Wǒ Men Podcast: “Sitting the Month” – Postpartum Confinement in China

The Wǒ Men podcast is a bi-weekly discussion of life in China hosted by Yajun Zhang and Jingjing Zhang. Previous episodes of the Wǒ Men podcast can be found here, and you can find Wǒ Men on iTunes here.

Imagine not being allowed to take a shower, leave your house, or even open a window for an entire month. Sound horrible? Well, it is an experience millions of Chinese women have been through immediately after giving birth.

It’s called “sitting the month” (坐月子 zuo yuezi in Chinese) and, so traditional Chinese medicine would claim, it is an essential part of the childbearing process. It’s certainly a far cry from the approach of most Western women, many of whom take the first opportunity they get to take their new baby for a walk in the park — and not to mention to take a shower.

On this podcast, Jingjing and Yajun sit down with new mother Kaijing Xiao (pictured right) to hear about her “hybrid” experience, combining elements of traditional Chinese post-natal practices with a more modern approach.

Have thoughts or feedback to share? Want to join the discussion? Write to Yajun and Jingjing at [email protected].

Previously on the Wǒ Men Podcast:

Wǒ Men Podcast: #MeToo Finally Takes Off in China

Wǒ Men Podcast: Lijia Zhang on China, Changes, and Prostitution

Wǒ Men Podcast: The Changing Landscape of Chinese Media