Postnatal ‘hold’ foods – Part 2

Everyone will ask you to eat only “healthy” foods and avoid cold or refreshing foods, as your body is cold after childbirth. This applies to all 3 main races in Malaysia, but sometimes what is considered ‘healthy’ may be ‘refreshing’ to another, adding to our dilemma. The best option is to try the food according to the advice of your culture and religion and learn to substitute ingredients whenever possible to suit your taste. I’m afraid my culinary experience is limited to Chinese and Western food, so I can only talk about this type of food at the moment.

Traditional Chinese lockdown food consists mainly of old ginger, rice wine, sesame oil, black vinegar, some alcohol for heating, lots of meat, especially kampong chicken and lean pork, white fish such as white pomfret, and some vegetables.

Apparently, you are supposed to eat 30 chickens, 12 bottles of rice wine, and 15 kilos of old ginger root during this period. It’s up to you if you can achieve this goal, but I think most women today can’t. On average, if you practice what is recommended, the cost could be around RM 1000.00++ just for food.

Foods to avoid only during the first week

Ginger: delays wound healing and increases the risk of jaundice in the baby. Substitute with peppercorns or garlic.

Fish: causes lochia or foul-smelling secretions.

The alcohols that are recommended for consumption during the month of confinement are: Brandy, Yomeishu, rice wine and Guinness Malt for being ‘yang’. If you don’t drink, this sudden consumption can cause alcohol rash, flushed face, and heart palpitations, so take it easy. Alcohol reaches the baby through breast milk, so if she wants a good night’s sleep, she drinks the alcohol after dinner. The alcohol content is reduced during cooking, so you might consider adding it to your food during cooking rather than drinking it straight. Guinness Malt is alcohol-free and high in iron, making it suitable if you are anemic. Pulut rice is rich in iron, therefore it is used to make rice wine for nursing mothers after childbirth. Rice is low in fat and cholesterol free with high dietary fiber content to reduce the risk of heart attack and diabetes. It is better known as Shaoxing wine.

Beverages

It is believed that icy or cold drinks can severely impact the system and further weaken the “cold” body, so it is strongly recommended that warm boiled teas be consumed throughout the day as they are supposed to help warm the uterus For those who do not believe in these teas, you can try drinking chamomile tea, which is also beneficial for the baby as it helps reduce gas.

soups

Soup is a nutritious substitute for water. You can use any meat for broth. Meat supplies fat that is essential for the extraction of fat-soluble nutrients. Drinking soup about 1 hour before breastfeeding can help increase milk flow. Chinese soups are usually clear and easier to drink compared to creamy western soups and are less fattening.

Here are some food ingredients you may want to add to your diet during the month of postnatal “lockdown.”

Hawthorn fruit or Chinese wolfberry is best known for correcting poor eyesight and eyestrain. Used in conjunction with other herbs, it is effective in improving energy and strength.

Chinese angelica root or dong kwai is supposed to nourish the female organs, relieve menstrual pain and prevent bleeding.

Chinese yam (wai san) used together with meat and other herbs helps digestion, regulates sugar level and controls inflammation of the uterus. The dry variety must be soaked for at least 15 minutes before use to remove dust.

Solomon’s seal (yok chuk) is used to relieve many ailments, especially those affecting the throat and lungs.

Sesame oil, in addition to being rich in vitamin E, iron and calcium, helps to heal the uterus and eliminate “residual dirty blood”.

Chestnuts tonify vital energy. Resolves depression, fatigue and irritability. High in phosphorus, selenium and calcium

Black vinegar is made from glutinous rice and the lowest pH of food. It leaches calcium from bones cooked with it, so it is used to prepare calcium-rich foods especially for nursing mothers and also relieves stomach pain.

Dill has antibacterial and antispasmodic properties. It is a warm herb that aids digestion, eliminates gas, stimulates lactation, freshens breath and relieves colic. It is the main ingredient of Gripe water.

Almonds and walnuts contain leucine and isoleucine, which are amino acids that regulate growth, blood sugar, and wound healing.

Malaysian confinement food is the same as normal but with a lot of jamu, which are basically natural herbal remedies used internally and externally for health and beauty. Make sure products are registered with the Ministry of Health and are produced locally

Kani seeds contain antioxidants to promote youthfulness, tighten vaginal muscles, prevent excessive discharge, bad odor and itching. Firms the breasts and promotes healing of the reproductive system after childbirth.

Gallanggal is a member of the ginger family and works as an antibiotic. It warms the body, cleanses the blood, improves appetite, reduces gas and energizes the muscles.

Pegaga leaves increase energy, help relieve sleep problems, and improve blood circulation.

Turmeric works as an antibiotic and promotes a healthy circulatory system.

Thigh leaves are rich in protein, vitamin C and A, beta-carotene, iron, calcium, potassium and other minerals. Due to their nutrients and ability to stimulate milk flow, they are a valuable food for survival in impoverished countries.

The most important thing to remember is that you should be comfortable with what you eat. Don’t force yourself to eat something you don’t like or it will cause problems later on. Although you are ‘in confinement’, you are not a prisoner per se.