Health: Recovery after the childbirth

While Australian medical practice focuses on mothers bouncing immediately back after childbirth, the tradition of zuo yue zi, or sitting the month carries great importance for the Chinese community. In zuo yue zi, new mothers spend a full 30 (or more) days of rejuvenation, rehabilitation and recovery. What that means in practice is no exercise, no going outside, no cold foods (ice water included), no sex, no bathing, no washing hair and no brushing teeth. Nowadays do Chinese women need to follow the traditional practice or spend the postnatal period as their Australian counterparts? Dr Seng Chai Chua from Sydney Westmead Hospital gives his answer to this interesting question.