to cold elements such as cold water. Low temperatures from an air-conditioner or fan must be avoided too
• Bathing only with specially prepared warm water that is infused with herbs.
These prohibitions help ensure that your body is not made any 'cooler' and you retain as much heat as possible. It is believed this will help avoid health problems later in life such as rheumatism, arthritis, headaches and body pains.
Some Malay practices:
• Hiring a traditional Malay masseurs (bidan) to massage the abdomen and bind the tummy with a long cloth (bengkung)
• Using hot stones on the abdomen to cleanse the womb (menaikkan rahim).
The Malays believe the massage and binding, together with the hot stones help your uterus to shrink faster and expel 'wind' or any impurities from your womb. This is also supposed to help you regain your pre-pregnancy figure sooner.
For Indians, observations include:
• Bathing only with herbal water
• Daily massage with special oil blends, such as mustard seed oil.
Indians believe the daily massages will help you relax and get into shape sooner.
Special diets
You will be put on a special diet during the confinement period. The aim of the diet is to boost your immunity and strength so you will be able to care for your newborn. Interestingly, all races believe in the 'warming' versus 'cooling' food groups, though each race may have slight variations to what is tolerated.Chinese diet
You will be required to eat a variety of meals that will 'warm' the body up. These include ginger and a traditional tonic brewed with herbs. Eating meals prepared with such ingredients are believed to promote better blood circulation and strengthening of the joints. The Chinese also believe that fish soups can help booster low milk supply.
'Cooling' foods such as cold drinks, cucumber, cabbage and pineapple should be avoided. Also, 'windy' foods such as onions and jackfruit are off limits as they are believed to cause colic in your baby.
To take the hassle of cooking these confinement dishes, which can be labourious to prepare, some companies now offer catering services for Chinese confinement foods.
Malay diet
