Confinement Taboos

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. It is believed that if confinement is not carried out in the proper way, the woman’s uterus will not be able to contract and this will result in "drooping womb" or uterine prolapse. And on following the taboos, "wind" will be prevented from entering the body, which is said to be the cause of joint problems in later years. Hence, the notoriously peculiar custom of not allowing the women to bathe or wash their hair. Appended are some of the Chinese taboos.

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 ( my mum-in-law kinda hinted that I should close all doors and windows )
• Bathing only with specially prepared warm water that is infused with herbs.
• Cannot carry heavy objects (including the baby - sounds ridiculous to me), over-exert self or walk up and down the stairs.
• Cannot drink water for the first 20 days, only rice wine or special chinese herbal drinks.

I don't suppose I could survive a whole month not washing my hair. Will likely stick to this rule only for the first week using dry shampoo. As for usage of airconditioner/fan would be dependent on baby's tolerance for heat. Guess I could use her as an excuse for flouting rules then.

I am also thinking of hiring a traditional Malay masseurs (bidan) who will help massage the abdomen and bind the tummy with a long cloth (bengkung). 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 would also help you regain your pre-pregnancy figure sooner and improve blood circulation. Those of my colleagues who have tried it seemed to work for majority of them so no harm testing this out.