My confinement methods

Just updating you guys on what I have been upto lately.

Planning about my confinement period.

Last year, I rested in my mother in law's place for 2 weeks.

It was in kampung so easier to find confinement lady to take care of me especially during the 3 massage's day.

I had my MIL's help to prepare food and prepare my bath water which was supplied by the confinement lady in advance.

However, I took care of my newborn myself such as bathing her, showering her and etc because I don't want to burden my MIL more than necessary.

I just feel guilty.

I am the active kind of person which means, resting do nothing, sleep or lie down, that I cannot do.

I don't like sleeping during the day.

To think again, I didn't take a nap during my confinement.

This time, I am planning to rest in our own home.

It is much easier for hubby to go to work and of course there is unifi, complete Astro channels hehehehe and freedom.

I do confine myself but my way.

There are things that I really pay attention to:-

1)My episiotomy wound. You have to make sure that it is clean ladies. As much as you are scared of it, you should atleast palpate it gently to feel any gapping, swelling or bulging, pus discharges etc.

I used Dettol to clean the skin.

Skin only.

I didn't dare to use mirror to look at the wound hahaha.

I also didn't ask my husband to check on them. No way.

Some things are private to me.

This time I am going to use Mek Jawa Wash to clean my V and wound.

2)Walk gently, sit with your legs close. For 2 weeks I observed this until my wound ihas healed and the. sutures are gone.

You don't want the sutures to be open right.

3)Use Sitz bath. Warm water with salt in a basin and sit on it. It will clean the wound and help it heal faster.

4)I sit on a doughnut pillow so that my perineum wound be compressed on a surface.

5)I use 'bengkung' all the time, tied tightly from abdomen to my thigh.

You will feel comfortable when your womb is held well and I believe it will help compress the loose abdominal muscles as well.

At the same time, it will help hold the pelvic floor.

I observe this until 44 days no matter what.

It helps bring you figure back.

6)I do not hold my pee or poop. I will poop from the first day itself. This is to avoid constipation.

Constipation will make defecation more difficult and painful.

Healthy digestive system will make a happy you.

Can also avoid urinary tract infection.

7)Drink a lot of water. Yes this is not traditional rules of confinement.

I believe to boost milk supply you need enough water.

Water is also needed to burn fat thus a state of dehydration is not good for fat burning.

You will find yourself sweating during confinement period as a way for your body to get rid of all the water retention during pregnancy.

You will loose water weight even if you drink water.

8)Do not carry heavy things. You have to know that 10 months of stretched ligaments from pelvic floor will not just return to its old self immediately.

It will be lagged and loose.

Thus, weak.

That is why you don't want to carry heavy things to further lag the pelvic floor more.

Rest.

You don't want to have cervical prolapse later in life.

9)Mind your physical activities.

During pregnancy, your joints and ligaments are loose to support the enlargement of your size.

Thus right after delivery, the still remain loose eventhough your limbs and everything has shrunk.

That is why, you shouldn't burden the joints that much by wearing heels, climbing up and down the stairs, lifting things up and down or bending or squating.

For me, I felt my strength back to usual after 3 months.

If you do not obey this rule, you might have inflammation of the joints, such as tendinitis, back pain and etc.

10)Food. I eat healthy balanced food with lots of protein, vegetables and low carbohydrate.

This to loose weight.

Protein boost metabolism and help with body tissues recovery.

Vegetable for healing as well and to provide nutritious milk for my newborn.

Carbohydrate is enough for energy but the rest, my body just have to utilize from my fat storage.

However, I still avoid gassy food, cold vegetables.

I eat chicken, eggs, fish a lot.

Fruits as well.

11)I drink milk and horlicks to boost my milk supply.

12)I observed the 3 days massages by the confinement lady. From the 3rd day until 6. I don't miss this routine.

13)I pampered myself with the fresh smelling herbal bathwater. It was so refreshing. I love the smell of 'pandan'and 'serai wangi'.

14)I use socks religiously.

15)Eat black pepper and 'mengkoyang'.  I dunno what they are called in English but they tasted terrible.

Blueeek. It was believed to help shrink your uterus.

That I am not sure.

Maybe I should do research on that. If only I know what the English name is.

You can take tumeric but make sure you observe sign of jaundice in your newborn.

Some herbs are too strong for newborn and can cause jaundice.

16)Ginger tea to get rid of gas. I love this.

17)My MIL told me to not bang on the wall or furniture to avoid 'bentan'. Dunno what that is but basically it will weaken your joints.

Logically, your joints are still weak like my above explaination so any injury,trauma can worsen the condition.

18)Owh I don't use any param pilis or whatever oil during the last confinement period.

This time I am planning to buy Tanamera confinement sets.

This I will share with you next time.

19)Do not take your newborn outside so soon. I was very careful where I took my baby until she was 6 months.

I didn't take her to the malls, crowded place until she was more than 6 months old.

This was to avoid infection.

Babies have babies' immunity which means weak.

That is why we should avoid unnecessary infections.

More people means more infection because people are the sources of infection.

I also don't let people hold my baby except those who are really close like close relatives.

Everyone's mouth has her or his own germs which my baby doesn't recognize.

After being born, a baby will get the parents' microflora from skin and oral cavity.

So baby will be used to this microflora.

Imagine if she meets so many people.

Can her body handle this?

20) Sick people, anyone with cough or runny nose, cannot be close to a newborn.

I know it is customary in our culture to visit but I will tell them politely if the visitors are unwell.

There are more but 20 will be enough for now.

I have more rules for babies but I think I just stop for now. It is a long post already.

As you can see my confinement rules are science-proven rules.

Hmm, I know the Malay's traditional rules but if they don't make sense, I don't follow them.

Still, I just keep quiet to respect the elders.