Misunderstanding of These Pantang
People will usually tell you what you can and cannot do during confinement period, called as pantang (taboo). Surprisingly, there are plenty of traditional pantang or prohibitions supposed to be followed by all the new mothers. In fact, not all of them are scientifically correct.
Pantang 1: Don’t Brush Your teeth
Foods prepared for new mothers during confinement are usually high in protein, sweet, and soft. Soft, means it is easier to hide from our sight in the fissures (grooves) of teeth or in between the teeth. These residues can be fermented by bacteria to produce acid, which can cause dental caries or periodontal disease, and easily cause bad breath, mouth ulcers and etc.
During confinement period, you might feel the condition of loose teeth due to the lack of calcium. Thus, you need to have enough calcium in your diet.
What to do ?
- Brush your teeth twice a day by using the soft-toothbrush, rinse your mouth with warm water, and be gentle.
- Rinse your mouth or brush again after having supper.
- Consume foods or drinks which provide calcium to ease the condition of loose teeth.
- Three days after giving birth, you can brush your teeth with your finger. Wrap your index finger with gauze, paste on toothpaste, and brush. Meanwhile, you can massage your gums too.
- The mouth can be cleaned with sputum, and rinsed with warm water several times after each meal to remove food residue.
Pantang 2: Don’t eat any fruits
“Fruits are not good for your teeth” W-H-Y ?
Fruits are harder and “colder” compare to other type of foods. Therefore, it is acceptable to said so, when you are seriously lack of calcium with loosen teeth, especially your living condition causing you too have poor nutrition.
What to do ?
Nowadays, standard of living rise, we have enough of calcium. Besides that, Vitamin C is helpful for wound healing and Hemostasis (stop bleeding), especially after deliver a baby. Fiber intake from fruits can treat constipation too. Mothers need the nutrition to speed up body recovery and milk secretion.
Cautious: increase the amount of intake step by step, don’t eat fruits straight from fridge, no “cold” kind of fruits, wash before eat, peel the fruits, cut in slices
Pantang 3: Don’t touch water/take shower/ wash hair
You are not allowed to use/touch the water, especially unboiled water. In another words, you are not allowed to take shower, wash your hair, or even just washing your face etc for a month. People think it is easier to get cold if we are not avoiding all that, and you might suffer the pain when you get old.
What to do ?
Unfortunately, we are sweating for every second now due to the hot weather. Therefore, it is a difficult task for us not to shower for the whole month. In fact, we are allow to take shower, washing hair and face for hygienic purpose. In contrast, not shower might provide a chance for bacteria or viruses to invade and duplicate, end up by leading to infection. However, weakness lends wings to rumors, getting cold easily does make sense, so please use warm water.
Pantang 4: Don’t not leave your bed
We always wish we could hear that from our boss yea…
This pantang happened because they believed the body of new mothers have “over-exercise” while delivering a baby, thus they need a good rest for their body to recover fast. Of course, you are allow to leave your bed only when your urinary bladder overflow.
What to do ?
Indeed, you will need a good rest but doesn’t mean just lay on your bed. You need to work out or exercise a bit, unless you willing to take the risk of disuse atrophy. Exercise can help to improve your uterus to rejuvenate, even promotes the recovery of the pelvic floor and perineal muscle elasticity, which is beneficial to the recovery of postpartum sexual life.
- Be a good girl staying on the bed 24 hours after delivered a baby, only leave your bed on the next day
- At least sleep for 10 hours a day
- Get out of bed slow
- New mothers who have had a perineal cut or cesarean section should also get out of bed as soon as possible.
- Do not stand for too long to avoid physical labor and postures to prevent vaginal wall swelling or uterine prolapse.
- You can start to do postpartum recovery after a week
Pantang 4: Close up yourself
You need to close all the windows, doors, and even seal up the gap. Put on a thick cloth, scarf, and cover yourself with thick blanket to avoid get cold.
To be honest, this make thing worse. Closed place does not allow the air to flow through, thinner air remain, which is not good for postpartum recovery. By the way, without sunlight, it will affect the body’s absorption of calcium and increase the risk of developing other diseases. Meanwhile, higher room temperature is the ideal temperature for bacterial growth, and lead to infection
What to do ?
- Left the windows open to keep airflow.
- If it is too hot, using of fan or air-conditional is reasonable, just avoid direct contact with cold air.
- Personal hygiene is important in order to avoid infection.
- You should wear the clothes which are not too loose or tight.
- Let’s sunlight bright up your room.
