EYS M2B

How can TCM help?

As part of confinement, the woman is advised to consume nutritious dishes that can aid her recovery. Confinement nourishment can be divided into three stages, each concentrating on a different part of the woman’s body, thus requiring different nourishing ingredients for each stage.

Stage 1:

Uterus Recovery & Wound Healing

This stage focuses on healing the uterus. After all, a woman experiences heavy blood loss when giving birth; even after delivery, the uterus continues to bleed until it contracts to its normal size. The discharge, akin to menstrual flow, will gradually reduce in quantity as well as colour strength, from bright red to brown-red to yellow.

In addition, you may experience pain due to blood clots in the uterus. To help the uterus recuperate, promote blood circulation and discharge to reduce stasis, the woman should consume Sheng Hua Soup once a day during this stage.

In the first stage of Confinement, known as the "Golden Month," nourishing foods and tonics are carefully selected to replenish the mother's lost energy and nutrients during childbirth. These nourishing foods, rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals, help to strengthen the mother's body and promote healing.

Stage 2:

Digestive Well-being & Tissue Repair

During pregnancy, a woman’s body produces 50% more blood because of the baby. Because not all the extra blood is expelled upon delivery, it can lead to fluid buildup. It is recommended that the woman take herbal formulas such as Revitalising Tonic Soup to strengthen the gastrointestinal system, which then helps to flush out excess fluids.

A strong gastrointestinal system also aids digestion and absorption of nutrients, thus helping to repair tissues and improve the quality of breast milk.

Stage 3:

Physique Strengthening & Nourishment

The last stage involves physical strengthening. Not only is good nourishment important in regaining your vitality, but it also fights premature ageing and prepares you for future pregnancies. Muscle strain (and those accursed stretch marks) around the abdomen area is common because this part of the woman’s body has carried a heavy load throughout the pregnancy. Kidney Tonic Soup may help strengthen the woman’s physique.

Additionally, she may feel fatigued or experience cold limbs after most of the vaginal blood has been discharged. She should consider taking Energising Tonic Soup, which tonifies the blood and helps maintain body warmth by improving blood circulation.

Busting 6 Confinement Myths

While certain confinement practices are common, it’s a bad idea to follow them blindly. Discover the truth behind the myths from a TCM perspective.

Myth:

Do not drink plain water

This comes from the belief that drinking plain water causes water retention or will cool down the body too much.

The Truth:

There is no harm in drinking plain water. New mothers tend to sweat heavily because of hormonal changes, hence the greater the reason to drink water and keep hydrated.

Tip: Drink warm water instead of cold water.

Myth:

Consume alcohol

Drinking alcoholic beverages or eating dishes cooked with alcohol is thought to boost blood circulation and warm up the body.

The Truth:

It is correct that alcohol is used in TCM to expel colds and promote circulation, however, new mothers should not regard alcohol as essential to their recovery. Nursing mothers should avoid alcohol as it can be passed on to their baby through breast milk.

Myth:

Do not shower or wash one’s hair

Contact with water is thought to cause “wind” to enter the body and lead to headaches and rheumatism later in life. This taboo may have originated from northern China in the past. Since water quickly became freezing because of the cold weather, it was easy to catch a chill from bathing.

The Truth:

It is perfectly fine to continue one’s bathing habits. Besides maintaining personal comfort, regular bathing helps prevent skin and wound infections. It is important that the mother should not bathe in cold water and must thoroughly dry the body immediately after bathing to prevent exposure to cold air.

Myth:

Consume plenty of herbal supplements

Since childbirth drains a woman of Qi, it is recommended that she stock up on specific herbal soups and dishes that boost energy and blood.

The Truth:

Since every woman’s health profile is different, she may not benefit from the same remedies that help others. It is better to consult a qualified TCM physician for personalised advice and treatments.

Tip: Best to avoid cooling foods during confinement. Eating such foods carry a risk of harming one’s spleen and stomach that can hamper recovery. Foods to avoid include bamboo shoots, bananas, crabs and oysters.

Myth:

Do not read or cry

Childbirth is thought to weaken the liver, which is linked to the eyes. Therefore, one should avoid putting stress on the eyes by reading or crying. Otherwise, one might experience eye problems later in life.

