Easy to Follow Confinement and Lactating Recipes

Wonderful easy-to-follow recipes from WendyinKK's Table for 2... or More blog.

These are all very useful confinement recipes from Wendy's site @ http://wendyinkk.blogspot.com/search/label/Confinement

Traditional Chinese Confinement Food Recipes

A variety of Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew, FuZhuo (FooChow), Nyonya Postpartum Recipes from the 101 Healthy Easy Food Recipes website:

Postpartum Care and Post-Natal Diets

Chinese is particularly concerns about postpartum care as they believe post-natal diets, if well-taken care of, can speed up womb recovery, replenish blood lost during delivery, strengthen the body and prevent post-natal health problem that may arise. The foods or ingredients are carefully selected and meticulously coupled to make a well-rounded and nutritious confinement dish to treat their post-natal period. These confinement dishes are mainly for nourishing the blood, promoting blood circulation, dispelling postpartum 'wind' from the abdomen area ('wind' is left behind when placenta is exerted out), replenishing 'qi', getting rid of blood stasis in the womb, warding off colds, stimulating lactation and also strengthening body resistance towards various ailments. Some common ingredients typically used in Chinese confinement recipes which are favored for their healing properties are, ginger, turmeric, galangal, sesame oil, Chinese herbs (such as Chinese Angelica Root, Chinese wolfberries, dates), pork and fish.

There are many confinement or post-natal rituals practiced by Chinese older folks which are rather elaborate and complicated. Albeit there are many do's and don'ts, one should not just believe and abide without some common sense. Some traditional practices may pose some risks to the mother's health and hygiene problems when handling infant. Always approach doctors or certified professionals for consultation on the food intake if you are not sure.

Healthy Easy Traditional Chinese Confinement Food Recipes

Healthy postpartum diet feature well-balanced foods which give the crucial inputs required during confinement. Chinese of different regional dialects observe their confinement practice and consume their postpartum diet differently, each with their own beliefs and uniqueness.

Cantonese Postpartum Diet Recipes

Cantonese confinement dish mainly centers around wine, ginger and vinegar. Black vinegar shank features an assemblage of these ingredients is much sought after to replenish calcium and iron loss during child birth. There're multiple ways of preparing Cantonese confinement dish, with most of them featuring copious amount of glutinous rice wine or less alcoholic wine. Cantonese post-natal woman shun taking overnight, raw and cold food. Cantonese Basil Meat With Ginger & Wine Recipe Cantonese Black Vinegar Shank Recipe Cantonese Carp Soup With Papaya Recipe Cantonese Chicken With Ginger & Wine Recipe Cantonese Fried Ginger Rice Recipe Cantonese Lemongrass Chicken Soup Recipe Cantonese Mesentery Soup With Dang Gui & Pepper Recipe Cantonese Pearl Chicken Recipe Cantonese Scallop Porridge Recipe Cantonese Soup Of Mee Suah (Fine Rice Noodle) Recipe Cantonese Steam Cod Fish With Ginger & Wine Recipe Cantonese Stewed Black Silky Chicken Soup Recipe

Hakka Postpartum Diet Recipes

The most renowned Hakka confinement dish is chicken with ginger and wine. Wine selection ranges from homemade rice wine or grape wine, to ready-made and commercially available glutinous rice wine or D.O.M. Shallot pork maw soup dispels postpartum 'wind' effectively whilst stewed Dang Guiin coconut soup is a potent treat of migraine. Hakka post-natal woman tends to shy away from drinking plain water and taking too much salt. Hakka Dang Gui Soup In Coconut Recipe Hakka Mei Cai (Dried Salted Mustard-Cabbage) Braised Meat Recipe Hakka Fried Rice Soup Recipe Hakka Shallot Pork Maw Soup Recipe Hakka Stewed Chicken With Dom & Ginger Recipe

