在我们的传统中，有一个特殊的时期，那就是“坐月子”。 Long before medical science caught up, the practice was first recorded in the Book of Rites, not in medical texts. It is a ceremonial limitation imposed by ancient people on new mothers. The book even regulates the etiquette that different social classes should follow after giving birth. It wasn"t until later that medical developments extended the concept to include health-related aspects and incorporated local customs, gradually forming the modern concept of sitting the month.
There are mixed opinions on the necessity of following traditional postpartum care practices. Some young mothers roll their eyes at the thought of following such odd customs, while others nod in agreement, saying, You"ll regret it if you don"t follow the rules. So, who is right?
If you have spent your life in the countryside like my grandmother, lived through the hardships of the Great Famine, the Great Leap Forward, and the People"s Communes era, and experienced leaky houses and simple satisfaction from eating rice, you would understand the old saying, Eat more brown sugar, eggs, and drink more red dates water to replenish your body. Avoid washing your hair, taking a bath, brushing your teeth, or exposing yourself to the wind. Carelessness during this period can lead to "postpartum diseases." The elderly person"s sincere advice is simple and kind.
If you have received modern education, lived in a clean and comfortable home with air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter, studied nutrition and understand diet planning, loved fitness and exercised regularly, and witnessed the advanced modern maternal care centers, you would agree that sticking to traditional postpartum care is outdated and backward.
So, do we really need to sit the month from a modern medical perspective? The professional term for it is postpartum recovery, and it is indeed necessary. After ten months of pregnancy and one day of delivery, mothers need a certain amount of time to recover from the pre-pregnancy level. This period is called the postpartum period, and it is generally believed to last six weeks. Nowadays, hospitals usually advise mothers to return for a check-up 42 days after delivery to observe their recovery, which is the modern medical equivalent of sitting the month.