The Truth:

There is no basis for the belief that reading or crying would lead to eye problems. However, TCM experts do hold that the large loss of blood during childbirth may weaken the eyes. This is because blood is related to the liver, which is associated with the eyes.
Regular consumption of liver-protecting foods, such as Chinese Wolfberries, would help maintain eye health.

Myth:

Wear warm clothing and do not use fans or air-conditioning

As with bathing, any exposure to cool air is said to cause “wind” to enter the body and lead to health problems later in life.

The Truth:

The key here is moderation. The new mother should do what makes her comfortable. In a hot and humid climate, fans and air conditioners may even be essential for preventing heat rash.
It is important not to let the fan or air-conditioner blow directly on her.

From Bump to Baby: Creating a Nutritious Postpartum Diet

The moment we all have been waiting for has arrived! Pregnancy is over, and the bundle of joy has emerged.

Some habits developed during pregnancy should be carried over, such as resting well and eating healthy. The postpartum period is a critical time to recuperate and re-energise your weakened body so you can be in a better state of health to enjoy those first moments with your baby.

Zuo Yue Zi

Confinement dishes, tonics and soups not only serve to enhance the mother’s immune system and help strengthen her constitution, but also ensure that mums have enough breast milk for their baby.

Physician Wong Yueh Chin from the Eu Yan Sang TCM Clinic @ Rivervale Mall suggests that mothers can take herbal formula such as Sheng Hua Soup to dispel blood stasis and improve blood circulation after giving birth. “It can also aid them to regain their appetites and help the uterus to return to its original size after expansion from childbirth. Once they regain their desire to eat, it is a signal that the body is ready to take in
nutrients from the food they eat. Other herbs can then also be introduced to help replenish qi and blood loss.

Eating warm to fight the cold

Upon the delivery of the baby, the digestive system of postpartum mothers remains weak and vulnerable to cold. Therefore, ‘warming’ ingredients—old ginger, sesame oil, wine, and black vinegar—are must-haves in confinement diets.

“Depending on the patient’s individual constitution, herbs such as Chinese angelica root, radix astragali, wolfberries and red date tea can be consumed as a supplement to help promote circulation of qi and blood,” says Physician Wong. Although these ‘warming’ ingredients can neutralise the effects of ‘cold’ foods, Physician Wong says that it is better to take foods of a neutral or relatively ‘warm’ nature.

“Meats such as pork and chicken or even seafood such as prawns and mussels have quality proteins, which aid in recovery,” Physician Wong offers. However, crabs are not recommended as they are considered ‘cold.’ Even vegetables and fruits must be carefully chosen. Physician Wong advises mothers to consume tropical fruits such as grapes or longans.

Despite these suggestions, women in confinement should eat more than just these foods, as having a balanced diet is essential to good health. In addition, mothers should also be slightly active: light exercises such as sit-ups can improve blood and qi circulation. However, women who have undergone a Caesarean section should refrain from exercising before their wounds heal.

Postpartum health isn’t just dependent on what you eat or do after pregnancy. Physician Wong says she has seen patients who have difficulty recovering after pregnancy due to weak body constitutions, and suffer from conditions such as dizziness, body aches, and colds. “Some patients came to consult me even before their confinement ended,” Physician Wong shares. As such, nourishment should start as early as the beginning of pregnancy and, in fact, plays an important role in ensuring a speedy recovery after labour.

TCM Takeaways

According to Physician Wong, treatment goes beyond healing the body when it comes to confinement—the mind and soul need nourishment as well.

New mothers may feel stressed over their new responsibilities. This anxiety can manifest in varying degrees. “I had a patient who had swollen nipples and was facing problems with production of breast milk. I could see that she was under a lot of stress, so I tried to give her advice to get her to relax,” Physician Wong remembers. She explains that post-natal depression is linked to the flow of qi in the liver.

Feelings of unhappiness and anxiety can cause liver qi stagnation. Physician Wong thus prescribed herbs to alleviate the swelling of the patient’s nipples, as well as lily bulbs and lotus seeds to disperse qi stagnation in the patient’s liver and soothe her mind.

Physician Wong also believes that emotional support from husbands, family and friends should be part of good confinement care. With support from all sides, including the physician’s, the journey of motherhood will be a smooth-sailing one.