Any suggestions? 1mth to learn confinement for myself?

[lostsg]

hi all, I"m new to mummysg and have been reading all the old threads/post to learn more about impending motherhood.

I'm living in HK right now and my EDD is Feb 1, right now getting a CL to come over during CNY is going to be so expensive,plus air ticket prices..

I'm thinking of coming back for 1mth in Oct or Nov and finding a CL who will teach me the recipes, herbal soups and the confinement herbs to buy for the bath/ shower?

As I will have a helper by the time baby is born. I think I can leave the cleaning to her. So my key worry is the confinement foods.

Anyone know anybody who can cook good CL food and willing to teach. I'll pay a fee of course.

I"m really exploring all my options, its been a bit stressful right now.
Thanks!

 

[Ting]

try this thread.
http://www.mummysg.com/forums/f39/confinement-recipes-1924/

in HK no CL???

 

[lostsg]

i spoke to a few and frankly the 3 i spoke to were loud-mouthed cantonese women (who all are from Shenzhen) and their understanding of hygiene was scary.....

I am giving up on finding one here. they kept asking me a million qns and they charge the same price as in SG but NO CLEANING at all..... whats the point.

I dont want some loud hk/china woman telling me what to do when its probably the wrong thing.... This is based only on the 3 i spoke with. So right now I think I rather learn how to cook for myself.

i am all by myself here (with hubby) and just trying to figure everything out. all advice is appreciated!

 

[ace_wonderland]

Hi lostsg,

Did you check if HK have caterers for confinement food. Think will be easier rather than you cooking it yourself. Cos even with your helper around, you will still need to go buy the ingredients.

How about help from mother or mother in law, any of them free to go over and stay with you and help with the cooking of the confinement food ?

 

[shchoong]

I have SG friends who stay in HK now, and frankly, the CL there are totally different. not sure if it is the culture, & yes, the CL in HK are mostly fm Shenzhen, and we SG cant get used to the way China nationality does their confinement. Too much conflict...

Actually, cooking the confinement is very simple as long as you have cooking skill. Then, it will be very easy for you to follow the recipe and whoever is cooking, needs to practise, not you, mind you, you will be doing confinement then.

1 very impt ingredient is the "rice wine" whh you have to order well in advance because they need to be "home-made", so require time. Basically, all "water" in the recipe will have to be replaced by rice wine. any1 in HK doing this?

will be a long list only for the recipe itself, c if i can come up with something tis weekend.

 

[lilyliow22]

why not find help from an agency.

 

[camom]

If you are coming back, you can check out Popular for some confinement recipe books. I have the one by Patsy Chong (or Cheong), not too bad, recipes are nice and simple.

Herbs wise, you can go to Hock Hua to get the Da Feng Cao. I think there's the stronger version at $2 per pkt? It's vaccum packed so shld be ok to bring back.

 

[relaxingprincess]

I am a gonna be 1st time mum, can do self-confinement? How about our newborn. Will it be too tedious? I will get panic when my newborn cry.

 

[r3b3cca85]

Hi Relaxing Princess,

It is not recommended to do self confinement. As confinement is the process for us ladies to 'reborn" our health, hence plenty of rest is needed.

If possible, get a confinement lady, mum or your in laws to help.

During confinement, it is better to minimize your contact with water as too much contact will cause "feng shi" in further. Hence it is difficult to bath for your new born.

Further more, you will be also too weak to move around to do the cleaning , cooking & caring for your newborn.

There are also quite a lot of Do & Do not during confinement period. Hence, it is better to get mum / in law / confinement lady ( last resort) to do it for you.

Hope it helps..

 

[Phoebii Cheng]

I am a gonna be 1st time mum, can do self-confinement? How about our newborn. Will it be too tedious? I will get panic when my newborn cry.

Hi princess,

You can do self-confinement, but advise against it, cos' you will be tired after the birth, then you still need to take care of bb by yourself, newborns normally feed abt every 2 to 3 hrs. Best if you can get someone to help you at least with taking care of ur bb in the day so tht you can rest, then at night you can take care of ur bb..also you might need help with bathing bb too

As for housework, don't hv to do everyday, maybe once a week? If really there's no one to help you. Get your hubby or a part-time cleaner to do the housework.

As for the confinement food, if you really need to do it yourself, I think nowadays hv those confinement food catering, maybe you can order tht if you are doing your own confinement.

And if you r taking care of bb yourself, mayb use disposable diapers for bb instead of cloth nappies, so tht you don't hv a lot to wash.

Babies will cry definitely, but you hv to remain calm, they cry cos' they r hungry, their diapers full or just need a good hug or feel secure.

Hmmm but best if get someone to help you at least in day time so tht you can recuperate too ancing_wub:

Anyway, congratulations when are you due?

 

[maine78]

I am a gonna be 1st time mum, can do self-confinement? How about our newborn. Will it be too tedious? I will get panic when my newborn cry.

Will you be getting any help from eg hubby, mother, mother in law? If you will be all alone with the baby, i will advise against this.

I did my confinement alone as 1st time mother, with no help, total breastfeeding and plus an infected wound from natural delivery as stitches did not drop off till 6wks later, gynae cut it manually.

I cook my own confinement food and red date drink every morning. What i do is, i pack all the fish/meat and confinement herbs into 28 packs so that everyday i just throw all in one pot and eat for three meals. Hubby/mother will cook papaya fish soup for me when they are free. Can't be fussy with having the same food for 3meals for a month. Laundry all used washing machine. Hubby helped with other chores.

I shower once a week with herbs. Need to boil 2 big pots of water with the herb. I plan my time so that it won't clash with baby feeding time. There were times whereby my breastmilk leaking (need to latch/pump), baby crying, i need to go toilet urgently but will take time coz need to clean wound and apply med. It all happens together same time. You need to be calm and do things one at a time.

Not scaring you but if you will panic when baby cry, better get help from relatives or get a confinement lady. It makes a whole lot of difference. Maybe i did not rest at all during my confinement, i fall sick very often and slow recovery. So please get help if you know you can't handle. Confinement period is to let you rest as much as you can.