The Sitting Month “Zuo Yeuzi”
by Alysse
What is Zuo Yeuzi?
Zuo Yeuzi is the act of confining oneself in the home for 30 days after delivery. Zuo Yeuzi is a form of traditional Chinese postpartum recovery. There are many types of postpartum confinement in different cultures. In Japan it is known as “Sango no hidachi” and Korea it is known as “Samchili”. In Latin American countries it is known as “La cuarentena” and in India it is known as “Jappa”. In the different cultures the postpartum confinement can last anywhere from 30 to 100 days. This has been practiced for years to have the new mother heal and get to know her baby (ies).
What are the restrictions for Zuo Yeuzi?
The new mom would be confined to the bed with her baby (ies) and her mother or another family member would take care of the house and meals. The new mom is to stay warm and to only eat warm foods and drink hot tea. She is not allowed to bathe or shower as this may chill her as she is drying off. There are no visitors permitted, reading and watching TV is also a no go.
Can Zuo Yeuzi fit in your lifestyle?
Now Zuo Yeuzi can be quite strict. There are ways you could practice without following all of the rules. Instead of being confined for 30 days you could try 2 weeks with or without all of the restrictions. You may decide to not have any visitors for a bit after baby is born to allow time for bonding and getting into a schedule. Perhaps having a family member or friend come over and help with house chores or making meals for a while so you can spend much needed time getting used to being a mother either for the first time or again, spending time cuddling or nursing baby and resting, after all birth can be a very tiring experience. Instead of going without a bath or shower you could blow dry your hair right after to keep you from getting chilled.
If you would like to know more about Zuo Yeuzi, Or any other changes you could make to have Zuo Yeuzi fit into your lifestyle. The book ‘Zuo Yeuzi An American Mothers Guide to Chinese Postpartum Recovery’ is a great resource.