Teochew Postpartum Diet Recipes

Teochew confinement dish predominantly features rice wine or ginger wine, as both wines typically can be tolerated by most population without triggering any alcohol intolerance symptoms, such as hives (swelling or urticaria), itching et cetera. Angelica sinensis (Dang Gui) and Codonopsitis Pilosulae (Dang Shen) are the common Chinese herbs consumed by Teochew to tonify blood and invigorate 'qi' (lack of appetite, fatigue, thirst, diarrhea, vomiting, prolapse of uterus). Lean meat vinegar soup is their potent traditional post-natal recipe to help uterus to contract to its normal size. Teochew's traditional post-natal beliefs include staying away from raw and uncooked food and refrain from consuming too much of green vegetables. Teochew Steamed Fish With Chinese Wolfberries (Qi Zi) Recipe Teochew Chicken Soup With Herbs Recipe Teochew Chicken Wine With Egg Recipe Teochew Shank With Vinegar And Ginger Recipe Teochew Stir-Fried Kidney With Dom & Sesame Oil Recipe

Fuzhou (Foochow) Postpartum Diet Recipes

Fuzhou (foochow) confinement dish features Fuzhou red wine, a renowned reddish-colored wine fermented from glutinous rice, red rice bran (or red yeast) and wine biscuit (or 'jiu bing'), which is distinctly rich, concentrated, sweet with a tinge of sourish end and with wonderful aroma. Fuzhoured wine is entrenched in Fuzhou community and often used generously in confinement cooking.Fuzhou red wine and fermented wine rice is used predominantly in Fuzhou confinement diet, omitting the water in order to achieve optimal result of nourishing 'qi' and blood. Braised Shank with Fuzhou Red Wine Recipe Fried Eggs With Fuzhou Red Wine Recipe Fish With Fuzhou Red Wine Recipe Fuzhou Fermented Wine Rice Chicken Recipe Fuzhou Stir-Fried Kale (Kai Lan) With Ginger Juice Recipe

Nyonya Postpartum Diet Recipes

Nyonya confinement dish always encapsulates subtle and refined combination of herbs and spicesto bring out its intense and pungent flavor. Besides delicious and nutritious, Nyonya confinement dish emphasizes dispelling postpartum 'wind' through post-natal diet and also regulating 'qi'. For Nyonyas, the actual confinement period lasts for 100 days, and they look after their confinement diet especially well for the first 40 days as it's crucial for speedy postpartum recovery. Nyonya Egg Omelette In Sesame Oil Recipe Nyonya Herbed Rice (Nasi Ulam) Recipe Nyonya Chicken In Soy Sauce Recipe Nyonya Sautéed Curry ('Gulai Tumis') Recipe Nyonya Ulam-ulam Recipe

Veronique Maternity Support Garments

VERONIQUE MATERNITY SUPPORT GARMENTS

This was first posted in April 2011 but Zoe appears to be still active on facebook

TO CALL: 016 6399172 (ZOE/ SITI). EMAIL: globalfindings.my@gmail.com. FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/webmommykl

Some images of the garments from Zoe's website:

Wireless* Contouring Support Bra with Self-Adjusting Cups
Style #MB410

Description: Patent Pending. FDA approved Class 1 Medical Device. Designed for continued custom fit during pregnancy and nursing.

Features:

• Self-Adjusting Cup Size for Custom Fit
• Wireless Support
• Patent Pending Self-Adjusting Wireless Stretch Casing
• Seamless Soft Cotton Knit Cups
• Bias Cut Cups to Contour and Lift Breasts
• Bilateral Breast Support
• Adjustable Shoulder Straps
• 4-Row Adjustable Hook & Eye Back Closure
• 1 1/4'' Under Bust Stabilizing Band

Material:

• Nylon/Spandex
• Soft Cotton Knit
• Lightweight, Breathable & Antimicrobial Fabric
• Latex Free Fabric

Active Bra with Seamless Comfort Cups
Style #MB430

Description: FDA approved Class 1 Medical Device. Designed for continued custom fit during pregnancy and nursing.

