SIT THE MONTH.docVIP

SIT THE MONTH 　　When Her Royal Highness， The Duchess of Cambridge， or Kate Middleton as the more common oiks know her， gave birth to the royal baby， she stepped out to greet the world’s media the next day. Many Chinese looked on aghast： How can they treat her so cruelly， do they not let her “sit the month”？ 　　Sitting the month 坐月子 （zu7 yu-zi） is a traditional postpartum custom observed in China and several other East Asian countries. It is a highly prestigious and strictly observed month for a newly-expanded family. As millions of Chinese stared at the image of the Duchess standing with her baby boy， they， no doubt， wondered why she wasn’t tucked up in bed getting some much needed rest. 　　Just as many Chinese were bemused by Middleton’s behavior， many in the West would fi nd post-childbirth confi nement in China absurd. The Chinese take this confi nement quite literally and add a few dozen extra steps for good measure. 　　Some of the absolute no-nos for new mothers （and the emphasis is very much on no here） include： no direct contact with the wind， no going out， no fruits， no vegetables， no salt， no wearing sandals， no exposing of the heels， no leaving empty space between the waist and back of a chair （cushion required）， no hair washing， no baths， no brushing teeth， no brushing hair， no TV watching， no crying， no boiled water， and more. The list is exhausting. Everything from the food that goes into the mouth， to the air fl ow in the room―right through to the precise posture and exact amount of standing， sitting and walking―is closely monitored with military precision by various members of the family. 　　An old Chinese saying addresses the signifi cance of postnatal care： “Eat well， sleep well， nothing is better than sitting the month well.” （吃得好，睡得好，不如月子坐得好。Ch～ de h2o， shu# de h2o， br% yu-zi zu7 de h2o.） The health aspects of zuoyuezi fi nd support in Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM）. According to TCM， there are three crucial periods that have life-long ef