During pregnancy, the baby is like a parasite and will take all the nutrients it requires from you. If her diet is nutritious enough for both of them, it doesn’t cause any problems. If, on the other hand, your diet is insufficient for both, then your recovery after childbirth will take longer and if you still do not replenish your body’s reserves during the period of confinement, you can remain weak for a long time. This is probably why our elders care so much about eating well during confinement.

Wherever you are in the world, everyone will try to tell you what to eat and, if possible, how to eat it. The most important thing to do is follow your own body’s needs. Regardless of what you eat, make sure you get a good balance of protein, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and water at each meal.

Just remember the following tips:

1. If you are breastfeeding, everything you eat will be transferred to your baby through your breast milk, therefore it is important that you eat a balanced diet so that your baby gets the proper nutrients for optimal growth and development.

2. Some foods cause the baby to “air” or have loose stools. If you find that your baby is suddenly quite fussy, try thinking about what she ate in the last 12 hours. Avoid that food for a few days and then try again. If the same thing happens again, you should avoid that particular food for a while and reintroduce it to your diet by taking a very small amount and see how the baby reacts, then slowly increase the amount so that the baby gets used to the food.

3. You may notice that your appetite is slightly low, especially during the first week. This is normal as your body is readjusting to its non-pregnant state both physically and mentally, therefore it is better to have small, frequent meals rather than the normal 3 large meals a day.

4. You need to drink plenty of fluids to produce enough breast milk, and if you are prohibited from drinking water, you can get the amount of fluid from other sources, such as soup.

So what should you eat?

Most Eastern cultures believe that your body is cold after childbirth, so you should avoid chilling or cold foods, but eat a lot of yang or “hot” foods to warm your body. However, if you are normally a yang person, eating too much “hot” food can cause rashes and fever. In this case, it would be better to reduce the amount of ‘hot’ food and eat more neutral food. If you are normally a Yin person, you should have no problem eating ‘spicy’ food (lucky devils). The table below gives you a quick review of the types of foods to eat or avoid.

Types of foods to avoid

‘Cooling foods’, for example: banana, cabbage, cucumber, coconut and bok choy
It contributes to poor blood circulation in the mother and stomach pain in the baby if she is breastfeeding. Salt as a seasoning and salty foods in general should also be avoided, as its use is believed to reduce the production of breast milk.

‘Acidic food’ eg: pineapple, mango, lemon, lime
They contribute to excess lochia in the mother and diarrhea in the baby.

Too much ‘spicy food’, for example: chilli, pepper, spices, tonics, liquors and medicines.
Contribute to diarrhea in the baby and maternal headaches.

‘Windy food’, eg: jackfruit, tapioca, squash, onions.
It contributes to colic in the baby and can cause indigestion for mother and baby.

Poisonous foods such as shrimp, shellfish, crabs, eels, ginger
It delays the healing of the mother’s wound and can cause allergies and eczema in the baby. These foods can cause stomach upset and vomiting.

Recommended type of food

To improve milk production.

Chicken, squid, clams (small varieties), fish (especially carp), millet, lamb, pork, rice wine, sea slug, soy milk mixed with powdered nuts, wheat cakes, wheat egg noodles, papaya green

Provide strength to the mother so that she recovers quickly from the effort of childbirth.
Chicken, frog, Panax ginseng, liquorice extract and razor clams

What you eat also depends on what you create and who cooks for you. If it’s your mother or MIL, you may not have many options. I have seen women fighting and not talking about this issue. Try to reach a compromise that is acceptable to both parties. Use a persuasive and logical approach rather than confrontational.