Features:

• Self-Adjusting Cup Size for Custom Fit
• Wireless Internal Support Cradle
• Seamless Soft Cotton Knit Cups
• Bilateral Breast Support
• Adjustable Shoulder Straps
• 4-Row Adjustable Hook & Eye Back Closure
• 1 1/4'' Under Bust Stabilizing Band

Material:

• Nylon/Spandex
• Soft Cotton Knit
• Lightweight, Breathable & Antimicrobial Fabric
• Latex Free Fabric

Wireless* Contouring Support Bra with Self-Adjusting Quick-Release Drop Cups
Style #MB400

Description: FDA approved Class 1 Medical Device. Ideal for nursing. Designed for continued custom fit during pregnancy and nursing.

Features:

• Quick Release Nursing Drop Cups
• Self-Adjusting Cup Size for Custom Fit
• Wireless Support
• Patent Pending Self-Adjusting Wireless Stretch Casing
• Seamless Soft Cotton Knit Cups
• Bias Cut Cups to Contour and Lift Breasts
• Bilateral Breast Support
• Adjustable Shoulder Straps
• 4-Row Adjustable Hook & Eye Back Closure
• 1 1/4'' Under Bust Stabilizing Band

Material:

• Nylon/Spandex
• Soft Cotton Knit
• Lightweight, Breathable & Antimicrobial Fabric
• Latex Free Fabric

Cesarean Support
Style #MG81CS

Description: FDA approved Class 1 Medical Device. Ideal for recovery after Cesarean birth. For use beginning at 4 days postpartum and throughout a woman's entire recovery, to provide support, body stabilization, and comfort.

Features:

• Targeted PowerNet Panel Support System
• Seamless Internal Front Panel
• 1'' Wide High-Waist Stabilizing Band
• Adjustable and Detachable Shoulder Straps
• Cotton Lined Crotch
• Discreetly Located Side Zipper for Easy Application

Material:

• Nylon/Spandex
• Lightweight, Breathable & Antimicrobial Fabric
• Latex Free Fabric

Mid Body Support with Adjustable Corset
Style #MG161C

Description: FDA approved Class 1 Medical Device. Ideal for Stage 2 recovery. For use at 3 weeks postpartum and extended wear. Made from lightweight PowerNet fabric, this garment provides abdominal wall support and hourglass shaping, postpartum.

Features:

• Triple Adjustment Corset
• Seamless Internal Front Panel
• 1'' Wide High-Waist Stabilizing Band
• Adjustable and Detachable Shoulder Straps
• Cotton Lined Crotch

Material:

• Nylon/Spandex
• Lightweight, Breathable & Antimicrobial Fabric
• Latex Free Fabric

Confinement Do's and Don'ts

An interesting read, posted by mummally @ 06 September 2007 10:59PM on Malaysia Brides Forum

Confinement taboos 
These traditional approaches stem from the belief that newborn babies are more easily infected by illnesses, and in the olden days of high infant mortality, it became a practice to keep both baby and mother indoors during a period of confinement. Today, many of these old beliefs are still practised in varying degrees. If you are inclined to follow suit, bear in mind that everything should be in moderation.Chinese 
The Chinese have a confinement period of 1 month. But they are also advised to restrain from sexual activities for 100 days. During this 1 month confinement period, a confinement lady is normally employed for a month to live with the family and take care of the new mother and baby.

There are 5 definite taboos during the Chinese confinement period. The new mother is not allowed to wash her hair during the entire period. The reason generally given for this is that washing your hair after delivery is believed to affect the discharge of "unclean matter" from the womb, and to cause various physical irregularities like slackened internal organs, waist pains, poor blood circulation and dark pigmentation. For this reason, many Chinese women prefer to cut their hair short before delivery. Dry shampoos are a common alternative. These are available at all leading pharmacies. Bathing is only done with Chinese herb infused hot water only. These special herbs are available at all Chinese Medical Halls.

