Happy Confinement

Cannot be directly exposed to wind?
I would wear T-shirt with sleeves and sarong/long pants, socks & slippers all the time. I sleep in the air-cond room and it is fine, I think the rule of thumb is, do not face the fan & air-cond directly. I also apply Bio Trim lotion everytime after bath as it would help to “close” my pores and keep me warm. The lotion also helps to expel “wind” from the body.

Must lie on the bed and rest more? Cannot watch TV/reading/use PC?
It is advisable to take more rest to restore our energy, because we need to wake up often during mid night to feed / take care of the newborn. However, watching TV, reading or use PC is fine as long we don’t do it for long (say about 15 minutes at a time) and take a break in between before continuing, so that the eyes are well rested.

Cannot bath during confinement?
Quick bathing with warm water (or herbal bath) everyday is actually good to us as we sweat a lot during confinement. Hygiene is extremely important and bathing will freshen up & make us feel more energetic. It is also adviced to take bath during mid day when the weather is hot.

Cannot wash hair during confinement?
Advisable not to wash hair for 10 to 12 days. However dry shampoo is recommended to minimize scalp irritation and absorb excess oil from the hair. Personally I didn’t quite like dry shampoo. I 1st wash my hair on the 12th day, and thereafter I wash every 3-4 days and I’ll blow it dry immediately.

After the birth of a child, a woman’s body struggles to return to its pre-pregnancy state. This recovery period is called the confinement period, in Malay it is called “pantang”.

The confinement period should be a minimum of 30 – 45 days and during this period, the new mom shall pay special attention in the area of clothing, food, living environment and physical exercise.

As important as taking care of a newborn, pamper yourself during the confinement period is essential and should not be overlooked because it is going to affect our health in the long run. Some effects might not be visible now but later in life, the effects will start haunting us especially after menopause, if not earlier.