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China Elevator Stories
“Westerners have better physical strength than Chinese”
My husband chats with his cousin about my recovery after childbirth.
25/03/2015
Ruth Silbermayr-Song
Author
My husband tells his cousin, whom we visit in Changchun, about my “sitting the month” (a tradition called 坐月子 in Chinese that is supposed to help a woman recover from childbirth).
He explains: “Westerners don’t have this tradition. They eat cold foods right after giving birth.”
His cousin says: “That’s because Westerners have better physical strength than Chinese. If Chinese women didn’t adhere to Chinese postpartum practices, they’d become ill.”
Have you ever heard of this practice?
Explanation: From a Western perspective, many of the practices that should be followed according to Chinese tradition to recover from childbirth during the period of “sitting the month” are outdated and some can even be harmful. Please consult your doctor if you consider following these practices.