As Dr. Bill kindly announced earlier this week, my wife Sarah and I became the proud parents of a healthy brand new baby boy. Thanks all for your kind wishes and visit ChangingAging on Facebook if you’d like to see some pictures.
I’ll be scaling back blogging a bit for the next few weeks to enjoy the newest member of my family, and more importantly, to focus on helping my wife fully restore herself by experiencing a proper Zuo Yue Zi, which translates literally to “Sitting Moon”.
“Sitting Moon” refers to the crucial first month after giving birth when a mother should be nurtured and replenished with nutritious foods and herbs in order to regain their vitality and prevent post-labor illness. It’s an ancient Chinese tradition that is quite lost in today’s fast-paced world, in which women are too often expected to hit the ground running, head back to work and juggle all of life’s responsibilities in addition to their newborn baby.
It is truly a wonderful approach to postpartum care for both mother and baby and I highly recommend checking out the book Sitting Moon by Daoshing Ni and Jessica Chen if you or someone you know is getting ready for childbirth. It’s a warm and funny read that outlines a great four-week program to help women reclaim their vitality after giving birth.
After the intensity of pregnancy and labor and the incredible demands of a newborn child it’s extremely easy to lose sight of what happens to new mothers after delivery, both physically and emotionally. Practicing “Sitting Moon” is a great approach to help ensure a mother’s vitality and also introduces a slower, healthier pattern of living that is much needed by today’s families.