You will be encouraged to eat fresh fish, avoiding dried and salted fishes. It is believed fresh fish, such as snakehead fish (ikan haruan) will promote healing internally. Certain fishes, such as mackerel (ikan kembong) and other seafood like shellfish, prawns and cockles must be avoided as they can cause allergies and itchiness.
Similar to the Chinese, the Malays believe 'cooling' elements found in foods like cucumber, young coconut, water spinach (kangkung) and sugarcane should be avoided. 'Cooling' foods supposedly cause rheumatism, arthritis and weak joints in a mother's body.
Indian diet
Certain gourd vegetables such as lauki and tori are believed to increase milk supply. Betle leaves are reported to help with lactation as well.
懷孕各國各風俗
許多香港的新媽媽們，依然遵循著吃豬腳薑等食療補身子、產後一個月內不能外出的金科玉律。不過相信這些大家都再熟悉不過了，這裡不如帶大家去了解一下世界各地的懷孕風俗吧。
日本習俗
宜食： 日本女性對懷孕期間的飲食該吃甚麼、吃多吃少是非常清楚的。
忌食： 日本人認為甜的食物會阻礙胎兒骨骼形成，辣的食物則會令胎兒心神不安，酸的食物會損害胎兒的皮膚。
儀式： 懷孕第5個月，孕婦的家人會到神社為她作「安產」祈願。神社僧人會將印有狗圖案、象徵生產順利平安的白色佩帶綁在準媽媽的肚子上。
分娩： 一些日本人認為孩子的誕生是一個不應該有痛楚的自然過程，因此孕婦在生產時可以發出聲音，但不應該尖叫吶喊。出院後，媽媽和寶寶通常會到娘家住一個月，兩人21日內都應一起留在床上，除非有客人到訪，才會一起吃象徵慶祝的「赤飯」（紅豆飯）。
哺乳： 他們認為麻糬（糯米團）能促進乳汁分泌。
異俗：孕婦需要每日清潔廁所，以確保能生出健康英俊的寶寶；如果懷孕期間對著火看，孩子將會有胎記；不能吃蟹、龍蝦等有爪的海鮮，否則孩子以後會成為小偷；吃生薑會讓寶寶生出形同生薑那樣多餘的手指或腳趾；很多日本家庭還會用木盒保存臍帶。
英國習俗
異俗：英國的懷孕風俗聽起來像老婦人流傳下來的故事。譬如房事之後用頭部倒立能增加受孕機會。而透過腹部的形狀 和高度、胎兒的心跳頻率或孕婦懷孕期間的面型，都能預測寶寶的性別：肚皮較高是女孩較低是男孩，心跳快是女孩心跳慢是男孩，孕婦面相較圓較紅則BB是女 孩。另外孕婦孕期多番出現胃灼熱情況的話，寶寶就會有濃密的頭髮。
哺乳：當地人認為母乳餵養的媽媽喝黑啤酒能補充營養。而剛出生的新生兒會被立刻湊近母親的乳房進行哺乳。
印度習俗
儀式：第一次做媽媽的印度女性需要在懷孕第7個月的時候參加名為「Godh Bharna」的洗禮，接受準媽媽的母親和岳母奉上畫有紅色吉祥標誌之椰子殼、綠豆、檳榔、銀幣——全都藏於準媽媽裹身上的捲布（莎麗服）內。
哺乳：而產後，印度婦女會用莎麗服綁緊腹部，以求儘快減重修身，跟一般產婦用的束腹帶是同一個道理。她們認為這 種方法還能方便哺乳，並有利子宮歸位及孕紋減淡。很多印度家庭都會找專人為新媽媽和寶寶按摩和洗澡。偏遠地區的可能會依傳統請一個按摩女師傅，住在城市的 可能就由家中較年長的女性代行此職。
各國風俗大「雜」滙
忌食：西班牙孕婦不能吃青瓜或辣的食物，否則會令胎兒有腸氣。
儀式：和中國的習俗相似，西班牙女人產後40日內不能沖涼洗頭。她的孩子亦不能。
分娩：Annerley公司的董事Hulda Thorey是一位助產士，亦是3個孩子的媽媽。現居香港的她說，在她的祖國冰島都有很多孕婦希望能自然生產，只有25%的孕婦選擇無痛分娩，選擇剖腹產的更低至20%。
大多數荷蘭女性懷孕期間不會去看產科醫生，除非有特別高危的情況或並發症發生。而她們的家庭醫生會為她們介紹助產士，她們可以自由選擇在家生還是在醫院生。
哺乳：Hulda介紹，冰島和許多歐洲國家大都多採用母乳餵哺，並持續多月。哥倫比亞的新任媽媽會喝很多茴香茶。
異俗：葡萄牙女人懷孕期間不能抱寵物，否則孩子出世後會多毛。而在她們計劃懷孕時，如果想生女孩就多吃蘋果、葡萄等圓形的蔬果，想生男孩就多吃胡蘿蔔、青瓜等長條形蔬果。西班牙人認為噪音過大會令到孩子頭頂的囟門坍塌，而在寶寶的前額貼一張濕的紙能治打嗝。
坐月子常見問題
大部分的媽咪都知道做月子要補一下，但是怎麼補的對，為什麼要補， 就不是人人知道了。其實也沒有什麼高深的學問，只要把基本的觀念弄清楚，就可以輕鬆的把月子坐好。
一般來說，女生在生孩子時會流很多的血。 我以前也不覺得生孩子很傷身，流的血量其實生孩子是非常耗體力跟精力的。然而，剛生完孩子的體質是屬［虛不受補］外加［虛淤並見］的體質。這時候再怎麼去大補，都是沒有用的。有時候用錯藥材，還會上火。所以正確的補法，就是從平補 - 到溫補 - 到大補。先把底子打好，在慢慢的有系統的補上來。
有些媽咪會問，那不吃中藥行不行0阿?
