In much of the world, new mothers are expected to bounce back fast. Back on their feet, back to errands, back to normal.
Chinese tradition takes the opposite view. For the first month or so after birth, a new mother's only job is to rest, eat well and bond with her baby. This practice is called zuo yue zi, which means "sitting the month."
Here is what it involves, why it has lasted for centuries, and how to adapt it to modern life.
What is zuo yue zi?
Zuo yue zi is a period of rest and recovery after childbirth. It traditionally lasts 30 days, and many families extend it to 40.
During that time, the mother stays home, stays warm, and eats specific nourishing foods. Family members, usually her mother or mother in law, take over cooking, cleaning and visitors.
The idea behind it is simple. Pregnancy and birth use up a great deal of the body's resources. The month after is the window to rebuild them.
The Chinese medicine view of the postpartum month
In Chinese medicine, birth is seen as a major loss of blood and qi. It can also draw on jing, the deep reserve stored in the Kidney. Read more in Jing and Winter Kidney Nourishment.
Recovery depends on the Spleen, which Chinese medicine sees as the root of digestion and the source of new blood. That is why the diet during zuo yue zi is warm, cooked and easy to digest.
The body is also seen as open and vulnerable to cold and wind after birth. That belief is the reason behind many of the traditional rules about staying warm.
The core practices of sitting the month
1. Rest, and a lot of it
The first two weeks are about as close to full rest as a household can manage. Visitors are limited. Chores are handed off. The mother sleeps when the baby sleeps.
2. Stay warm
Traditionally this means socks at all times, layers, no cold drinks and no cold air blowing on the body.
3. Eat warm, nourishing food
Meals are cooked, soft and warming. Soups and broths show up at almost every meal.
4. Bond with your baby
With chores off her plate, the mother has time for skin to skin contact, feeding and simply getting to know her baby.
5. Move gently
Rest does not mean lying still all month. Short walks around the home help circulation once your provider says it is safe.
Traditional rules, and how families adapt them today
Some of the old rules have not aged well. Here is how many modern families adapt them.
| Traditional rule | Why it existed | A modern version |
|---|---|---|
| No washing hair or bathing for a month | Homes were cold, and getting wet and chilled was a real risk | Shower as usual, then dry off and dress quickly. Blow dry your hair right away |
| Stay in bed for 30 days | To protect a body that is still healing | Rest most of the day, with short walks as your provider allows |
| No cold food or water at all | Cold is thought to slow digestion and circulation | Choose warm or room temperature drinks and cooked foods |
| No visitors | To protect mother and baby from illness and exhaustion | Keep visits short and ask visitors to bring a meal |
What to eat during zuo yue zi
Traditional postpartum meals lean on a few warming ingredients again and again.
- Fresh ginger, used in almost everything to warm digestion.
- Sesame oil, especially in the classic sesame oil chicken.
- Red dates and goji berries, used to nourish blood.
- Fish soup, a traditional choice for new mothers who are nursing.
- Chicken soup with herbs, the backbone of the month.
- Congee, a soft rice porridge that is easy on digestion.
Your body also needs extra calories and nutrients while breastfeeding, according to the CDC. Warm, simple meals are an easy way to get them.
Easy ways to stock the kitchen before the baby arrives
- Batch cook and freeze broth in the third trimester.
- Set up a meal train so friends can drop off food.
- Keep ginger, red dates and goji berries in the pantry.
- Stock an herbal soup mix so a nourishing pot takes minutes to start.
Our Postpartum Herbal Soup Mix (Zuo Yue Zi) is made for this month. Our Chinese Herbal Broth and Soup Mix for Women and Goji Berries and Red Dates Tea Mix keep a nourishing pot easy in the weeks after. New to herbal soups? Start with Chinese Herbal Soups 101.
If you are nursing, check with your provider or a licensed herbalist before adding any herbal supplement beyond food.
What the research says
Zuo yue zi has been studied most for its link to postpartum mood, and the results are mixed.
A 2023 systematic review looked at 16 studies of Chinese mothers. Four found sitting the month lowered the risk of postpartum depression, two found the opposite, and ten found no clear link.
Researchers point to one pattern. The quality of support seems to matter more than following every rule. Rest and real help from family appear to be the parts that count. Conflict over strict rules can add stress instead.
That lines up with modern medical advice. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the weeks after birth the fourth trimester and recommends ongoing support and care for mothers during it.
Watch for postpartum depression
Baby blues are common in the first two weeks and usually pass on their own. Postpartum depression is different. It is more intense and lasts longer.
About 1 in 8 new mothers in the US report symptoms of postpartum depression, according to CDC survey data. Signs can include crying often, feeling angry, feeling distant from your baby, or doubting you can care for your baby.
If this sounds like you, talk to your doctor as soon as you can. Depression is treatable. You can also call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262), free and open 24 hours a day.
Plan your own version of sitting the month
You do not need a full time nanny or a house full of relatives to do this. Pick the parts that fit your life.
- Decide who will help with meals and chores, and for how long.
- Set visitor rules before the baby arrives.
- Prep and freeze warm meals.
- Keep your space warm and your socks on.
- Give yourself permission to rest.
Shop the Women's Health collection or browse Herbal Broth and Tea Mixes.
Sources
- Maternal postnatal confinement practices and postpartum depression in Chinese populations. A systematic review, 2023. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10615300
- Adherence to doing the month practices and postpartum depression among women in Hunan, China. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8353075
- JAMA. CDC survey on postpartum depressive symptoms, 2020. jamanetwork.com
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms of Depression Among Women. cdc.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Maternal Diet and Breastfeeding. cdc.gov
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Optimizing Postpartum Care, Committee Opinion 736. acog.org
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.