In Taiwan, every pregnant woman receives a Maternal Health
Handbook from the government. Some of
the advice offered is different from what we would read in the West. Here are some tips I found interesting…
Under “Dietary Requirements:”
--Recommended daily foods include giblets, soymilk, tofu,
bean curd, bean curd sheet, amaranth, Chinese Kale, leaf mustard, water
convolvulus, pig blood, duck blood
--Post-birth, you can ask the hospital to prepare you a
“Chinese herbal medicated meal” to help you recover that includes “sesame
oil, eucomia bark, tuber fleece-flower root, Chinese angelica, wolfberry and
dates with pork ribs, pork heart, pork liver, pork kidney, chicken, sea perch,
and pork feet. Herbal soup and malt
water provided.”
Under “Things You Must Know During Pregnancy:”
“#9. Relax and Be Happy Mood
Being anxious and in a nervous mood may cause the child to
become restless and insecure in the future.”
On list of 20 Essential Items You Should Prepare for Your Baby:
4-6 Kimonos
Mosquito Net
Musical Bell
On the List of Items You Should Bring to the Hospital:
Paper pants
Delivery Pad
Chopsticks and bowl
Thermos bottle
Under a lengthy section titled “Postnatal Exercise:”
“The beautiful figure is the foremost concept in developed
countries to seek after healthier life.”
Other tips I've heard from people in Taiwan (not doctors) include:
Don't eat too much soy sauce or your baby's skin will be dark.
Drink lots of soy milk so your baby's skin will be white.
Don't lift anything heavier than ten pounds.
Don't drink water after giving birth (only soup with Chinese medicine.)
Don't do any home renovations (it's bad luck for the baby).
Don't sit on the floor.
I bet you laughed a lot while reading this. I have been told here in HK not to drink cold water. It's bad for my ovaries :)
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of giving your baby a musical bell, but why?! Actually the recommended food seems sensible, if not to everyone's palate. Lots of protein, and blood to make up for the loss during birth.
ReplyDelete