Traditional Chinese Medicine & Postpartum Care
The first few weeks postpartum can be a joyful, yet challenging time. Not only do you need to nurture your little one, but you, as well. In the Chinese tradition of Zuo Yue Zi (sitting the month), new mothers stay home and rest for a full 30 to 40 days after their new bundle arrives, while grandmas and other family relatives take over all daily household tasks. The mom’s only jobs are to rest, recover and feed her baby. How amazing does this sound?!
During pregnancy, a woman naturally gives some of her resources (her stored Qi, or “life source”, and Blood) to her developing child. Then during childbirth, her stored Qi and Blood are further depleted as her baby arrives earthside. If this is not addressed, it may not only affect recovery, energy, mood and lactation, but for some omen it can lead to lingering health issues for years to come.
On the plus side, if she DOES nourish and restore herself along with her new child, she can not only be as healthy as she was before the baby, but possibly even healthier and more resilient. Even some health issues which may have existed prior to pregnancy can be resolved with proper care during the postpartum period.
So what can a new mom do aside from having her mother and family members take over the household chores? Well, many things! Below are some traditional Chinese medicine guidelines for optimum postpartum healing:
Consume warm food: this is the time to stay away from those cold smoothies, as easy as they may be to make. Rather, eat more soups, stews and porridges as warm foods promote circulation to help heal, relieve pain and can also help with lactation.
Stay hydrated: consuming enough fluids is absolutely necessary especially if you are breastfeeding. If you drink mainly water, make sure it is room temperature since digestion can be sluggish after giving birth. Traditionally, it is recommended to drink tea made from jujube dates which are used in Chinese medicine to help nourish the Blood and calm the spirit.
Herbal medicine: getting the “right” Chinese herbal formula that aligns with your body’s specific needs can be very beneficial. It can help relieve pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia and even help increase milk supply.
ACUPUNCTURE!! Yep, you guessed it. We recommend starting back at acupuncture 3-6 weeks postpartum to help you during this new phase in life. Among many things it can help with are hormonal balance, pain relief, stress reduction, bladder tone,milk production, postpartum depression support, fatigue, weak digestion and so much more!
For a quick and easy delicious drink, here is the jujube (Chinese red dates) tea recipe:
4-5 organic red dates
2 slices of organic fresh ginger
In a small pot add in the red dates and ginger along with 2 cups of water.
Bring it to a boil then simmer for an hour. Enjoy!
