After giving birth, baby is often the center of attention. How beautiful he is! How well he sleeps! And already, it's amazing how much he looks like you. All true, but let's not forget that you've done an extraordinary amount of work to get to this point. So it's time for you to discover the golden month and its incredible benefits; 30 to 40 days entirely devoted to resting, finding yourself again and settling in with your child.
CONTENTS :
- The origins of an ancestral Chinese tradition
- Why is the golden month essential?
- Warm up! The first pillar of the golden month
- Time to slow, the importance of rest
- Surround yourself with help and kindness
- And if not, what place is there for the couple in this cocoon?
The origins of an ancestral Chinese tradition
Imagine giving birth and, from that moment on, receiving all the care and concern you need, emotionally and physically. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Well, that's the Golden Month, or Zuo Yue Zi 坐月子. Literally, to sit for a month in the Chinese language.
Followed for over 2,000 years in China, this tradition holds that the month following childbirth is crucial to the new mother's short- and long-term recovery. And so, although it has changed a great deal over the centuries, many of the principles of the Golden Month still refer to traditional Chinese medicine today.
- Complete rest, in bed, with baby.
- Breastfeeding, if you wish.
- Warmth, everywhere, all the time, and strict avoidance of cold and damp.
- Comfort food.
- Proper hygiene.
- Unwavering emotional support from those closest to us.
- Rare and short visits.
The Golden Month is therefore above all a question of sharing and transmission from woman to woman, in complete intimacy. Traditions and rituals vary from country to country, but always revolve around the principles of warmth, rest and inner and outer regeneration.
Golden month around the world
- In both South Korea and China, the post-natal period, known as Sanhujori, emphasizes rest, a nutritious diet and the maintenance of body heat to promote recovery.
- In India, mothers benefit from hot oil massages, a special diet and prolonged tranquility to restore their vital energy and ease the transition to motherhood.
- Similar traditions exist in Latin America. The woman who gives birth is surrounded and supported by her family, ensuring her complete recovery.
- In Africa, the postpartum period is also marked by a period of sacred rest, supported by family care, purification rituals and a nourishing diet, designed to protect mother and newborn while strengthening their bond.
In France, the golden month is becoming increasingly popular as a way of reconnecting with oneself. Gradually, various initiatives are emerging: post-partum doulas, care packages or advice apps and platforms such as Mois d'or or Oh Mama Care.
Why is the golden month essential?
The post-partum period is a time of great upheaval: matrescence, discovery of a new body, new responsibilities and new emotions. Meeting your baby and discovering family life are also on the agenda, all the more so for a first birth.
And yet, after several months of emotional yo-yoing,new mothers often feel drained, almost always tired and sometimes painful. In traditional Chinese medicine, this is called Qi (energy) Emptiness. Mothers therefore need to be "nourished", warmed and toned, to avoid the emotional fragility and vulnerability that can lead to post-partum depression.
Chinese wisdom attributes real healing power to the golden month, without which illnesses contracted after the birth of a baby could develop into chronic conditions.
Warm up! The first pillar of the golden month
Live and eat hot
One of the most important principles of the Golden Month (easier to follow in winter than in summer) is tostrictly avoid all contact with cold and humidity (low temperatures, very cool water, drafts...).
Historically, even showers and baths were discouraged during the first 6 weeks post-partum. Well, considering that comfort (especially in the bathroom) is much better today than it was 2,000 years ago, a good compromise might be a well-heated room before entering, a body washed in very hot water, limb by limb, and dried immediately.
In the same way, food should be nourishing, regenerating and warm (as should drinks). So, even in summer, avoid raw, cold foods and drinks from the fridge.
And since in Chinese dietetics, each food has a nature and function, think of broths, fresh ginger, chicken, eggs, dates and green vegetables, brown rice, quinoa and goji berries. In short, protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, especially iron.
Time to slow, the importance of rest
This is the second founding principle of the Golden Month. After 9 months of pregnancy, childbirth and before your first months with baby, it's time for your body and mind to rest.
Create a cocooning living space
Whether it's mental or physical fatigue, the golden month is here to help you dispel them. So, stay in bed as often as possible, and to make it easy, organize your living space according to your needs and those of your newborn child. With the help of your loved ones, transform it into a practical cocoon.