可以阿，但是妳會恢復得比較慢一些喔... 話說回來，我們坐月子第一強調的就是效率，要把握這個月，把握身體恢復的黃金期。簡單的講，如果我們手指割傷，什麼時候恢復的最快? 當然是頭幾天阿! 如果前面沒有照顧好，那傷口就會化膿或是拖長復元的時間，甚至會留疤。 這個道理，夠簡單了吧? 以此類推，坐月子也是一樣的道理。 就是要在這個月，盡己所能的把月子坐到100分! 錯過這個月，再補，也無法像這個月這麼有效了...
有些媽咪又說，我沒有吃中藥的習慣，會不會很難喝0阿?
有些時候，並不是愛不愛的問題，是怎麼做才對，怎麼做才好。兩胎坐月子的方式可有一點點的不一樣。 就是第一胎沒有加中藥補身體，第二胎有。 我的經驗是有加中藥的月子，真的復原的比較快，氣色也比較好。 不是老王賣瓜，是真心誠意的跟妳分享。 自己的身體要顧好，因為那才是真的會陪妳一輩子的!!
還有媽咪問說，那我是不是要找中醫師把脈訂製我個人的月子中藥材呢?
坐月子不是生病0阿!! 這點，大家其實有些矯枉過正。因為坐月子的意義在於幫助身體復原，順利的將傷口癒合，把身體調理好。在月子期間用中藥材，並不是要去治病，而是要復原的更有效率
坐月子的時候有哪些禁忌嗎？
古有明訓：「產後婦女作好月子，可以改善體質。」
中國人非常重視婦女產後坐月子，主要是認為婦女在生產的過程中，耗損了太多的體力與元氣，需要藉著坐月子的期間，幫助身 體復舊，讓身心得到良好照護，調養到更健康的體質。所以如何做好月子，不僅可以從身體復舊談起，關於月子期間的食、衣、住、行等活動，更有著影響婦女產後 身體狀態的絕對關係。坐月子的禁忌產後的禁忌主要是在維護產婦在產後坐月子期間的調養，其實只要細心注意細節，就能達到防範的作用。
‧不可吃冰冷食物
坐月子期間不能吃以下三類的食物：
1、 涼性的食物：蕃茄、葡萄柚、草莓、楊桃、西瓜、白蘿蔔、竹筍、茄子、芹菜、絲瓜、空心菜、梨子、奇異果、綠豆、白菜、豆腐、牡蠣、豬肉等。
2、 不能生食：食物一定要煮熟後再食用。
3、 不吃冰過的食物：如冰水、冰果汁或冰飲料，都不宜飲用。
‧不要讓心情大起大落
坐月子期間要保持心情愉快穩定，絕對不要傷心流淚，因為會對眼睛造成傷害，使眼睛提早老化，也容易引起白內障。
‧不可以吹到風
無論是冷氣機或電風扇的風，都不能對著產婦吹，否則容易導致風濕關節炎或感冒頭痛。
‧儘量不要出門
如要出門，一定要用帽子、衣服、襪子將全身包起來，以免吹風感染。
‧不要多用眼睛
生產後產婦的眼睛很容易疲勞，在坐月子時，若是無事可做，看看電視或看看書是可以的，但記得不要過久，半個小時就要休息，當然能做到不用眼力那是最好了，想了解新資訊，用收音機收聽廣播就行了。
‧不可碰冷水
滿月前碰冷水，容易導致關節酸痛，所以煮滾過的溫開水是較好的選擇。
‧不可穿短袖、短褲無袖上衣或者短袖、短褲
有時容易讓傷口曝露外頭，感染病菌，選擇長袖且輕薄的棉質衣褲，遠離吹風感冒。
‧不可接觸生病的人
產婦身體正在復原期，若是接觸傳染病人會容易得到感染，所以生病的人，包括孩童都要遠離產婦。
‧不可過度疲勞
調養生息是月子期間的唯一目的，所以媽咪可以的話，儘量不要從事費力、傷神的活動，在避免影響身體各種機能恢復的考量下，要多多躺著休息。不過要注意長期站立或久坐也會影響體內荷爾蒙的代謝，為了平衡身心，選擇適度的走動即可。
繼續閱讀
坐 月子