Another big no-no is excessive sweating and coming into contact with wind. The thinking behind this is that sweating further expands the pores allowing wind to enter the weakened body. Therefore, new mothers are advised not to consume foods that are too hot, and to wipe away sweat immediately.

Reading books and watching TV are also not recommended for more than 15 minutes because the eyes are thought to age first. Similarly, crying is also not encouraged.

For up to 6 months after delivery, new Chinese mothers are advised not to carry heavy loads to avoid the further slackening of internal organs and to prevent backaches. The right way to carry your baby is to sit, carry, then stand.

Water and cold drinks are not consumed for 21 days after delivery because they are thought to have a bad effect on the metabolism, causing among other things, rheumatism. Chinese women generally drink rice wine with the alcohol evaporated and the red date water.Indian 
The Indians practice a 40 day confinement period, where they rest and recover in their mothers’ houses. Traditionally, all Indian mothers are only allowed to take herbal baths and receive a special massage with mustard oil daily. In some very traditional families, they consider the first week after delivery a period of pollution for the entire Indian family. Therefore, a ceremony may be held on the seventh day to remove the pollution.Malay 
The Malays observe the tempoh berpantang or taboo period for 44 days. Traditionally, a woman spends her confinement in her family home where she is attended by her mother and the bidan. The bidan will normally come to the house for three days to perform urut to release stress and help the body to recover quickly. During confinement, the bidan may warm the new mother’s abdomen by applying a smooth, heated stone (bertungku). This is specifically reputed to "cleanse the womb" (menaikkan rahim) to prevent illness, speed the shrinking of the uterus and therefore return a pre-pregnancy figure.Got this from the wonderful world of the internet! :)

I can tell you this much ; I did not follow any of the taboo. I bathed and washed my hair on the second day after my delivery at the hospital. I couldnt stand the sweaty skin and oily hair.Plus my MIL did the confinement for me and she's kinda modern so she didnt follow much. Just cooked me food but not those authentic confinement food more like normal dishes but add kei chi and tons of ginger. I spent the first 15 mins of each mealtime picking out the ginger bits. I didnt eat much rice but I took lots of steamed cod fish which was good for breastfeeding moms as I found that my milk supply increased. And I think she got sick cooking the same type of food everyday that towards the end she asked if I wanted McD. Lol

But I took lots of those herbs in pill forms from Eu Yan Seng and I drank plenty of soups. Its very difficult not to touch water since I took care of Ashley single handedly during my confinement. Everyone is looking at me one kind each time I told them that I bathed Ashley myself. What's wrong with that?

Anyway you can choose to follow but remember to do things in moderation 

Post Natal Diet / Confinement Diet

During pregnancy, the baby is like a parasite and will take all the nutrients that he requires from you. If your diet is sufficient in nutrients for both, it does not cause any problems. If on the other hand your diet is insufficient for both, then your recovery after the birth will take longer and if you still do not replenish your body stores during the confinement period, you may remain weak for a long time. This is probably why our elders make such a lot of fuss about eating well during the confinement period.

Wherever you are in the world, everyone will try and tell you what to eat and if possible how to eat it. The most important thing to do is follow your own body's needs. Whatever you eat, do make sure that you have a good balance of proteins, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates, and water in every meal.

Just remember the following pointers:

1. If you are breast feeding whatever you eat will be transferred to your baby via your breast milk therefore it is important that you eat a balanced diet so that your baby will get the right nutrients for optimum growth and development.

2. Some food does cause the baby to become 'windy' or have loose stools. If you find that your baby is suddenly quite unsettled, try and think of what you ate during the last 12 hours. Avoid that food for a few days and then try again. If the same happens again, then you should avoid that particular food for a while and re-introduce it into your diet by taking a very small amount and see how baby reacts then slowly increase the amount so that baby gets used to the food.

3. You may find that your appetite is slightly low especially during the first week. This is normal as your body is readjusting to its non-pregnant state both physically and mentally therefore it is better to have small frequent meals instead of the normal 3 big meals a day.

