The First Forty Days of Postpartum

May 2, 2023

Let us remember and return to the ritual of spending our first forty days postpartum in a sacred cocoon. Let it be a time for a mother to invest in herself and her newborn. Drawing back to our roots of TCM based principles, we suggest items from our range to help you feel nourished, rested and supported during this special time.

The First Forty Days of Postpartum

Discover the importance of the first forty days postpartum. While it may seem like a luxury to some, cultures worldwide have been practicing this ritual for centuries. Invest in yourself and your newborn by honoring your needs during this sacred time.

What does your First Forty Days look like?

Planning for support during the first forty days after giving birth is important for new parents.

Consider your needs and how to ask for help, who to call on for support, and what rest and nourishment look like for you.

Make a plan for practical and emotional support from friends, family, postpartum doula, lactation consultant, and anyone else you need. Don't forget to make time for what makes you happy every day.

Nourishment

Postpartum nutrition is crucial for restoring your body's nutrients after giving birth.

Focus on warm, easy-to-digest foods like soups, stews, and bone broths with healthy fats and spices like cinnamon and ginger to help with healing. A tea blend of nettle, raspberry leaf, and oat straw can also aid in postpartum recovery.

If breastfeeding, include foods that support milk production such as fennel, fenugreek, brewer's yeast, and oats, as well as herbs like chaste tree and shatavari to help balance hormones.

Traditional Chinese Postpartum Practices

In China, the postpartum period is known as zuo yue zi or "sitting the month".

Traditionally, it involves bed rest, no showering or washing hair, no housework, and consuming warm nourishing food and Chinese herbs cooked by female relatives.

Wealthy women can stay in "confinement hotels" for five-star service including day spas, gourmet meals, and personal newborn nannies.

Did you know ...

In China, even for the working class, they plan and save for their confinement care. This reflects the cultural importance Chinese culture places on caring for new mothers and their future health, as they will be raising the future generation.

Studies conducted on new Chinese mothers have also shown that low adherence to traditional Chinese postpartum practices was associated with higher EPDS scores indicating PPD symptoms, especially in the domain of housework-related and social activity restrictions.

Reference:

Adherence to Traditional Chinese Postpartum Practices and Postpartum Depression: A Cross-Sectional Study in Hunan, China

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8353075/

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