What is a Chinese postpartum nanny, and what are the benefits?

Chinese postpartum nannies originated from China. The Chinese call it Zuo Yue Zi, which means to “sit a month.” The tradition has been practiced since the year 960. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that blood carries your chi, or your “life force,” which affects all the functions of the body. When you lose blood, you also lose chi, and this causes your body to go into a state of yin/cold. When yin (cold) and yang (hot) are out of balance, your body will often suffer physical disorders.

So the practice is all about confining a mother to her house, so she can rest and recover after giving birth and to avoid any physical disorders. There are certain things that are restricted during this time such as diet and lifestyle which are practiced after birth to restore a woman’s “broken body.” Most practices are related to restoring the blood and fluid loss which results from giving birth.

For one whole month, the mother is confined to her house to recover and recuperate after giving birth. The confinement nanny, or Yuesao, looks after the baby, giving the mother ample time to rest. Everything is carefully taken care of by the confinement nanny, it is a complete service which caters to the mother and baby’s every need.