01/09/2025
In Ayurvedic beliefs, how you rest in the first 40 days postpartum will impact your health for the next 40 years. We see similar beliefs about postpartum rest through many cultures and religions including but not limited to:
-Christianity where the Bible speaks about 40 days of purification postpartum.
-Islam where Muslim women are considered to be in a phase of ritual impurity and are exempt from certain practices, may eat certain diets, and are sometimes cared for by only female relatives.
-Judaism which believes in different lengths of ritual impurity depending on the gender of the child.
-Traditional Chinese Medicine practice a sitting month of 28-100 day confinement with an emphasis on healing.
-Korean culture has a tradition called Sanhujori where they have a 3-5 week period of specialized care.
-Latin American cultures that have la quarentena, or a 40 day rest period. (Quarentena doula services pictured above by doula )
-Amish communities that focus on family and community support.
Rest being encouraged postpartum is something ancient and sacred and practiced worldwide. As midwives, we have seen benefits mentally, physically, and emotionally over and over again. And how affirming it is to see it being preached about in so many cultures and communities. Though times are changing, bodies are still needing this rest and recovery care. We can receive this through family, community, and hired support. No matter where we get support from, it is crucial that we receive it some way or another. Though birth prep is important, we often find postpartum prep to be even more crucial and frequently forgotten. It’s time we go back to putting more of a focus on postpartum and the way we are cared for in this period of time.