4. You need to drink plenty of fluids in order to make sufficient breast milk and if you are forbidden to drink water, you can get the amount of fluid from other sources such as soup.

So what should you eat?

Most Eastern cultures believe that your body is cold after delivery therefore you should avoid cooling or cold food but eat a lot of yang or ‘heaty' food to warm the body up. However, if you are normally a yang person, eating too much ‘heaty' food may cause rashes and fever. In this case it would be better to reduce the amount of ‘heaty' food and eat more neutral food. If you are normally a Yin person, you should not have any problems eating ‘heaty' food (lucky devils). The following table gives you a quick review of the types of food to eat or avoid.

Types of food to avoid

‘Cooling food' for example: banana, cabbage, cucumber, coconut and Chinese cabbage
Contribute to mother's poor blood circulation and stomach ache in the baby if you are breastfeeding. Salt as a condiment and salty foods in general are to be rejected, too, in the belief that use reduces breast milk production

‘Acidic food' for example: pineapple, mango, lemon, lime
Contribute to excessive lochia in the mother and diarrhea in the baby.

Too much ‘Heaty food' for example: chilli, pepper, spices, tonics, spirits and medicines.
Contribute to diarrhea in the baby and maternal headaches

‘Windy food' for example: jackfruit, tapioca, pumpkin, onions.
Contribute to baby being colicky and may cause indigestion for mother and baby.

Poisonous food such as prawns, shellfish, crab, eel, ginger
Delay healing of the mother's wound and may cause allergies and eczema in the baby. These foods may cause stomach upsets and vomiting

Type of food recommended

To improve milk production

Chicken, squid, clams (small varieties), fish (especially carp), millet, mutton, pork, rice wine, sea slug, soybean milk mixed with powdered walnuts, wheat cakes, wheat noodles with egg, green papaya

To provide strength to the mother so she recovers quickly from the exertion of labor.
Chicken, frog, Panax ginseng, licorice extract and razor clam

What you eat also depends on what you believe in and who cooks for you. If it is your mother or MIL you may not have many choices. I have seen women quarrelling and not talking to each other because of this issue. Try and work out a compromise which is acceptable to both parties. Use a persuasive and logical approach instead of confrontation.

Little Start Apparels at Wholesale Price
http://littlestarwholesale.blogspot.com/

Read that there are many benefits to Raspberry Leaf Tea

• It can help build up the uterine lining and prepare it for conception
• Tones the uterus to ease labour

Here's an article from babycenter.com - I've heard that raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy can help to make labour easier. If so, when should I start taking it and how much should I take?

Fish That Are Safe To Eat During Pregnancy

Some links on the types of fish to avoid and those that are best to consume during pregnancy or when trying to conceive:

1. Which fish is safe to eat during pregnancy? - The Bub Hub
2. Is it safe to eat grilled salmon while pregnant?
3. Can you have Salmon or Tilapia when you are pregnant?
4. Is it safe to eat seafood during pregnancy?

Fertility After Forty at Preconception (Trying to Conceive, TTC, Fertility, Pregnancy Planner)

An interesting read on Fertility after Forty by Susun Weed:

The most fertile years of a woman's life are those between 18 and 28. Even into the mid-thirties, it is usually fairly easy to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. During these years the hormones that control ovulation, enhance conception, and ensure a healthy pregnancy are usually made easily and in generous quantities. And detrimental life-style choices have not had decades of repetition to create chronic problems.

But more and more women are waiting until their late thirties, early forties, even late forties, to have children. Is this too late? Are these destined to have high-risk pregnancies? Will these children have more birth defects?



The answer to these questions - and others like them - is "no!" for wise women who enlist the help of green allies to increase fertility, ensure conception, prevent birth defects, and promote a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.



INCREASING FERTILITY; ENSURING CONCEPTION



Increase your chances of conception by meditating. Cultivating a calm attitude, not surprisingly, enhances fertility. Even taking a quiet five minutes alone just for you, free of all responsibilities, can bring big results if done frequently enough.



