Chinese women believe the month after childbirth is a critical time for both the mother and the baby. A Chinese woman is encouraged to zuo yue zi (lay-in) for one month after childbirth, during which time she is cared for by an older woman (usually her mother or mother-in-law), who takes on all domestic tasks.
"I stayed in bed for a month after childbirth," said Mrs Zhang, 32, from Henan Province. "During that time, my mother-in-law advised me about what I should do. She would not let me take a shower, brush my teeth or wash my hair, and there were lots of things I could not eat or drink. Cold drinks and uncooked foods were forbidden, especially cold water and fruit. My mother-in-law encouraged me to eat a lot of fish soup and pig-trotter soup. She said it would help me to produce milk for breast-feeding. She said my eyes were very weak, and, as a result, I must not watch TV or read books. Also, I usually wear slippers around the house. During that month, I could only wear slipper boots, which did not hit the soles of my feet when I walked, as she said that would hurt my feet.”
