Isolation refers to the recovery period after a woman has given birth to a child. In order to return to the pre-pregnancy state, a woman must be very careful and take note of several areas, including food, living environment, clothing, and physical exercise.
During these 30 to 45 days, women should pamper themselves as this will affect their health in the future if they neglect this postpartum period. The confinement is known as “pantang” in Malay culture.
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Although the duration of confinement varies from individual to individual, there are different traditions from one culture to another. Nevertheless, everything is aimed at nurturing your health and regaining your pre-pregnancy state as quickly as possible. Here are some practical tips for a happy confinement period.
Previous generations always advise you to practice sitting up straight and in a correct posture while drinking. This is because they firmly believed that if you don’t, you won’t be able to control your urine later in life. Although there is no scientific explanation to justify this measure, new mothers tend to follow their mother’s advice on precautions.
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Next, an important tip for mothers who are breastfeeding their child. Before locking or expressing your milk, try compressing your breasts as this helps you clear blocked ducts. In addition, this action is also good for letting down your supply.
A reminder for first-time parents, infants are generally awake and active at night but tend to be sleepy and passive during the day. Therefore, at night, don’t be surprised if your baby wants to be breastfed for as long as possible. But this only happens for the first few months. In some cases, the baby will fall asleep after being breastfed for about 10 minutes.
Take note here as this is one of the most important tips for moms. First-time parents are often surprised to find colostrum (which is yellow in color and known as “liquid gold”) and they will throw it away. But stop right there! Because it is precious as it is rich in nutrition and immunities. Feed your baby with this milk as it offers a variety of health benefits. If your baby needs more milk, give them a little more because frequent nursing helps you establish a nutritious milk supply later in life.
Some mothers complained about sore nipples during confinement. This is because you may have positioned the baby incorrectly. If you position the baby correctly, then they can suck effectively without causing you problems.
When you start breastfeeding the baby, try to guide them and allow the baby to learn to suck effectively in the first few days. To have a better and more nutritious supply, you should take a nap when the baby sleeps. It helps you relax and release tension.
To increase your breast milk supply, try consuming “pegaga” vegetables as recommended by most Malaysian gynecologists. Additionally, also increase your intake of fish, spinach, papaya, and apples during the confinement period.
Mothers with flat or inverted nipples may encounter problems in the early days when breastfeeding the baby. Therefore, it is recommended that you learn the basics of locking to make it easier for you the next time you breastfeed infants.
Engorgement can occur within the first five days when you start breastfeeding the baby. Do not panic when it happens as it will only last for 48 hours. You can help treat engorgement by massaging your breasts before breastfeeding. This is to ensure that the breasts are soft before starting each feeding session. Here are some symptoms of engorgement: pain, fever, redness, swelling, and warmth.
After learning to position the baby correctly and the basics of locking, if you notice that your nipples are still swollen, seek treatment immediately as there are chances of infections and you will now need to apply nipple cream to heal it. When you are in such a situation, try to avoid wearing bras with breast pads or bras made from synthetic fabrics.
During the first few months, babies may have a regular difficult period that occurs when they are active (during the day). This can cause your baby to cry constantly. But this does not mean that the baby is starving. Instead of breastfeeding the infant, massage them to soothe the baby and help them fall asleep more easily.
While mothers are encouraged to increase their consumption of fish, spinach, papaya, and apples, try to reduce the intake of foods that are considered cold such as cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, honey, and kangkung. Additionally, also avoid eating seafood and consuming caffeinated drinks during the confinement period.
According to Chinese beliefs, a mother should not bathe for 12 days, and this may differ as some so-called mothers are not allowed to take a shower for a month. But for hygiene purposes, you can have a quick rinse or wet a towel and wipe your body so that you can better take care of the baby.
Finally on the list, if you have given birth to a baby through normal delivery, do not perform any physical exercise for 2 months, while those who have given birth via cesarean should not engage in any exercise for 4 months.
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