Use lunaception to time your ovulation so you have the best odds of conceiving. It's fine to have sex in the weeks before ovulation, especially if the sex is focused on the woman and her orgasm, but do save your best efforts for those three nights when your "moon" is full and bright and ready to frolic.



Orgasm on the part of the male is necessary for fertilization. The woman's orgasm does increase the possibility of conception. Women who experience orgasm after their partner (up to 40 minutes after his ejaculation) have the very best chance of becoming pregnant.



Red clover is the single best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can't - even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such as blocked tubes, diabetes, ovarian cysts, internal scarring, or endometriosis. There are many heart-warming success stories I could share about red clover! But suffice to say, drinking 2-4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) seems to do wonders for fertility, no matter what your age.



PREVENTING BIRTH DEFECTS



Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures, pills, and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)



Vitamin E is an especially critical nutrient for fertility after forty and freedom from birth defects. Freshly-ground wheat flour, cold-pressed oils, and nut butters are all good sources of vitamin E, as are stinging nettle infusion and most cooked seaweed, such as kelp. The man's vitamin E level has as much, if not more, bearing on freedom from birth defects as does the woman's vitamin E level.



Avoid heat, both of you. Hot tubs, even prolonged soaking in a hot bath, can cause temporary (up to several months) sterility in some men. In women, it can endanger the early embryo and trigger a miscarriage or birth defects.



Avoid drugs, both of you, including alcohol, tobacco, coffee, as well as over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs (except those you absolutely need). Your liver needs to be strong and so do your kidneys, so you can conceive and gestate a child. Instead of alcohol, which damages the liver, drink herbal infusions or alcohol-free wine or beer. Instead of tobacco, which may contribute to birth defects and low birth weight, try smoking a little dried peppermint, or, better yet, go for a walk. Instead of coffee, which challenges the kidneys, you may wish to drink green tea or black tea, or try coffee substitutes, especially the one made with dandelion roots. Instead of drugs to ease everyday aches and pains, use the gentle herbal remedies instead.



EMOTIONAL ISSUES



Ambivalence about pregnancy and parenthood is normal and natural. But the older a woman gets, the more complicated her emotions about it may be. Add to her emotional soup pot strong opinions from family and friends, confusing information spread by the popular media, and fear-inducing pronouncements from "helpful" medical professionals, and that pot will be in danger of boiling over. Herewith then, some wise woman hints for keeping your cool in the midst of overt and covert confusion.



Contrary to current opinion, having children in your forties is ordinary and common worldwide. The Bible mentions several women having children in their fifties. What is unusual and unique to our time is having a first child in one's forties. Our mother's, mother's, mothers were having their fifth or eighth or tenth child when they were in their forties, not their first. If people tell you it just isn't done, close your eyes and call upon the spirit of your great-great-great-great grandmother, then smile and tell them it seems utterly ordinary to you.



Feeling tense and distressed about choosing or refusing motherhood? Motherwort tincture is my favorite calmative. A dose of 10-20 drops helps clear your mind, eases your tension, and assists you in discerning the best path to follow.



Bach flower remedies excel as helpers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Try:



Aspen when you feel anxious, apprehensive, or afraid of the unknown.

Mimulus when you are dwelling on a specific fear.

Elm when you feel overwhelmed or inadequate.

Red Chestnut when you are afraid for or worried about your baby to be.

Rock Rose when you are trembling, shaking, or weeping from anxiety or fear.

Regular gentle massage or Reiki treatments not only help you calm your distress, they also guide you in creating a strong center that's resistant to being pushed around by other people's opinions. Massage and/or Reiki also help prepare your mind/body for a healthy pregnancy and a safe birth.





