The answer is, CONFINEMENT! This term, commonly used in the Chinese community; refers to the 1 month period whereby new mothers are deprived of their freedom to eat, drink, move, bath and do anything as they like. Even their rest time is being arranged or manipulated!
My confinement lady - Annie Mummy, is my worst enemy for now. She started the confinement regime as soon as I gave birth, even when I am still in the hospital. I wasn't allowed to eat any food from the hospital menu, as they are not the proper confinement food; meaning the ingredients they use are not 'approved' and may be harmful for post-birth recovery.
At home, I am forced to be in long pants and bedroom slippers (which has been my regular habit, luckily) without any fan switched on no matter where I am at, and including bedtime! It was downright torture to sleep without the fan nor the windows open.. I was tossing and turning when each side that I slept on got extremely hot and unbearable.
All my meals were home-cooked and prepared conscientiously by my mum. She takes pride in her culinary skills, but I am sorry to say that those dishes are awful! I don't mean awful tasting, but awful to have at every single meal! I have stir-fried lean pork slices, fish cooked in wine, vegetables with minced pork, all fried with lots of ginger! Hate the ginger (though I love it with xiaolong baos), as it is actually what makes Rianne jaundiced! But my stubborn enemy says it is essential to have lots of ginger intake during confinement, the logic is to expel wind out of my body. Don't thank me for all the farting, thank my mum!
Have I mentioned about showering? "Don't you dare harbour thoughts of pouring water down your naked body!" - said the confinement devil inside me. Can you believe, I have not showered nor wash my hair for 5 days until yesterday? Trust me, I have never been such a mega turn-off before and I know my friends who have seen me in that state, were just being kind not to comment.
See for yourself here.. but don't say I didn't warn you..
My hair were all lumpy due to the grease and grim accumulated over the 5 days, and I was basically stinking to an extent. I was almost dying, out of irritation from not being able to touch water, and with my never-ending post bleeding. And of course, from missing my little girl so much!
Comparing pregnancy blues to contraction pains, to childbirth, and to confinement; the winner of all pain unbearable is CONFINEMENT!
Signing off with another gross picture, of my bruised thigh..
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