Diet taboos after childbirth

Raw, cold and unclean food that has gone bad or not been cooked thoroughly, food that you are allergic to, as well as excess alcohol, strong tea, processed food that is high in sugar, oil and salt. The remaining so-called "taboos" are mostly related to personal constitution and the views of different medical systems, and there is no need to apply one-size-fits-all.

A while ago, I accompanied my best friend for a postpartum check-up. She had just finished the "little confinement" arranged by her family. When she saw the doctor, she complained that she had not touched fruit for half a month, and even warm water had to be boiled to the point of scalding her mouth before she dared to drink it. As a result, she was constipated to the point where she squatted on the toilet too hard last week. The lochia that had almost stopped has increased again. There was also a small crack in her buttocks, which was so painful that she could not sit still. The doctor laughed after hearing this, saying that in this age, people still believe this. Wash fruits at room temperature and eat them directly. Only with enough dietary fiber can you prevent constipation. It is much more effective than drinking ten laxative remedies.

When it comes to this, someone must mention what the elders said: "Don't touch raw or cold food." In fact, the criteria for judging this point are different between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. The "raw and cold taboos" in the eyes of Western medicine are actually only uncooked foods, such as sashimi, soft-boiled eggs, and unwashed raw vegetables. The fear is that parasites and bacterial infections will affect the repair of the endometrium. As for cold-temperature foods, as long as your stomach can tolerate it, there is no problem. However, "raw and cold" in traditional Chinese medicine refers more to foods with a cold nature and flavor, such as iced milk tea, popsicles just taken out of the freezer, and crabs from the cold. If you have a cold constitution, you will have stomachache and diarrhea when you eat cold food. Try to avoid it for a week, otherwise the gastrointestinal discomfort will be severe, which will stretch the pelvic cavity and affect recovery. If you usually drink iced Coke every time and nothing happens after eating, then there is really no need to endure it. It is perfectly fine to eat less to satisfy your cravings. Last week, a little girl sent me a private message, saying that she secretly ate a bite of ice cream on the third day after giving birth, and was scolded by her mother for half an hour. She said that it would cause the disease in the future.

There is also a very controversial question of "whether blood-activating foods can be consumed". Different schools of Chinese medicine have different opinions on this point. Some schools of thought believe that the endometrium is still bleeding in the first week after miscarriage. Eating too much saffron, longan, and red ginseng, which are great for nourishing and activating blood circulation, will increase the amount of bleeding and prolong the duration of lochia. ； However, some schools of thought believe that if the blood stasis is severe after childbirth, the lochia discharged is full of blood clots and the stomach hurts, eating something appropriate to promote blood circulation can help the discharge of the residue, which is a good thing. Western medicine has no clear taboo requirements for this. As long as your bleeding volume does not exceed twice the usual menstrual volume, eating some boiled eggs with brown sugar and longan soup will not be a big problem at all. Just don't eat it three times a day.

Oh, by the way, there are a lot of deceptive old rules that really need to be thrown away. For example, many places say that after a miscarriage, you can’t eat salt and eat light food. I saw a post from a girl before, saying that her family made salt-free millet porridge and eggs for a week. When she stood up on the fourth day, she fainted in the toilet. She went to check for hyponatremia. It was really outrageous. After a miscarriage, it is easy to sweat and lose a lot of salt. As long as the salt is not too salty, such as eating half a bag of pickles in one meal, it is completely fine. Only when the electrolytes are balanced can you have the strength to recover. There are also those who say you can’t eat seafood. As long as you are not allergic to eating shrimp or cod before, and if it is thoroughly cooked, it will contain high-quality protein. It will make up for you more than drinking those old hen soups that can’t skim off the oil, and it will not make you gain weight easily.

Many people have asked me if they can drink coffee. I used to think that I should avoid it completely, but it wasn’t until I asked my maternal and child doctor last time that I learned that it’s not necessary at all. The latest obstetrics and gynecology guidelines clearly state that daily caffeine intake should not exceed 200mg, which is the amount of a medium-sized American cup. It will not affect recovery at all. If you usually rely on coffee to survive, but suddenly stop and you have a headache and insomnia, then drinking a warm cup is completely fine. If you drink coffee and you feel flustered and unable to sleep, then of course don't touch it. All taboos must be combined with your own physical feelings. There is no unified standard.

I have met so many girls who are recovering after childbirth. In fact, the ones who recover the fastest are not the ones who tie themselves up and dare not eat anything. Instead, they eat normally. They eat vegetables, fruits, eggs, and lean meats in different ways every day. If you want something sweet, you can eat a piece of cake. If you want to drink a cup of milk tea, you can order a warm one. If you are in a good mood, you will recover faster. You really don’t need to take your postpartum diet so seriously. What’s more important than taboos is not to overwork yourself, don’t have sex, go for follow-up examinations on time, and see a doctor if you feel uncomfortable. It’s much more useful than worrying about whether you can eat a bite of strawberry or a popsicle.