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SPECIAL ALLIES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN OVER FORTY

The single most important herb for pregnant women over forty is comfrey (Symphytum uplandica hybrids). The leaves of the mature plant contain an abundance of constituents beneficial to mother and babe, including generous amounts of minerals, alantoin, proteins, and many vitamins. The minerals in comfrey help ensure healthy nervous system growth; the fetus's developing brain uses the proteins. And the alantoin helps the mother's tissues become stretchy and elastic.



Aging can lead to increased stiffness and brittleness in bones and muscles, making pregnancy more arduous and painful, labor slower and more difficult, and injury more likely during birth. The hormones of pregnancy, which help soften and relax the pelvic tissues, may not be produced in adequate amounts. Comfrey comes to the rescue! Comfrey creates flexible and strong tissues throughout the body especially mucus surfaces (including intestines, uterus, bladder and vagina), the bones, the ligaments and tendons, and the skin.



Regular use of the leaf infusion, at least a quart a week, promotes a safe delivery by:



strengthening uterine muscles and preparing them to work easily and well

strengthening perineal tissues so they become resistant to tearing

strengthening uterine ligaments so the uterus does not prolapse

strengthening the bladder and increasing resistance to bacterial infection

strengthening the vagina and helping to promote an environment hostile to infection

providing easily assimilated minerals to prevent eclampsia and other complications

helping the bones of the pelvis flex and open during birth

increasing iron in the blood and thus forestalling post-partum hemorrhage.

I harvest the flowering stalks when they are fully formed; and I am careful to use the cultivated garden comfrey, which grows very tall and has purplish, pinkish, bluish flowers. I avoid wild comfrey, which stays rather small even when flowering, and has cream-colored, white, or yellowish flowers.



Some people feel that comfrey is not safe to use during pregnancy. Some people feel comfrey is not safe to use internally at all. I disagree. The roots of comfrey do contain compounds that are best avoided during pregnancy (as do all parts of the wild plant). In fact, I rarely use comfrey root because of the possibility of liver congestion, and I strongly caution those who have had hepatitis, chemotherapy, or alcohol problems to strictly avoid comfrey root. Yet even these people can benefit from use of comfrey leaf infusions.



Another important herbal ally for women over forty who desire a child is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castii). It has been used in Africa and parts of Europe for several thousand years to discourage the male libido. In women, the effects seem to be the opposite! It may also be a fertility enhancer. Most importantly, chaste tree is a strengthening tonic for the pituitary gland, the master control gland for the endocrine system. Daily use of the tincture of the berries (1 dropperful/1 ml 2-3 times daily) had been shown to increase progesterone - the hormone of pregnancy - and luteinizing hormone - which promotes conception. Because it can lower prolactin levels, chaste tree is best discontinued during the last trimester of pregnancy.



Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is not recommended for women over forty. In general, this herb promotes blood flow to the uterus and surrounding tissues. This can promote the growth of fibroids and increase the risk of post-partum hemorrhage. Ginger is a better warming tonic; motherwort is better at relieving pain; and raspberry is better at preparing the uterus for birth

Post Natal Chinese Confinement Recipes (2)

Sharing another blog where a mother shares her experience on a simple list of Chinese confinement food and tea - http://chineseconfinementfood.blogspot.com/

Post Natal Confinement Recipe - Tonic Tea & Drink

As I was searching the web for instructions on how to prepare red dates tea, I stumble upon a blog where a mother shared her creative set of tonic drinks suitable for mothers during confinement.

Among the post natal tea, juices and drinks recommended are:
- Honey Dates, Almond & Walnut Tea
- Dates Smoothie
- Warm Apple Cobbler Tea
- Revitalizing Red Dates Tea
- Chamomile Tea & Honey
- Moroccan Mint Tea
- Turmeric Juice

The recipe for these set of tonic drinks seemed to me, rather tantalizing. I'm sure mothers out there having their mundane confinement drinks will welcome these delightful and refreshing choice of drinks.

The full recipe can be found here - http://amazingcookbook.blogspot.com/2007/12/post-natal-confinement-recipes-tonic.html