After 9 months of pregnancy and hours of gruelling pain, the month following the birth of a child is for mothers to rest and recuperate from all the stress that has been placed on them thus far. Despite the fact that mothers should be allowed to fully rest and recover from giving birth, many of them are unable to do so because they must still care for their babies, cook, and even clean the house.

In order to help you enjoy a smooth and comfortable confinement month, we’ve compiled a list of tips, things to note, and resources for your use. 

1. Confinement Food Catering

Consuming confinement food is important because each dish is packed with nutrients that can help you recover faster and replenish your body with the energy you need to return to your normal life.

The most convenient way to keep yourself fed is to look for confinement catering so you never have to worry about missing meals, not getting enough nutrients, or having to cook and clean the kitchen yourself. 

At NouRiche, we offer confinement meals tailored to each mother’s needs in order to keep you nourished. Our dishes do not contain any light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, or other seasonings that will hinder your body’s recovery, allowing you to enjoy your food with ease.

2. Order Packaged Herbs

Herbs are also an important component of Chinese confinement. They can be used as shower herbs to improve blood circulation and strengthen your muscles and joints, or they can be cooked into soups or teas for consumption to promote recovery or nourish your body.

Mummamia offers a variety of prepackaged confinement herbal soup packs and herbal teas that you can easily prepare for yourself instead of going to a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) store and having to portion out the herbs yourself. Our confinement catering meal plans also include a serving of herbal soup and tea to keep you nourished after each meal.

3. Enlist the help of Family & Friends

If possible, new mothers should enlist the help of family members or friends for a few hours each day for tasks such as cooking, babysitting, or cleaning so that they can focus on resting as much as possible.

4. Engage Part-Time Help

If you are unable to get help from a family member or friend, you can always hire part-time help from Helpling for daily household chores while you spend more time resting or caring for your child.

5. Enjoy Postnatal Massages

Postnatal massages are very relaxing and beneficial for new mothers because they help to heal the body, expel wind, reduce uterine swelling, and clear clogged milk ducts. If possible, set aside time each day for some postnatal self-pampering so that you can get at least an hour of time to yourself for relaxation. 

6. Prioritise Self-Care

Prioritising self-care during confinement isn’t selfish because your primary goal is to ensure that your body heals from all of the stress it has endured during your pregnancy. Avoid physically or mentally taxing activities, get plenty of rest, watch your favourite shows and do whatever you can to de-stress.

7. Consume Foods High in Nutrients

A natural birth results in approximately 480ml of blood loss, whereas a caesarean delivery can result in up to a litre of blood loss. A well-balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals is critical for replenishing your blood and restoring your body. Some of the essential vitamins and minerals include iron, vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin C. 

If you are not sure how to make a proper meal plan to ensure that you get all the nutrients you need, you can order from a confinement catering company and tap on their expertise in this area.

8. Prepare a Kit with all the Essentials You Need

Before heading to the hospital, there are a few things you need to prepare, one of them is a kit of essential items you’ll need after giving birth. From baby diapers to nipple creams, keep all the things you need in one place and have them easily accessible so you don’t have to scramble all the time to find what you need.

9. Monitor Your Health

After giving birth, don’t just pay attention to your newborn. Instead, give your body attention and monitor your recovery too. You can only properly care for your child if you are strong and healthy. If you experience any severe pain, bleeding, swelling, fever, headache or other abnormal symptoms, contact your doctor as soon as possible. 

Although the confinement period is intended to allow mothers to rest and recuperate, it can quickly turn into a tiring and hectic month if mothers are not well-prepared. Easily get through your confinement with NouRiche, a confinement catering company in Singapore that provides proper confinement meals to support you through your recovery. Check out our meal plans here.