I've finally ended my 28-days confinement!
Besides eating food that has bits of ginger, red wine, sesame oil and lots of fish, I've been taking lots of herbal soups and red dates tea from Mummamia during these 28 days. By the 2nd week, I found myself slowly getting back in action. I believe having the right nutrition and nourishment really help me to speed up recovery. Even though I don't know much about Tradition Chinese Medicine (TCM), I do strongly believe that having the right herbs helps new mothers to recuperate faster.
Mummamia
Mummamia provides hassle-free traditional confinement products and services to all mothers from a mother's angle. Their products and services are designed, with the help of HUANGDINEIJING (皇帝内经) and TCM Physician advisors, to help mummies recuperate, strengthen, support breastfeeding journey and promote healthy body and diet care. In addition, their pre-packed herbs and products also helped to make DIY confinement possible.
1. Pre-packed confinement herbs
With the pre-packed herbs that are professionally prescribed by TCM Physician, I didn't have to buy the herbs separately from the Chinese Medical Hall. For my first confinement, I bought herbs as advised by the Medical Hall staff and left it for my confinement aunty to mix, match and brew. She seemed to be familiar with what to mix and match, but I think having a pre-packed herbs still help.
It was until this time, I got to know about the type of herbs post partum mothers need. The pre-packed herbs focus on 5 main confinement recovery stages: Expel, Remove, Rejuvenate, Recuperate and Tonify. Having confinement aunty to mix and match might not bring out the optimal health effect.
In general, the 5 types of herbs help to nourish "Qi" and tonify "Yin", strengthen spleen and kidney, boost milk supply, rejuvenate "Qi" and blood, invigorate kidney and reduce water retention.
Preparation of these herbs was very convenient too. Confinement auntie just had to rinse the herbs and boil it with meat. I took them twice a day (lunch/tea break and dinner) over the entire confinement period. They (or rather 4/5 types) tasted great with black chicken. One of the 5 types was too bitter for my liking.
2. Pre-packed Red Dates Tea
Red dates tea is a must during confinement! Red dates are rich in iron, calcium, vitamins and also boost energy ("Qi"). It helps new mothers to replenish blood lost and nourishes "Qi" for better and speedy recovery. The pre-packed also contains dried longan that helps to soothe new mothers' anxiety and nourishes kidney.
After brewing it using a slow cooker (normal stove boil will work too!), confinement aunty will store in a thermal flask so that I can to drink warm red dates tea throughout the day. During the confinement, I drank mostly red dates tea and sip plain water when I was taking medication/vitamins or really thirsty.
3. Mom Confinement Herbal Bath
The worst thing about confinement is not able to bath using normal shower water as many said that it will bring in "wind" to the body and cause chill/weaken the body. Thankfully, there is herbal bath that is suitable for new mothers.
The herbal bath helps to expel wind, reduces oedema (retention of fluid), activates blood circulation and relieves body aches after childbirth. I bathed using these herbal bath water 1-2 times a week. But to be honest, it was just a temporary relieve. Oh well, better not all bathing at all. With all the heaty/hot food and minimal fan, I was still sweating throughout the day. Now that I've ended my confinement, I'm so glad to be able to shower again!
4. Baby Series Confinement Herbal Bath
Besides the Mom confinement Herbal Bath, there is also herbal bath for baby. It helps to reduce foetal toxicity, jaundice, adult heat rashes, acne in newborn babies. Avalyn didn't get to try this as it slipped my mind that I had this herbal bath for baby.
5. Nursing Herbal Soup and Mammgation-due Capsule
One of the biggest worries that I had when I just had Emma was building milk supply. I was nursing her and didn't know if I had enough milk. It even took me a few weeks to pump out enough for Emma when she was 3 months old. So, I was glad to know about nursing herbal soup and mammgation-duce capsule.
The nursing herbal soup help to promote better milk supply, reduce engorgement pain and reduce risk of breast inflammation. Mammgation-duce capsule promotes blood circulations and maintain healthy internal secretion of mammary gland to enhance lactation.
This round, I'm thankful for a good milk supply even though I didn't get to nurse Avalyn consistently for the first 2 days. Our sleepyhead, Avalyn, was losing weight for the first 1+ week so doctor advised that I pump and bottle feed her to ensure she drinks enough. With 2-hrly bottle feeding, she has since been putting on weight. :) Over the past few weeks, I exclusively pumped and have more milk that Avalyn could drink. Thus, skipping these two goodies for now and leaving them for future "emergencies".
Mummamia also carries other products suitable for pre-natal consumption/use and TCM services. Take a look at their website (www.mummamia.sg) to find out more! You can also find them at:
Mount Alvernia Hospital Retail Pharmacy
Thomas Medical Centre (Parentcraft Shop)
Time Enterprise, Aperia Mall, 12 Kallang Ave #03-16
Mom Essentials, KK Hospital Retail Mall #01-22
Mom Essentials, Square 2 #02-74
1010 Mother & Child, The Seletar Mall #B1-02/03
1010 Mother & Child, City Square Mall #B2-45/46
1010 Mother & Child, Waterway Point #02-28
Isetan Scotts, Level 4, Children Dept
Spring Maternity Suntec City Mall Tower 4, #02-728/729/730
Takashimaya Dept Store #B3 Food Hall (Lo Hong Ka)
----
Thank you Mummamia for nourishing me during my confinement!
No comments:
Post a Comment