When a woman gives birth to a child, along comes the confinement practices that she needs to follow righteously. Mothers in Singapore often wonder if they would need a stay-in-nanny to help them care for their newborn and assist them in following through the practices but some are also worried of the privacy concerns they may have when inviting a stranger home to stay in with them.
The people residing in the western part of the world do not follow these practices, and may not be familiar with them, but for the Eastern world, a lot of these practices is a must!
Sometimes, engaging a confinement nanny could mean that there are a lot of “rules” that new parents would need to follow during confinement; and with too many differing opinions by different people (even google). This can add more stress and confusion instead of help.
Let’s check out some of the facts against these myths .
1. “I am not allowed to bathe or touch water for fear of ‘wind’ entering the body.”
There is no basis to these beliefs. In fact, bathing regularly ensures good personal hygiene and comfort. It reduces skin and wound infections.
2. “I must consume plenty of wine, sesame oil and traditional herbs to drive out the ‘wind’.
Again, there is no medical reasoning behind this recommendation. In moderation, there is no harm in consuming these substances. However, when taken in excessive amounts, they may affect you and your baby adversely. Furthermore, there are various substances present in the herbs that we are not fully aware of.
Alcohol and other organic substances might go into your breast milk, and when breastfeeding, these might be transferred to your baby. These substances may affect the liver and worsen jaundice in the newborn if it is already present.
3. “I must not expose myself and my baby to any wind drafts or air-conditioning.”
For personal comfort, there is definitely no harm in switching on the air-conditioner or fan, as long as it makes you and your baby comfortable. It may even help prevent heat rash from developing in our hot and humid climate.
4. “I cannot drink plain water at all during confinement.”
New mothers should drink enough fluids, especially if they’re breastfeeding.
Don’t worry if you find yourself frequently visiting the toilet: your kidneys produce more urine a few weeks after the baby is born to remove excess fluid accumulated during pregnancy.
5. “I cannot drink cold water during confinement.”
So if you really want a glass of cool water to refresh yourself in the heat, don’t feel guilty about indulging. Just make sure it is not very chilled.
If you are worried that the cold water you drink might affect your baby, don’t be. Even if you drink cold water, your milk will stay warm at body temperature. And the antibodies you pass on to your baby through your milk will protect her from catching an infection.
6. “I cannot enjoy sushi while breast-feeding.”
If you’re breast-feeding, consuming sushi does not pose a risk, assuming that the restaurant accounts for the source and quality of fish. You want to make sure that you are aware of the origin of the product.
While consumption of raw fish may not directly affect the baby through breast milk, be careful. If the fish is not cleaned properly, it could make you sick.
As with pregnancy, it is advisable to avoid types of fish high in mercury while breast-feeding because it could present itself in your milk and in turn, affect your little one.
Rejoice Pregnancy wishes to educate, prepare and support new parents throughout their pre/post pregnancy period while caring for the health and wellness of the mom.
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