Balancing Tradition and Modern Science in Your Confinement Diet

Asian culture has a rather detailed list of do’s and don’ts for mothers who have just given birth. This includes abstaining from taking cold showers and not being allowed to leave the house. There are also many constraints when it comes to what you can eat.

Traditionally, a new mother’s diet is designed to quicken the healing process and provide the mother with energy to carry out her childcare duties. However, how much of these traditional diet practices are supported by modern science. Let’s take a look:

Don’t eat cold foods like ice-cream and cold drinks

In Chinese medicine, it is believed that new mothers are prone to the effects of ‘cold wind’ which is used to explain most of the pain and discomfort women experience after childbirth. This coldness is thought to be exacerbated by the consumption of ‘cold’ foods like ice-cream, cut fruits, raw vegetables, jellies, chilled sodas and the like, which are forbidden.

What modern science says:

In modern science, there isn’t a list of banned foods for confinement and a balanced diet is the most important. In fact, having a meal planned by professional healthcare staff would be for the best. In times like these, staying in places like a confinement centre will give you a diet that adheres to the food pyramid guidelines.

Part of the food pyramid is fruits and vegetables, since they are rich in the vitamins your body needs. If you choose to follow traditional taboos closely, you can still go for cooked vegetables, especially leafy greens like pak choy, spinach and kale. Also, try and find out what fruits you’re allowed to eat and consume them regularly.

Taking herbal soups and supplements

Herbal soups are a pretty common for mums in confinement. They usually contain things like ginger, Chinese Angelica Root, Codonopsis Pilosula Roots, and several more ingredients that is thought to warm the body up.

What modern science says:

As long as you don’t go overboard on consuming these soups, it’s fine. There are no scientific studies that say that herbal soups have any negative effects on your health. However, if you are unsure about a certain herb you are consuming, speak to a healthcare professional about it. Thankfully these days, there are confinement centers that have professional dieticians to plan your meals.

Consuming Rice Wines and Caffeine

Traditionally, mothers were only allowed to eat foods cooked in a lot of ginger and rice wine. These ingredients, along with caffeinated drinks like coffee, were thought to warm up the body and help the lochia clear up faster.

What modern science says:

Again, modern medicine does not prevent the consumption of caffeine or alcohol, but it must be done in moderation. This means limiting your consumption and not having it at every meal. Over-consumption of alcohol and caffeine can make them show up in your breast-milk, which can be harmful to your baby.

Avoiding Spicy Foods

Mums in confinement are often advised not to eat spicy foods, as this is believed to cause constipation and gastricitis. Spicy foods include those with lots of chilies, as well as curry dishes. It’s also said that consumption of spicy foods will make your breast milk taste spicy too and turn your baby away from it.

What modern science says:

Spicy foods can be a tummy irritant to some people, but if you’ve never had a reaction to spicy food it’s perfectly fine to have it as part of your meal. There’s no evidence that it will make your breast milk taste spicy.

Adequate nutrition and hydration are essential for you to heal and regain your strength, so always find out the scientific basis of a traditional practice before you carry it out. To make your life easier, you can always rely on a professional healthcare staff to plan your meals, like those available at Mummy Mansion. Do drop us a line if you’d like to find out more about our nutritionally balanced meal plan.