Zuo Yue Zi: The Benefits of Chinese Postpartum
Even if childbirth is a seamless process that progresses perfectly with no unexpected twists or complicating factors, it’s an ordeal. Giving birth is an extreme experience on all levels: physically, emotionally, and mentally.
And yet, in the US and most other Western societies, women are pressured to jump back into their work and other aspects of daily life within a few weeks or even days of giving birth. The thought of this alone sounds exhausting and in many cases, it's downright unhealthy.
That’s why so many more mothers are turning to the Chinese tradition of zuo yue zi after birth.
What is Zuo Yue Zi?
Zuo yue zi essentially means “sitting the month.” It’s a one-month period after childbirth during which you focus on resting and recuperating from childbirth. You don’t work (at home or otherwise), you don’t leave the house, and you simply rest and bond with your baby.
There are a few ways the tradition is said to work. The most obvious is that it allows your body time to rest and heal after childbirth, which is essential after any type of birth. In addition, according to the Chinese principle of qi, you need a balance of yin (cold) and yang (hot). Because childbirth skews your body toward yin, you warm your body during zuo yue zi to restore that balance.
There are many rules to a proper zuo yue zi, and some families have slightly different traditions than others. Overall, though, in addition to staying at home, these are the primary rules of this Chinese postpartum period:
● Don’t bathe or wash your hair, but if you do, make sure you are fully dry before leaving the bathroom.
● Wear warm clothes whenever possible, like socks, sweatpants, and long sleeves.
● Don’t eat or drink anything cold, and avoid using cold water.
● Avoid salty and spicy foods.
● Don’t have sex.
● Keep the air conditioner turned off.
● Eat a special diet of warming foods and dishes specifically made for this period.
● Time should be spent resting and bonding with the baby.
As the world has gotten “smaller” through more and more intersection of different cultures, zuo yue zi has spread to other parts of the world. While not all Chinese mothers follow the tradition, many do and have enjoyed unique benefits with every birth.
The Benefits of Zuo Yue Zi for Moms and Babies
Zuo yue zi has many benefits physically and emotionally for moms and babies alike. While the practices come from traditional Chinese beliefs, many of them align very well with modern medicine too.
Potential Reduction in Postpartum Complications
The postpartum time is a critical one for mothers. Your body is going through a lot and unfortunately, we know that critical complications can arise during this time. While researchers are still looking for ways to reduce those complications, some of them appear to be more likely to occur when mothers overexert their bodies or have excessive stress post-partum.
Zuo yue zi requires you to take the time your body needs to rest and recover. You heal at home rather than forcing your body into the added stressors of “normal” daily life, like working, cleaning, entertaining visitors, and so on.
Increased Bonding Time
Bonding in the early days of life is critical for infant development. It teaches the baby that their needs will be taken care of and that they can trust their parents. It allows the baby to bond with their parents and learn to form healthy attachments, which will affect their relationships for their entire life.
During zuo yue zi, mothers and babies are together throughout the full first month because the mom doesn’t leave the home. This allows for those essential bonding opportunities while also ensuring that the mother doesn’t miss out on her baby’s amazing growth and development during those early weeks.
Learning Life as a New Mom
Learning how to care for a new baby is not an easy feat. Its especially challenging for your first baby because every part of feeding, changing, washing, and holding your baby is new. Even for experienced mothers, though, each baby has its own temperament and quirks, so there is a learning curve every time.
In typical Western families, moms are trying to learn all this while also balancing work, household chores, friends, family members, and more. Zuo yue zi gives moms a chance to take time away from everything else and exclusively learn her baby for the baby’s first month.
Giving Babies a Chance to Develop
Think for a moment about human babies compared to other mammals’ babies after birth. Many mammals stand and walk within hours or minutes of being born. Our own babies take many months to reach that stage of development. In fact, human babies are so comparatively underdeveloped at birth, even those that reach full term, that some pediatricians refer to infancy as the “fourth trimester.”
In a typical Western family, babies are working hard to continue their development but in the midst of it all, they’re being brought into the outside world, meeting family members, and dealing with the unknown of the new world around them. Zuo yue zi gives them a chance to develop in a quieter, more controlled environment without the many new curveballs they encounter outside the home.
Honoring Moms and Babies After Birth
Giving birth may be common, but that doesn’t make it easy. In Western culture, childbirth is seen as a challenge that women should simply accept and move on from without a second thought.
Zuo yue zi is a way to honor mothers and babies for what they’ve just gone through. It acknowledges the reality that childbirth is an incredibly powerful experience both physically and mentally, and it gives new moms time to process it all while being pampered and revered for bringing a precious new life into the world.
How to Embrace Zuo Yue Zi
If you plan to practice zuo yue zi, you can make life easier for yourself, your spouse or partner, and the rest of the family with a few strategies and tips.
Plan Ahead for Household Needs
Proper zuo yue zi requires that a mother avoids all housework and other obligations, which means that these responsibilities usually fall to her spouse or partner. To make the transition easier, it helps to plan ahead.
Consider which types of meals are easiest for your partner to make. If you follow the traditional zuo yue zi diet, you may be eating differently from the rest of your family, so keep this in mind.
In addition to planning meals, organize a chore schedule for your partner to follow. Try to stock up on supplies your family might need as well.
Consider Hiring Babycare Help
Even without added obligations around the house or at work, caring for a newborn is a lot of work. In some cases, this can take away the critical rest a mother should be getting during her postpartum time.
This is why many moms hire baby care help during their zuo yue zi. My Asian Nanny, for example, has specific postpartum packages to give your baby the care they need while you embrace the period of rest. This gives you full-time, around-the-clock care for your baby during this month, including caring for all the baby’s needs like bottle preparation and diaper changing.
If you’re new to zuo yue zi, your caretaker with My Asian Nanny will be able to teach you the ropes of this hallowed tradition. We can even prepare specially designed meals for you which align with the tradition’s practices.
Choose Your Priorities
It’s important to note that not everyone needs to practice zuo yue zi in the same way. Particularly in modern times, many women follow some practices more closely than others. For instance, many will strictly avoid all work but they may still bathe in order to maintain their hygiene and lower their chance for infections. Some mothers follow the zuo yue zi diet more closely than others as well.
Ultimately, each mother must do what is comfortable for her. Each person is unique, so decided which elements of the tradition are your top priorities and which you’re willing to compromise on. If you hire baby care help, discuss your preferences with your nanny as well to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Giving Yourself and Your Baby the Gift of Rest
Planning for the birth of your new baby, whether this is your first child or your fifth, is always stressful. Still, it helps to know that after your baby is born, you’ll have a dedicated period of rest while you recover from birth and bond with your precious new baby.
To start planning for your zuo yue zi, learn more about the Chinese postpartum care packages we offer and how we can make your “sitting the month” experience restful and special for the entire family.