+ golden month nourishment +
“Unlike in the West, where women are often encouraged and applauded for leaving their beds and returning to their regular lives as quickly as possible after delivery, in China, the forty days following childbirth, referred to as “Golden Month,” are given to the mother to rest, recover and regain her health. Much blood is lost during and after childbirth, resulting in a blood and qi deficiency, and a woman is therefore very susceptible to disease. Any illness she contracts during the postpartum period is believed to remain with her for the rest of her life. Moreover, any existing illness the mother has had prior to childbirth can be healed during Golden Month….”
-Xiaolan Zhao CMD., Reflections of the Moon on Water: Healing Women’s Bodies And Minds Through Traditional Chinese Wisdom
cultures throughout the world (mexico, china, and sudan, to name a few) recognize the first 40 days as the period of time following birth focused on the healing and nourishing of the mother’s postpartum body, the establishing of the bond between mother and child, and the nurturing of new life. it is a time when the vast majority of the mother’s life force is going toward nurturing the life of the young one, and therefore is practicing energy conservation in all other areas of her/their life. this is a time when the new mother is meant to be in deep receptivity, receiving support from partners, family, community, and birthworkers in the way of warming and nourishing food, drink, herbal medicine, body work, and childcare so that she can have moments to rest, regulate, and tend to herself.
this offering is primarily available for families local to the bay area, but in some cases i may be available to travel for a period of in-home care. please reach out and we can co-design a postpartum nourishment program that is suitable for your family’s needs and budget.