Use and abuse cushions, blankets and plaids so you can sit or lie down anywhere. Treat yourself to the rocking chair of your dreams and a little cart or sideboard to easily move nibbles, herbal tea thermoses, bibs, baby bottles, breast pumps, diapers or nursing pillows. You'll see, it's really very practical.
But above all, avoid getting up every time you need to retrieve something from the house or apartment. So no, we're not talking about turning you into Queen Cleopatra in her palace, but rather about getting organized and delegating. ☺️
Enjoy guilt-free treatments and massages
Massage, a true moment of (re)connection with your body, is a precious ally in taking full advantage of the physical and emotional benefits of Zuo Yue Zi.Acupressure and reflexology , for example, play a key role in rebalancing vital energy. And to make the experience even more soothing and restorative, warm oils are ideal: they warm the body while relieving tension and pain.
- On the belly, they help the internal organs to find their place again after childbirth, contribute to the flow of lochia (post-partum discharge) and reduce bloating.
- Massaging the back and shoulders relieves accumulated tension, especially if you're breastfeeding.
- As the foot is an area rich in acupuncture points, massaging it improves blood circulation, promotes overall relaxation and relieves swelling, common after childbirth.
Note that post-partum massages should always be carried out by trained practitioners, ideally in traditional Chinese medicine, to guarantee appropriate gestures.
Think only of yourself and your baby
During the 40 days of this "post-partum confinement", space out and shorten your visits as much as possible, so that you can enjoy your time with full awareness. TV and SVOD, for example, are to be put on hold for a while. Why? Because mental rest also helps you get back into shape.
Need something to do? Think journaling, coloring, meditation, positive visualization or personal development reading.
Note that the idea is not to cut yourself off from the world, but to choose who to see, how often and for how long. A good reason to avoid germ-carrying parents of small children, disaster stories and pessimists 😉
Surround yourself with support and kindness
But, to rest as much as you like, you'll need help - all the help you can get - with the daily chores of housework and shopping, laundry and meals, to name but a few. This is especially true if you already have children. In fact, the entire golden month is experienced differently with siblings.
In this respect, the people who come to help you should turn into real fairy godmothers. Their role? To relieve you of chores and mental burdens, much more than sharing a cup of tea (at least for a while). Thanks to their support, you can finally feel light, free from obligations... and enjoy moments in your pyjamas with your baby. 😊
Ideally, try to spend the first week completely bedridden with baby. Your partner, your mother or a friend can manage the household. Friends can wait until the second or third week post-partum to come and congratulate you (and, of course, contribute to your well-being by cooking, running errands, folding laundry...).
What place is there for the couple in this cocoon?
Contrary to popular belief, the golden month can be a precious time for couples too. If this period is lived withlistening, patience and complicity, it becomes an opportunity to forge new, stronger bonds, at the heart of the transformations of parenthood.
Establish little rituals! Share a cup of herbal tea at the end of the day to reconnect, share emotions or enjoy the peace and quiet together. Treat each other to something special: a shoulder massage, a treat, a gift for no reason at all...
Involve your partner in the baby's care and in the day-to-day running of the family, and you'll create a genuine parenting team. This cocoon, far from alienating you, creates a unique interlude, the perfect moment to reinvent everyone's place in this new family dynamic.
A time to sow seeds of love
But the post-partum period isn't just a time for physical recuperation, it's also the time when the first threads of the mother-child bond are woven through babywearing, breastfeeding, bottle-feeding and skin-to-skin contact. In this way, every gesture becomes a seed of love sown to see a deep, lasting relationship blossom.
The golden month is also an invitation for the mother to rediscover herself, both as nurturer and woman, in all her complexity and strength.
Taking care of yourself during this period gives you the serenity and energy you need to take better care of your baby, now and afterwards. By offering yourself this time of gentleness and attention, you cultivate a balance that is essential to your family harmony.
Les biberons Élhée accompagneront votre bébé de la naissance jusqu'à 24 mois et plus, pour lui permettre une parfaite autonomie, sans risque de casse.
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