In China, the 30 to 40 days after a woman gives birth are sometimes referred to as zuo yuezi, which means 'The Sitting Month' - a postpartum confinement where you stay at home, care for your baby and recuperate.
The postpartum period has long been a time of profound neglect for mothers in America, but fortunately, that's beginning to change-albeit slowly. Postpartum care practices from other cultures are gaining traction stateside, alongside a growing awareness of what new mothers truly need after giving birth. One such need is nourishing, restorative meals that postpartum moms don't have to prepare themselves-meals that, in another time or place, might have been provided by their community.
If a family has enough postpartum support, then people are much more likely to be able to fully recover, experience less postpartum depression and enjoy parenting.
