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Confinement Practices: How & Why?February 15, 2018

If you are Indian and just had a baby, your family and extended family cannot stop themselves from telling you about the first 40 days after delivery are important.  The practices during these days may vary depending on which part of the country you are from. But largely, the first 40 days are seen as a confinement period, meant for you to recuperate, gain strength and bond with your new baby. Traditional Indian practices advise this for 40 days or more– during which the mother is advised to stay indoors and do minimum house-work thus giving her full time and attention to the new born baby. Ayurveda says that the rest taken 42 days after birth will last for the next 42 years. Many Indian communities follow different ways of the post-pregnancy confinement period. The common aim of this is to provide proper rest and nutrition to the new mom, protect the new mother and the baby from infections and help the mother to recover from the exhaustion of childbirth. A confinement period can be possible for a mother only if she has help from family, or hire a post delivery care professional for this. You can consider hiring one either part or full time. Postnatal care is very important for a mother, as she has gone through immense physical and psychological changes. Many health issues in later life are linked to inadequate postpartum care so make the most of your confinement period.

It's quite natural to feel that 40 days is too long. It is best to allow your body to heal at it's own pace. You can help yourself heal by resting, eating well and looking out for the signs of an infection or other postnatal complications. If your gut says something is wrong then seek help. If your recovery is taking longer than you expected use these 40 days to get all the rest you need.  Staying home to relax with your baby for a set amount of time allows your body time to recover. It also grants you a peaceful period of protect newborns, bonding with your baby and encourages establishing successful on-demand breastfeeding without having to worry about escaping to your car.

Rest may not be easy to come by with a newborn. Your little one will probably want to be fed every two hours through the day and night, and will probably pass urine as often. But this is why confinement is such a popular postnatal practice in India. After delivery, the body recovers at its own pace, and the time that you will take to heal and get back to routine will depend on the birthing experience you have had. Pains and aches will stay for quite a long time, especially if you have had a C-section delivery. This is also one reason that confinement period is advised; else you would find yourself in the kitchen just a few days after delivery. Your body will be going through a lot during these first few days of motherhood. Enjoy this precious time you get for yourself and your newborn baby before the mad rush of life sets in again.  

Many new mums also get the baby blues and a few suffer from more serious postnatal depression. This can cause severe mood swings, sadness and guilt. A well-meaning elder in the family may introduce you to healing exercises and interesting rituals. A trained post natal care giver can spot these signs. If you feel extremely depressed and have thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby, you should speak to your doctor. With the right treatment, you will feel better again. Use the confinement period to help you get over this emotional upheaval and bond with your baby, so that you are able to enjoy motherhood fully. Your mother may give you a special massage or some traditional food meant for a new mum. 

Once you have recovered, you will find your natural instincts kicking in which will give you the confidence to get about your schedule and seamlessly include your new born’s routine in it. 

Kalyani Nair

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